Megan Fox Workout
What is the Megan Fox workout? Well, it’s what has helped her win the ever-impressive title of “Sexiest Woman Alive” by FHM readers in 2008. How this is measured, I really have no idea. Regardless of subjective surveys, you know it and I know it (and let’s be honest…she probably knows it too!)
On this page, I will describe the Megan Fox Workout that got her into shape for her role in Transformers 2 which included a well-structured routine which is based mostly around HIIT cardio, steady state cardio, bodyweight exercises and a lot of abdominal focus.
First, let’s looks at Pasternak’s 5-Factor Diet and Fitness Plan a little more in depth.
His program is explained in series of…you guessed it…Five’s. Five phases of workouts, five days per week, working at a maximum heart rate for five minutes. Phases 2-4 should last 30 seconds for each exercise, and be cycled through three-four times with a maximum rest of 90 seconds at the end of each circuit.
Below are the five phases:
PHASE 1: Cardio. This can be any form of cardio warm up that gets your heart rate into a zone of 65-85% of your maximum heart rate. How do you know if you’re in this zone? You could purchase a heart rate monitor to keep track, or simply plug your numbers into the following equation:
PHASE 2: Upper Body Circuit. An example of this comes from his book which is the Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extension. Lie flat on the bench with your feet up on the bench, tucked next to your butt. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your arms extended toward the ceiling and palms facing each other. Inhale as you hinge at the elbows and bring the dumbbells simultaneously down past your ears and toward your shoulders, then exhale as you press the dumbbells back to the starting position. Keep your upper arms still throughout the movement. Mental cue: imagine hammering a nail into the ceiling with both hands.
PHASE 3: Lower Body Circuit. An example of this comes from his book which is the Reverse Lunge. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the dumbbells at arms’ length, with your palms facing each other. (If you choose to go without dumbbells for this move, then place your hands on your hips.) With your shoulders back and head up, inhale as you take a large step forward. Lower your body so that you create a series of 90-degree angles (i.e. at the leading left leg, left ankle, left knee, left hip, as well as the back right knee and right ankle). As your back right knee nears the ground, exhale as you drive back with the muscles of your front leg to the starting position. Alternate after each rep.
PHASE 4: Abdominals. This exercise is taken from his book and is called the Dumbbell Side Bend. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in your left hand next to your left thigh. With both palms facing each other, slowly slide the dumbbell down your leg until you reach the bottom of the range of motion. Next, draw the dumbbell back up your thigh until the top of the range of motion. Keep your hips still throughout that movement. Upon completing the set, switch the dumbbell to the other side. Mental cue: imagine pivoting around your belly button.
PHASE 5: Cardio Cool Down. Here, you finish off with five minutes of cardio of your choice.
NOTE: More samples of the Megan Fox workout can be found on the “Workouts and Videos“ section of this site.
Before I go further, I highly recommend you watch this video that explains why the Megan Fox workout is so smart and so effective.
Why is this workout effective? I could go into a long explanation, but let me bullet point the main reason why each phase is so effective:
Phase 1: Bringing your heart rate into this zone to begin with, allows you to stay at an elevated heart rate throughout your workout, fluctuating between 65%-85%. The end result is a greater release of free fatty acids (fat cells) into your bloodstream to be burned up throughout the rest of your workout
1. Crunches
2. Hyper Extensions
3. Knee Ups
4. Super Mans
5. Lateral Crunch (Left)
6. Lateral Crunch (right)
7. Prone Plank
8.Ball legs Lifts
9.Lateral Plank (left)
10. Lateral Plank (right)
By repeatably execute above circuit of 10 different exercises hits all the muscles of the lower trunk. Perform each exercise for 30 seconds before moving to the next one. Do the circuit three times , and then take 90 seconds break between circuits . The goal is to improve the rep range achieved each week. You need to record your progress to track back any improvement for daily basic.
Phases 2 -4: Aside from receiving a total body workout in these phases (upper, lower, and abs), the genius behind is the circuit format. A circuit format does not allow you to rest, but you are giving your major muscle groups a break by rotating through the phases, so you are able to get a lot more done in a shorter amount of time. The free fatty acids released in Phase 1, begin to be released at a faster pace because you are keeping your heart rate above 65%, and will experience fluctuations in intensity (hi-lo-med intensity), which encourages release of those free fatty acids.
Phase 5: This is probably the best part of the work out. By this point, you have a lot of free fatty acids roaming around in your bloodstream as you have tapped into your 3 different energy systems to sustain your workout. By bringing your heart rate back down and keeping it elevated at a steady state, allows them to be burned up, rather than deposited back into your fat cells where they originally came from. I would suggest you perform 10-15 minutes of Phase 5, rather than just 5 to optimize this phase.
Along with this effective workout, Megan Fox has to nail her nutrition in order to achieve the body she has. Megan follows the Paleo Diet in order to achieve her lean physique, along with a caloric restriction when she is appearing on screen. What is the Paleo Diet? The focus is on vegetables, meat, fats, nuts and seeds, and fruits. Thus, you avoid grains, legumes, sugar, and dairy. As a follower of the paleo diet myself, I can attest to its’ success in weight loss and lean muscle maintenance.
She also includes a detox day every now and then consisting of raw apple cider vinegar. “It’s just water and raw apple cider vinegar, and it just cleans out your system totally. I’m not one for dieting or exercising ’cause I’m lazy and I have a really big sweet tooth, so I have to do cleanses every once in a while,” told Megan to the press. This helps to give her an extra lean look when she is getting ready for the screen.
Keep in mind, actors and actresses work hard to get their body fat percentages as low as possible for on-screen appearances, and are unable to maintain it after shooting.
There is an awesome program through the paleo lifestyle called the Whole30, which is a 30-day detox program that I cannot recommend highly enough! Ultimately, it is aimed at destroying old habits and addictions, and promoting health-improving habits (one of which is turning your body into a fat-burning machine)!
All in all, the Megan Fox workout and diet is pretty straightforward and common sense. There’s no doubt she has a great body and there’s no doubt that hard work in the gym and in the kitchen got her there. There is also no doubt that you can achieve the same look, but it’s not going to happen overnight. Set a goal, work hard to get there, and feel great in the process! It is my hope that the above information and recommended videos help you get there!
What is the Megan Fox workout? Well, it’s what has helped her win the ever-impressive title of “Sexiest Woman Alive” by FHM readers in 2008. How this is measured, I really have no idea. Regardless of subjective surveys, you know it and I know it (and let’s be honest…she probably knows it too!)
Megan Fox is absolutely gorgeous! And this begs the question…HOW DOES SHE DO IT!?!
It might surprise you that the Megan Fox workout is relatively easy to follow with a little bit of commitment and a lot of hard work. There is no expensive equipment involved or hours of running. Her trainer, Harley Pasternak, creator of the 5-Factor Diet and Fitness Plan is well-known for whipping top celebrities into the best shape of their lives. Some of his clients include: Lady Gage, Jennifer Hudson, Katy Perry, Hilary Duff, and Amanda Seyfried.
First, let’s looks at Pasternak’s 5-Factor Diet and Fitness Plan a little more in depth.
His program is explained in series of…you guessed it…Five’s. Five phases of workouts, five days per week, working at a maximum heart rate for five minutes. Phases 2-4 should last 30 seconds for each exercise, and be cycled through three-four times with a maximum rest of 90 seconds at the end of each circuit.
Below are the five phases:
PHASE 1: Cardio. This can be any form of cardio warm up that gets your heart rate into a zone of 65-85% of your maximum heart rate. How do you know if you’re in this zone? You could purchase a heart rate monitor to keep track, or simply plug your numbers into the following equation:
MHR = (age-220) X (.65 or .85)
You should keep your heart rate in this range for a minimum of five minutes. Although any kind of cardio will work, Pasternak suggests jogging, jumping rope, or running stairs.PHASE 2: Upper Body Circuit. An example of this comes from his book which is the Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extension. Lie flat on the bench with your feet up on the bench, tucked next to your butt. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your arms extended toward the ceiling and palms facing each other. Inhale as you hinge at the elbows and bring the dumbbells simultaneously down past your ears and toward your shoulders, then exhale as you press the dumbbells back to the starting position. Keep your upper arms still throughout the movement. Mental cue: imagine hammering a nail into the ceiling with both hands.
PHASE 4: Abdominals. This exercise is taken from his book and is called the Dumbbell Side Bend. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in your left hand next to your left thigh. With both palms facing each other, slowly slide the dumbbell down your leg until you reach the bottom of the range of motion. Next, draw the dumbbell back up your thigh until the top of the range of motion. Keep your hips still throughout that movement. Upon completing the set, switch the dumbbell to the other side. Mental cue: imagine pivoting around your belly button.
PHASE 5: Cardio Cool Down. Here, you finish off with five minutes of cardio of your choice.
NOTE: More samples of the Megan Fox workout can be found on the “Workouts and Videos“ section of this site.
Why is this workout effective? I could go into a long explanation, but let me bullet point the main reason why each phase is so effective:
1. Crunches
2. Hyper Extensions
3. Knee Ups
4. Super Mans
5. Lateral Crunch (Left)
6. Lateral Crunch (right)
7. Prone Plank
8.Ball legs Lifts
9.Lateral Plank (left)
10. Lateral Plank (right)
By repeatably execute above circuit of 10 different exercises hits all the muscles of the lower trunk. Perform each exercise for 30 seconds before moving to the next one. Do the circuit three times , and then take 90 seconds break between circuits . The goal is to improve the rep range achieved each week. You need to record your progress to track back any improvement for daily basic.
Phases 2 -4: Aside from receiving a total body workout in these phases (upper, lower, and abs), the genius behind is the circuit format. A circuit format does not allow you to rest, but you are giving your major muscle groups a break by rotating through the phases, so you are able to get a lot more done in a shorter amount of time. The free fatty acids released in Phase 1, begin to be released at a faster pace because you are keeping your heart rate above 65%, and will experience fluctuations in intensity (hi-lo-med intensity), which encourages release of those free fatty acids.
Along with this effective workout, Megan Fox has to nail her nutrition in order to achieve the body she has. Megan follows the Paleo Diet in order to achieve her lean physique, along with a caloric restriction when she is appearing on screen. What is the Paleo Diet? The focus is on vegetables, meat, fats, nuts and seeds, and fruits. Thus, you avoid grains, legumes, sugar, and dairy. As a follower of the paleo diet myself, I can attest to its’ success in weight loss and lean muscle maintenance.
There is an awesome program through the paleo lifestyle called the Whole30, which is a 30-day detox program that I cannot recommend highly enough! Ultimately, it is aimed at destroying old habits and addictions, and promoting health-improving habits (one of which is turning your body into a fat-burning machine)!
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