Jenna sat curled up on the couch, idly scrolling through her phone. The hum of the refrigerator and the ticking of the living room clock were the only sounds in the house. It felt different when her mom wasn’t home—quieter, almost too quiet. Normally, she enjoyed the solitude, but tonight, something gnawed at the back of her mind. A feeling. An unease she couldn’t quite place.It had started earlier that evening when she returned home from her friend’s house. She had locked the front door behind her like always, dropped her keys on the kitchen counter, and kicked off her shoes by the staircase. Everything had seemed normal. But then, she noticed something strange. Her mom’s bedroom door—slightly open.
That was odd. Her mother always shut the door before leaving for trips, a habit she’d had for as long as Jenna could remember. At first, Jenna brushed it off. Maybe the wind had nudged it open before she left. Maybe she had imagined it. But the feeling of unease didn’t fade. Hours passed, and night settled in. Jenna curled deeper into the couch, trying to ignore the way the house seemed to creak more than usual. She turned up the volume on her phone, scrolling through videos, hoping to drown out the silence. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw something. Her breath caught in her throat as she turned her head toward the hallway. The door to her mother’s room was open wider now. Had it been like that before? A cold shiver crawled down her spine. She swallowed, gripping her phone tightly. Calm down. It’s nothing. But the growing dread in her chest told her otherwise.
She switched on her phone’s flashlight and stood up slowly. Step by step, she crept toward the hallway, her heart thudding against her ribs. As she reached the doorway, she hesitated. The room was dark, bathed in shadows. The bed was untouched, the way her mother had left it. But something was wrong. The air felt heavier, thicker. Then, she saw it. The closet door was open.
Jenna’s stomach twisted. She was sure—positive—that it had been closed before. The flashlight in her shaky hand swept over the room. Then she aimed it at the mirror across from the bed. And that’s when she saw it. A reflection. Not hers. A figure. Tall. Unmoving. Hidden in the darkness behind the closet door. A strangled gasp escaped her lips. The beam of her flashlight wavered as her hands trembled. The figure didn’t move. For a moment, neither did she. Then, it took a step forward. The wooden floor creaked beneath its weight.
Jenna’s breath hitched as she stumbled backward, her pulse hammering in her ears. The figure emerged slowly from the shadows, and as it did, the dim light from the hallway illuminated its face. It was a man. His face was gaunt, eyes dark and sunken, as if he hadn’t slept in weeks. He was dressed in ragged clothes, his expression blank, alm ost devoid of emotion. But he was looking right at her. Her body went cold. She tried to scream, but the sound lodged in her throat.
9 Best Exercises for a 🔞Slim & Slender Body in 30 Days
When it comes to sculpting a slim, slender body, following just the right exercise routine is a must. Even if your goal is not big, puffy muscles, getting the definition associated with being toned and fit requires you to fire up all the muscle fibers in the areas you want to look good. Furthermore, you need to burn fat and perform exercises that work your whole body if you want to see a slimmer figure. When coupled with a healthy diet and lifestyle for fat loss, slimming down in 30 days or less is entirely possible. The following are our top nine exercises for a slimmer body.
For each exercise that involves repetitions, perform 10 repetitions using a moderate-to-heavy weight that causes muscular failure at around 10 repetitions. For time-based exercises, complete 30 to 60-second holds. Perform three sets of all exercises with 60 to 90 seconds of rest between sets. Repeat the workout one to two times per week. You can also split the routine into multiple smaller workouts throughout the week.
Keep reading to learn about the best exercises for a slimmer body in 30 days, and next, don’t miss 5 Exercises Women Should Do Every Day to Stay Fit.
Planks
Planks are a fantastic exercise for strengthening your core and improving your overall stability. They also help tone your abdominal muscles and can improve your posture. Including them at the beginning of the workout helps prepare your core for the heavier stabilization needed during squats and deadlifts.
To perform a plank, begin in a modified pushup position with your elbows bent and your forearms resting on the ground. Align your elbows directly under your shoulders, and keep your body in a straight line. Engage your core and glutes to maintain this position. Hold this position for the target time, remembering to breathe throughout.
Lunges
Lunges target your lower body and help improve balance and coordination, making them a great addition to any workout routine. They also strengthen your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and core while improving your mobility.
To perform a lunge, stand with your feet hip-width distance apart and your hands on your hips or holding dumbbells at your sides. Take a step forward with your right foot, landing with your heel first, and bend both knees to lower your body. Rotate your left foot inward slightly as you lower your left knee for optimal biomechanics. Push through your right heel to return to the starting position, and switch legs. Repeat for the target repetitions.
Pull-ups
Pull-ups are a challenging upper-body exercise that targets your back and arm muscles, helping you develop strength and definition in your torso, lats, and biceps.
To perform a pull-up, grasp a pull-up bar with an overhand grip and your hands placed slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Hang onto the bar with your arms fully extended, and then retract your shoulder blades, visualizing crushing a piece of fruit in your armpit. Pull your body up until your chin is above the bar, maintaining a neutral spine and avoiding shrugging throughout the range of motion. Repeat for the target repetitions.
Deadlifts
Deadlifts are a highly effective compound exercise for developing overall strength and muscularity, targeting multiple muscle groups in the lower body and back, including your hamstrings, glutes, core, and traps.
To perform a deadlift, stand with your feet hip-width distance apart and the barbell positioned over the middle of your feet. Bend at the hips and knees, gripping the barbell with an overhand or mixed grip. Engage your core, and keep your back straight, lifting your chest as you straighten your legs and hips to lift the barbell. At the top of the movement, fully extend your hips and knees, then lower the barbell back to the ground, maintaining control. Repeat for the target repetitions.
Bicycle Crunches
The bicycle crunch is an effective abdominal exercise that targets the rectus abdominis and obliques, helping to tone and strengthen your core.
To perform a bicycle crunch, lie on your back with your hands behind your head and your knees bent. Lift your head, shoulders, and feet off the ground, engaging your core. Bring your right elbow toward your left knee while extending your right leg out. Alternate sides by bringing your left elbow toward your right knee while extending your left leg out as if pedaling a bicycle. Repeat for the target repetitions.
Dumbbell Push Presses
The push press is a compound exercise that targets your shoulders and triceps, improving upper-body strength and stability. You can think of it as an overhead press with more explosivity.
To perform a push press, stand with your feet shoulder-width distance apart, and hold a pair of dumbbells at shoulder level, palms facing forward. Slightly bend your knees, and then quickly straighten them to generate momentum, simultaneously pressing the dumbbells overhead. Extend your arms fully, and lock your elbows at the top, avoiding shrugging throughout the range of motion. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to shoulder level. Repeat for the target repetitions.
Glute Bridges
Glute bridges are a focused exercise that targets the glutes and hamstrings, helping to build strength and definition in your butt.
To perform a glute bridge, lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground placed hip-width apart. Engage your core, and visualize drawing your lower rib toward your pelvis. Push through your feet, and lift your hips off the ground, squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement. Hold the top position for about one second, then lower your hips back to the ground. Repeat for the target repetitions.
Dumbbell Rows
Dumbbell rows are an effective exercise for targeting the upper back and improving overall back strength, posture, and stability while toning your arms, lats, and mid-back.
To perform a dumbbell row, stand with your feet hip-width distance apart, and hold a dumbbell in your right hand. Bend at the hips and knees, placing your left hand on a bench or your left knee for support, and let the dumbbell hang at arm’s length. Engage your core, and retract your right shoulder blade, lifting the dumbbell toward your ribcage, visualizing crushing a piece of fruit in your armpit. Slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position, maintaining control and avoiding shrugging throughout the range of motion. Repeat for the target repetitions, then switch sides.
Dumbbell Chest Presses
This list of the best exercises for a slimmer body wraps up with dumbbell chest presses. The dumbbell chest press is a compound exercise that targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps, helping to develop upper-body strength and muscle tone in these areas.
To perform a dumbbell chest press, lie on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward, and your feet flat on the ground. Position the dumbbells at chest level, with your elbows bent at a 90-degree angle. Engage your core, and press the dumbbells upward, extending your arms fully and keeping your wrists stable. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position, maintaining control throughout the movement. Repeat for the target repetitions.
The man lifted a finger to his lips. scream tore from Jenna’s lips as she spun on her heel and bolted down the hallway. She could hear him behind her, the pounding of his footsteps growing closer. Adrenaline surged through her veins as she flew down the stairs, nearly tripping in her panic. She reached the front door. Her hands fumbled with the lock. Her fingers, slick with sweat, struggled to turn the deadbolt.
Behind her, she could hear him breathing. She yanked the door open just as his hand brushed against her shoulder. Jenna didn’t look back. She ran. She sprinted barefoot down the empty street, her lungs burning, her heart threatening to explode from her chest. She didn’t stop until she reached her neighbor’s house, pounding on the door frantically. Lights flicked on. The door swung open. And then—everything blurred into sirens and voices, flashing red and blue. By the time the police entered her house, the man was gone.
The only proof he had ever been there was the closet door—wide open—and the single, dirty footprint left behind on her mother’s bedroom floor. Unedited. Real. The kind of scene no one would believe. Jenna never stayed home alone again.
