Harley Pasternak’s Time-Saving Workout

Harley Pasternak is an unapologetic butt kicker. He won't stroke your ego or let you off easy--even if your name is Katy Perry, Amanda Seyfried, Megan Fox, Lady Gaga, or Jennifer Hudson. He'll push you hard and you'll love it (or at least the results you'll get). Yes, this fitness and nutrition pro, author of The 5-Factor Fitness Plan, is known as a formidable taskmaster.

But his philosophy (an ongoing lifestyle plan) is actually pretty simple: Eat five meals a day, plan five-ingredient meals, do 25-minute workouts, and treat yourself to five cheat days a month. If you can do simple math and follow his straightforward orders, you'll be hugely successful. Here's the workout he designed exclusively for Women's Health.



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CARDIO WARMUP
Starting with the first exercise, do as many reps as you can in one minute, moving immediately from one exercise to the next.

Walking High Knees: Standing tall with your feet shoulder width apart, raise your left knee as high as you can and step forward. Repeat with your right leg; continue alternating.

Jog in Place: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, elbows bent and at your side. Move as quickly as you can, bringing knees to hip height while pumping arms.

Jumping Jacks: Stand with your feet together, and simultaneously raise your arms above your head and jump your feet out wide. Quickly reverse the movement and repeat.

Jumping Imaginary Rope: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, imagining you're holding the ends of a jump rope. Push off the floor and point your toes downward, making small circles with your wrists. Land softly on your toes, immediately pushing off again, jumping as quickly as possible.

Mountain Climbers: From a pushup position, bend your right knee to bring it toward your chest. Return to start, and quickly repeat with the left leg; continue alternating.

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TOTAL-BODY CIRCUIT

Starting with the first exercise, complete all prescribed reps, moving from one exercise to the next without resting in between. Repeat the circuit three times.

1. Skater Lunge
Cross your right leg behind your left leg as you bend your left knee into a half-squat position. Extend your left arm out to the side, and swing your right arm across your hips (a). Hop a few feet directly to the right, switching the position of your legs and arms (b). That's one rep. Continue hopping from side to side without pausing or resetting your feet until you've completed 20 total reps.




2. Pushup
Start in a pushup position with your hands slider wider than shoulder-width apart and your feet close together (a). Your body should form a straight line from your ankles to your head. Brace your core and lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor (b). Pause, then push yourself back to the starting position as quickly as possible. That's one rep. Do 20.




3. Seated Trunk Twist
Sit on the floor with your knees bent and heels on the floor, holding your arms straight out in front of your chest, palms together, and lean your torso back at a 45-degree angle (a). Brace your core and rotate to the right as far as you can, without raising or lowering your torso (b). Pause, then reverse your movement and twist all the way back to the left as far as you can (c). That's one rep. Do 20. Make it harder by lifting your feet off the ground.


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CARDIO COOLDOWN
Starting with the first exercise, do as many reps as you can in one minute, moving immediately from one exercise to the next.

Mountain Climbers:

From a pushup position, bend your right knee to bring it toward your chest. Return to start, and quickly repeat with the left leg; continue alternating.

Jumping Imaginary Rope:
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, imagining you're holding the ends of a jump rope. Push off the floor and point your toes downward, making small circles with your wrists. Land softly on your toes, immediately pushing off again, jumping as quickly as possible.

Jumping Jacks:
Stand with your feet together, and simultaneously raise your arms above your head and jump your feet out wide. Quickly reverse the movement and repeat.

Jog in Place: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, elbows bent and at your side. Move as quickly as you can, bringing knees to hip height while pumping arms.

Walking High Knees:
Standing tall with your feet shoulder width apart, raise your left knee as high as you can and step forward. Repeat with your right leg; continue alternating.

MORE: The Best Post-Workout Stretches

Harley 's Top Tips

1. Work out less. You don't need to work out for more than 60 minutes a day. Just up the intensity! A typical lunch break on a Hollywood set is 30 minutes, and I can get any star into shape in that time. Lady Gaga wanted to get toned for a grueling tour and although we fit in longer sessions when she had time, she looks like she does with just 25 minutes a day of smart exercise.

2. Think ahead. Don't even open the door to the gym or head out for a run unless you have a clear plan in mind for what's going to happen. Otherwise, you might end up wandering around, wasting time, and not trying all that hard.

3. Nix the triceps kickbacks. It's the most overrated exercise I see women doing. Try skull crushers (or supine dumbbell extensions) instead. Lie faceup on a bench with your arms raised straight above you, a weight in each hand; slowly lower them to the sides of your forehead.

4. Give 100 percent at the gym, but 80 percent when you eat. Adopt the Japanese practice of hara hachi bunme, which involves eating only until you're 80 percent full and then waiting 20 to 30 minutes to see if you require more food.

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--By Jen Ator, Tips by Liz Krieger