Fitness Exclusive: Melyssa Ford

BET Beauty Lounge: Melyssa Ford

Melyssa Ford Fitness - Earlier this year, we teamed up with Melyssa Ford to steal her fabulous skin care tips, and we’ve caught up with the insanely fit model again to help get you bikini-ready.<BR><BR>Melyssa has exclusively detailed her daily exercise regimen down to the counts and reps. Come check out the best formula to get your abs, arms, legs and beautiful backside in shape for the summer.

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Melyssa Ford Fitness - Earlier this year, we teamed up with Melyssa Ford to steal her fabulous skin care tips, and we’ve caught up with the insanely fit model again to help get you bikini-ready.<BR><BR>Melyssa has exclusively detailed her daily exercise regimen down to the counts and reps. Come check out the best formula to get your abs, arms, legs and beautiful backside in shape for the summer.

Great Abs - The exercise that employs all three parts of your midsection is the “bicycle.&quot; Lie on your back with your hands behind your head and your legs up and bent at a 90 degree angle. Move your legs as if you were pedaling a bike, with the alternating elbow twisting toward the opposite knee. Do three sets of 50 counts.

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Great Abs - The exercise that employs all three parts of your midsection is the “bicycle." Lie on your back with your hands behind your head and your legs up and bent at a 90 degree angle. Move your legs as if you were pedaling a bike, with the alternating elbow twisting toward the opposite knee. Do three sets of 50 counts.

Arm Candy - Your arms are made sexy by sculpting your biceps, triceps and your shoulders (deltoids). The exercise that incorporates all three, as well as your back and your midsection is the basic army pushup. If you are able-bodied enough to do this exercise the normal way, challenge yourself. Start with three sets of 10 reps with 1-2 minutes of rest in between.

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Arm Candy - Your arms are made sexy by sculpting your biceps, triceps and your shoulders (deltoids). The exercise that incorporates all three, as well as your back and your midsection is the basic army pushup. If you are able-bodied enough to do this exercise the normal way, challenge yourself. Start with three sets of 10 reps with 1-2 minutes of rest in between.

Calf Sculpting - I do three variations of calf raises. Stand on a low platform, holding something for balance, with your heels hanging off to where you are balancing on the balls of your feet. Raise yourself up to where you are standing on your toes and contract calves. Repeat 20 times in three sets. Turn your feet inward slightly to affect the inner part of your calf muscle and outward to affect the outer part of your calf muscle.

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Calf Sculpting - I do three variations of calf raises. Stand on a low platform, holding something for balance, with your heels hanging off to where you are balancing on the balls of your feet. Raise yourself up to where you are standing on your toes and contract calves. Repeat 20 times in three sets. Turn your feet inward slightly to affect the inner part of your calf muscle and outward to affect the outer part of your calf muscle.

At-Home Hiking - I'm in the best shape of my life since I started hiking the canyons here in California. You can mimic the effects of hiking by turning the gym treadmill up to its highest incline and walking between 3.2-3.7 mph with three to five-pound dumbbells in your hands.

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At-Home Hiking - I'm in the best shape of my life since I started hiking the canyons here in California. You can mimic the effects of hiking by turning the gym treadmill up to its highest incline and walking between 3.2-3.7 mph with three to five-pound dumbbells in your hands.

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Flab Buster - Unfortunately, there is no such thing as &quot;spot reducing.&quot; In addition to walking on the treadmill set to the highest incline, I like to do “scissor kicks.” Sitting on a bench, leaning back slightly, hands grasping the side of the bench on either side of your butt, extend legs straight out and point toes. Cross and uncross your feet in a sideways motion quickly until you hit a 30 count. Repeat three times.

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Flab Buster - Unfortunately, there is no such thing as "spot reducing." In addition to walking on the treadmill set to the highest incline, I like to do “scissor kicks.” Sitting on a bench, leaning back slightly, hands grasping the side of the bench on either side of your butt, extend legs straight out and point toes. Cross and uncross your feet in a sideways motion quickly until you hit a 30 count. Repeat three times.

Baby Got Back - There is nothing better for sculpting your booty (and thighs) than good ol' squats and lunges. You don't need any weights; what is most important when performing these exercises is proper form, high repetitions and variation in intensity and body positioning. In a daily exercise session, doing at least three sets of 25-30 reps of squat-lunge combos, will generate visible results.

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Baby Got Back - There is nothing better for sculpting your booty (and thighs) than good ol' squats and lunges. You don't need any weights; what is most important when performing these exercises is proper form, high repetitions and variation in intensity and body positioning. In a daily exercise session, doing at least three sets of 25-30 reps of squat-lunge combos, will generate visible results.

'Kini Cues - I like string bikinis so I can adjust the fit of the bikini on both my upper and lower body. I play with colors and prints, but sometimes basic black or white is just so sexy and fly. I also love a big &quot;potato chip hat&quot; with the floppy brim and light caftan or cover-up. Coupled with some shades? Very ‘Sex and the City’!

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'Kini Cues - I like string bikinis so I can adjust the fit of the bikini on both my upper and lower body. I play with colors and prints, but sometimes basic black or white is just so sexy and fly. I also love a big "potato chip hat" with the floppy brim and light caftan or cover-up. Coupled with some shades? Very ‘Sex and the City’!

Why SPF? - Our world has changed and global warming is an issue we must acknowledge. The sun's UVA and UVB rays are damaging in the way that they can cause premature aging, eye damage and certain types of cancers. SPF is a necessity AT ALL TIMES. I love &lt;i&gt;Australian Gold SPF 30&lt;/i&gt; in the spray can for easy body coverage. For the face, I love &lt;i&gt;Olay's Regenerist DNA Superstructure UV Cream SPF 25&lt;/i&gt;.

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Why SPF? - Our world has changed and global warming is an issue we must acknowledge. The sun's UVA and UVB rays are damaging in the way that they can cause premature aging, eye damage and certain types of cancers. SPF is a necessity AT ALL TIMES. I love <i>Australian Gold SPF 30</i> in the spray can for easy body coverage. For the face, I love <i>Olay's Regenerist DNA Superstructure UV Cream SPF 25</i>.

Bronze Beauty - I am a huge fan of body bronzers and build-a-tan lotions to give you that sexy beach look without incurring the damage. &lt;i&gt;L'Oreal's Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Lotion&lt;/i&gt; has options for everyone and gives you a realistic-looking tan, if not overused. They don't break your bank.

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Bronze Beauty - I am a huge fan of body bronzers and build-a-tan lotions to give you that sexy beach look without incurring the damage. <i>L'Oreal's Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Lotion</i> has options for everyone and gives you a realistic-looking tan, if not overused. They don't break your bank.

Wax On, Wax Off - I've had to get the entire “forest” cut down for shoots. You can just get the regular bikini wax, which leaves you with something that reminds you that you're a grown woman and not a 4-year-old. Different drug stores carry over-the-counter numbing creams and sprays you can put on 10-15 minutes before your wax.

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Wax On, Wax Off - I've had to get the entire “forest” cut down for shoots. You can just get the regular bikini wax, which leaves you with something that reminds you that you're a grown woman and not a 4-year-old. Different drug stores carry over-the-counter numbing creams and sprays you can put on 10-15 minutes before your wax.