Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Treadmill "10-5 Hill" Workout

Here's another treadmill routine I made. I have done it a few times, and had a few other do it as well. If done straight through and with a good intensity, you should feel this one! =)

(remember all treadmills vary. Sometimes the ones I use at the rec vary 4 speeds different than the ones at cross fit in Rushville so If it feels too easy, up it or Vise Versa)

-5 min warm up walk..brisk thou. 4.5-4.9 pace
-10 min @ 6.3 working into 6.5
-30 sec sprint at 9.3 (or whatever best fits your level)
-30 sec sprint @ 9.3
-30 sec sprint @ 9.3
(rest in between these sprints but try to go into the next as soon as you feel you can.)
-10 min @ 6.5..working into 6.7-6.8 by end
-30 sec hill run..inclines vary but I had the rec one @ 15. Just make it a hard incline and set the speed between 7.3-7.6 (or whatever works best for you)
-30 sec hill walk..keeping walking speed brisk between 4.5-5.0
-30 sec hill run (same criteria as prev. hill run
(rest in between each of these by walking and taking the incline down but get into the next climb as soon as you can!)
-5 min run doing the following
*1 min @ 6.8
*1 min @ 6.9
*1 min @ 7.0
*1 min @ 7.1
*30 sec @ 7.2
*30 sec @ 7.3
-5 min brisk cool down walk at around 4.5-4.8 pace

Enjoy =)

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

"I don't have time to work out"

"I don't have time to exercise." I wish I had a dollar for every client or person who's said that to me--I'd have a lot more money than I do now. I know you're busy and I also know you often feel overwhelmed by all that exercise you're supposed to be doing. Cardio 3-5 times a week for at least 20 minutes and strength training workouts that work all your muscle groups at least 2 times a week. How the heck are you supposed to fit it all in? I have the answer! Read on if you want to know how to squeeze in short, effective workouts.
Using Your Time Wisely

You may have heard that shorter workouts done throughout the day are just as effective at burning calories as one, longer workout. That's great, but it's confusing trying to figure out how to change your longer workouts into shorter ones. If you only have 10 or 15 minutes at a time, how long should your warm up be? What exercises should you do? How can you keep the intensity up to get an effective workout?

When it comes to cardio, there are number of ways you can work hard in the time you have. The key is to make the workouts intense. If you only have 10 minutes, you want to work as hard as you can in those 10 minutes. If you can find 10 minutes 3 times a day, you can get in a great workout.

Short Cardio Workouts

If you only have a few minutes for cardio, your focus should be on intensity. Any activity will do, as long as you can work hard at it and get your heart rate up. Here's an example of a 10-minute outdoor workout involving walking, running and jumping jacks. If you don't like high impact, you can stay with the walking and add intensity by speedwalking or adding hills to the workout.

Outdoor Workout: (If you can try making all of the walking running or sprinting as well!...sprints are a for sure way to quickly torch calories)

1 minute: Warm up with a brisk walk - RPE - up to 5
1 minute: Speedwalk - speed up until your RPE is at 6-7
1 minute: Run - RPE 8
1 minute: Jumping Jacks - RPE 8
1 minute: Speedwalk - RPE 8
1 minute: Run - RPE 9
1 minute: Jumping Jacks - RPE 9
1 minute: Run - RPE 9
1 minute: Jumping Jacks - RPE 9
1 minute: Sprint - RPE 9
1 minute: Walk at an easy pace to cool down - RPE back down to 3-5


You can also get some cardio in at work. If you have flights of stairs to work with, take 10 minutes and divide your workout into 1-minute segments like the one listed above. Start with a warm up (walking up the stairs slowly) and alternate running up the stairs and walking down each minute. You can also try this Boot Camp Workout to do at home.


Squat-Thrusts

Stand with feet together. Squat down and place your hands on the floor next to your feet. In an explosive movement, jump feet backwards into a push-up position, jump feet back between hands and stand up. Perform 10 reps, march in place for a few seconds and repeat 10 more reps.

Slow Pushups

Begin in pushup position on a ball or floor. Perform 4 pushups, abs in and back straight. On the 5th pushup, lower halfway down and hold for 4 counts. Push back up and repeat the series - 4 regular pushups and 1 half hold. Repeat for 30-60 seconds.

Plyo-Jacks

Begin with feet together and jump up, taking feet out to the side while circling arms overhead and land in a squat. Jump up and bring feet back together, circling arms back in. This is just like a slow jumping jack, but really use power when pushing up into the jumps. Repeat for 30-60 seconds.

Walking Lunge

Start at one end of the room, holding weights if desired, and step forward with right leg. Bend both knees to 90 degree angles, lowering body into a lunge (keep front knee behind the toe). Bring the left foot forward and step into a lunge. Continue lunging, alternating legs for 30-60 seconds..

Jumping Jacks with Front Kicks

Do one jumping jack. After you jump the feet back together, bring the right knee up and snap the foot out in a front kick (don't extend the leg all the way, but keep a small bend in the knee). Do another jumping jack and kick with the left foot. Continue for 1 minutes, alternating jumping jacks and kicks.

Wall Sit with Chest Squeeze

Hold a medicine ball (or just press the hands together if you have no equipment) and slide down the wall until your thighs are parallel to the floor while squeezing the ball. Hold this position and keep pressure on the ball as your straighten the arms out in front of you and slowly pull them back in. Repeat the chest squeezes in and out for 30-60 seconds and stand up.

Ski Jumps

Stand with feet together. Bend the knees and jump to the right as far as you can--think of jumping laterally rather than vertically. Land with soft knees and immediately jump laterally to the left. Repeat for 30-60 seconds.
March in Place
Aren't you tired? Take a few seconds to catch your breath.

High Jogs

Stand with feet together and hold arms straight out in front of you at mid-torso level. Jog in place, bringing knees high enough that they hit your hands (don't lower hands!). Repeat for 30-60 seconds.

Triceps Dips

Sit on a chair or bench with hands next to the hips. Lift up and take the hips forward, just in front of the bench. Bend the elbows and lower down until elbows are about 90 degrees. Squeeze the triceps to push back up and repeat 30-60 seconds.

Pushups/Side Planks

In pushup position (on knees or toes), perform one pushup. As you come up, shift weight to left arm, twist to the side while bringing the right arm up towards the ceiling in a side plank. Lower the arm back to the floor for another pushup and then twist to the other side. Repeat for 30-60 seconds
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Strength Training Workouts

When it comes to strength training, you can do the same type of thing as cardio workouts. By doing compound exercises (exercises that target more than one muscle group) without rest between sets, you can squeeze in a strength training workout in 10 minutes, if that's all you have. Ideally, it's best to spend more time on your strength training to really target those muscles, but you'll always have days when you're short on time.

Great ideas for short full body toning circuits are in previose posts! Take a look =)

Monday, January 25, 2010

Fun Cardio Idea =)

So after talking with a exercise department college today we thought of an interesting and yet fun cardio idea. Make a play list on your i pod...can be a twenty min. mix or 30 or whatever! But the length of this mix of songs is the length of your workout. In stead of the usual...spending your entire cardio session on the same machine or the same routine you will change the cardio activity you are doing each time the song changes. You can pick 5 diff. activities and repeat through that circuit or pick as many different activities as you want! This is a good fix to occasionally kick boredom and just add a little something different into your routine.
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Cardio Ideas
-running (treadmill, outside then stop for other activities, or in place if short on room)
-jumping rope
-jumping jacks
-stair climbing on real or machine..or step ups on a bench
-quick feet
-high knees
-tuck jumps mixed with sprints or squat jacks
-sprints or suicide runs

Be creative, think up some of your own too!! =)

Saturday, January 23, 2010

10 Healthy Eating Tips for the Busy College Student

The average college student is often pressed for time, under a lot of stress and eating on the go. You may find it difficult to avoid bad habits like skipping meals or frequenting fast food restaurants. But eating a healthy diet can help you feel better, cope with stress and perform better in the class-room and on the athletic field. It really isn't that hard to get started.

1

Eat a good breakfast. Studies show that skipping breakfast detracts from scholastic achievement. When there isn't time to sit down and enjoy your morning meal, grab a bagel, piece of fruit, and some juice. Most of these items can be easily stored in your dorm room. I opt for oatmeal every morning as well as eggs; which both pack tons of protein. I usually eat one whole egg and 2-3 whites. The whites have the protein and the yolk holds the fat/

2

If you must eat fast foods, choose wisely. Choose pizza with half the cheese, a regular size roast beef sandwich, baked potato, or green salad with reduced calorie dressing. Limit high fat offering like french fries, fried chicken or fish sandwiches and watch out for salad dressing.

3

Keep healthful snacks on hand so if hunger strikes during a late night study session, you won't be tempted by vending machine candy, chips, or ice cream. Possibilities include fresh or dried fruit, pretzels, unbuttered popcorn, rice cakes or whole wheat cracker. If you have a refrigerator, consider raw vegetables with low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese.

4

Eat plenty of foods that are rich in calcium. People in their early twenties need to be build up stores of calcium in their bodies to prevent osteoporosis in later life. If you don't like milk, try to include ample amounts of low-fat yogurt, low-fat cheese, and green leafy vegetables in your diet.

5

If you need to lose weight, do it sensibly. Starvation and/or diets that offer a quick fix usually backfire and are harmful. There is not truth to the theories that suggest eating foods in any particular combination will promote weight loss. The only safe way to lose weight, feel good while doing it, and keep it off is to eat a balanced diet.

6

Sugar provides calories in your diet but few other nutrients and it contributes significantly to tooth decay. Use it sparingly and consider sweetening coffee, tea, cereal and fruit with diet sweeteners instead. Remember sugar breaks down and usually metabolizes to fat.

7

The dining hall salad bar can be either an asset or a detriment to you diet depending on how you choose from it. Of course, leafy greens, raw vegetable and fresh fruit are beneficial. But if you choose lot of creamy dressing, bacon bit, and mayonnaise based salads, the calories and fat may equal or even exceed those of a burger and fries.

8

If you drink alcohol, keep in mind that it supplies calories but no nutritional value. A light beer, a glass of wine, or an ounce of liquor each has about 100 calories. There are also many health problems associated with drinking alcohol. Remember Alcohol is mostly carbs. Carbs are shown to be at the worst when ingested late at night or in the evening. The carbs found in alcohol are not the slow digesting carbs we need to speed metabolism and promote weight loss they are fast digesting carbs that metabolize to central obesity and fat storage.

9

Drink lots of water. Your body needs at least eight glasses a day, and if you exercise vigorously, you may need more. To remind yourself, carry a water bottle along to class and keep it handy during late night study sessions. Water will speed up your metabolism!

10

Remember, food is a lot more than nourishment for our bodies. Enjoy and savor it.

There is a big difference between being "skinny" and "fit"...

All of the media and most society judge health and appearance quality by the basic idea of begin fat or "skinny". Truth is that someone who is merely thin in appearance can have a high body fat and be way less healthy than someone who has done it the right way and contains lean muscle mass.

Do you know what it means to be skinny fat? Just because you are not obviously visually overweight, that does not mean that you are healthy by any means. There are many people that appear to be thin and healthy, but the truth is, unless they are eating a healthy diet and regularly exercising, there is nothing healthy about them. Some people have faster metabolisms and can eat fast food and processed junk without seeing it appear on their thighs or midsection, but does this mean they are in good shape or healthy? The truth is, you can be "skinny fat", which means that despite appearing to be healthy and in shape, you are actually in poor health and not in shape at all.

Products and advertisements that promise a loss of weight without exercise or dieting are really only telling you part of the story. Those diet pills and chemical products that do work, though most do not, really only eat away the fat without making you healthy or really doing anything natural at all. There is a big difference between fitness and weight that most people do not comprehend. To the people who design these advertisements, losing the weight is all that matters, no matter how you reach that ideal weight. The truth is, fitness and health are what really matter, and if you are not trying to obtain fitness and health, then you are doing something wrong.

The truth is this: Weight does not equal fitness.
Losing weight without obtaining health and fitness is not doing it right. Just because you are thin, that simply does not mean that you are fit. The world is full of people who are "skinny fat". What really matters when it comes to getting healthy and losing weight is being fit, in shape, and taking good care of your body in the process. It is actually entirely possible for a thin person to have a high percentage of body fat, higher in some cases than people who are visually overweight.

Simply losing weight does not mean you have a healthy heart. Getting fit and eating healthfully on the other hand can guarantee an improvement in heart health. Losing weight alone does not lower your cholesterol, but regular exercise and healthy eating will. Simply losing weight is not going to lower your risk of contracting certain types of cancers, but regularly exercising and eating healthfully certainly can. Losing weight cannot prevent osteoporosis, boost your immune system, lead to healthier pregnancies and childbirth, help you keep your weight off for life, improve your physical performance or prevent the loss of muscle, but by exercising regularly and eating healthfully, you absolutely can.

So what does this mean? Losing weight is not the important part of getting healthy - The important things to consider are eating healthfully, exercising regularly and taking care of your health. Skinny Fat or Fat Fat your #1 New Years resolution should be get fit!

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Great WIU Rec. Center workout..can be modified too!

Have a bad or slumpy weekend? Need a great boost of a workout to start the week off right? Well, this workout will do just thought. I feel there is nothing better than to go harder than ever right at the beginning of each week to make me feel super energized and forget about any slips I may have made over the weekend on my eating habits! This is a great workout if you go at it hard and push yourself to go straight from running to stairs and then into the strength section and back to sprints. This is the only way you will get maximum calorie and fat burn. All though this was done at the Rec, you can also make any modifications and changes to make the workout work for your needs, environment, and fitness level. Here's how it goes...
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***Run 2 1/2 miles hard and see how good of a time you can hit with a little kick and uplift at the end. Make sure you continue a nice paced jog to make sure you get to 25 min. if your 2 1/2 miles does not take that long to complete.

***Run to the stair climber and go at an intense level for 6 min. Only 6 min so you can do it!!!=) WIU's climbers go to level 20, I had it on 18. So do what's hard for you. If there is no access to a climber then use nearby stairs or you can do step ups on a bench elevated sturdy object ( all though this is great, you won't get the same intense fatigue as the climber)

***I ran down to the weight room grabbed to 12 pound dumb bells and headed to the back gym where I had tons of space and was alone. You can however do it in your living room! I did ..

-21 lunges followed by going straight into 21 jumping squats...(HOWEVER, you must make sure each time you land and sit in the squat position you are putting the weight back in the heels, chest is up and you explode off the ground to make sure you are getting a good space in between your feet and the floor!)

-18 Lunges again followed by 18 jumping squats (Keep this pattern going throughout the following..)

-15 lunges; jumping squats

-12 lunges; jumping squats

-9 lunges, jumping squats

-6 lunges; jumping squats

-3 lunges; jumping squats

***Immediately I ran back up to the track for sprints. (This can also be done on your treadmill or outside!!) Considering sprints are already proven to zap fat during cardio, they are at their prime when done right after strength training when the lactic acid stores are depleted and you muscles are fatigued.
- 3X 200 m sprint
- 2X 75 m sprint

YOU"R DONE!!!! =)

Monday, January 18, 2010

Body weight Circuit Ideas. No weights or machines required

From what I have been told, a lot of people are really eager to hear more ideas on how they can throw in a workout from the comfort of their home or do one on a low budget without machines and weights. Here is anothr good fully body wieght circuit that you may find intersting and it like usual incororates strength with mixed in cardio bursts. You can do this routine alone or before of after a cardio session of your choice.
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After you are warmed up, Perform each exercise for 30 seconds to two minutes depending upon your conditioning and interest. Move to the next exercise smoothly, but quickly. You can continue the routine as long as you like (a twenty minute workout or an hour or more). Cool down with five or more minutes of stretching. The key to really getting a good workout from this and blastin fat is to trasition from one excersie to the next as fast as you possible can and maintain an fairly intense pace throught the entire workout.

***High knees

***Squat-Thrusts
Stand with feet together. Squat down and place your hands on the floor next to your feet. In an explosive movement, jump feet backwards into a push-up position, jump feet back between hands and stand up.
Push Ups

***Jumping Squats (if jumping is too difficult try stationary; howver without weight jumping is going to make you work harder and feel the move)

***Jump Lunges
Start in the lunge position – one foot forward and one foot back. Bend your knees and then jump up high and switch leg positions. Use explosive, but controlled movements.

***Push Ups
Begin in push up position, on knees or toes. Perform 4 push ups, abs in and back straight. On the 5th push up, lower halfway down and hold for 4 counts. Push back up and repeat the series - 4 regular push ups and 1 halfway--5 or more times.


***Side Jumps
Stand with feet together. Jump to the right several feet, keeping knees bent and landing in a squat position. Jump back to the left and continue jumping from side to side. Use a small object to jump over if you like (book, pillow etc..).

***Mountain Climbers
Start on your hands and knees and get into in a sprinter’s start position. Keep your hands on the ground and push off with your feet so you alternate foor placement (run in place) as long as you can. Be sure to keep your back straight, not arched.

***Plank Exercise
Get into push up position on hands and toes, or on elbows and toes. Contract your abdominal muscles (and core). Keep your back straight (don't collapse in the middle) and hold this position for as long as you can.

***Abdominal Exercises
Ab exercises can be done almost anywhere with no equipment.

***Tuck Jump
The tuck jump exercise ranks near the top of the list for developing explosive power using only an athlete's body weight.

***Chair Dips
You’ll need two chairs, (or a bed and a chair or a counter, etc…) for this great tricep exercise. Place two chairs facing each other, about 3 feet apart. Sit on one chair with your hands palm down and gripping the edge of the chair. Place your heels on the edge of the other chair and hold yourself up using your triceps. Slide forward just far enough that your behind clears the edge of the chair and lower yourself so your elbows are at 90 degrees. Do as many repetitions as you can.

***Wall Sit
With your back against a wall, and your feet about 2 feet away from the wall, slide down until your knees are at a 90 degree angle. Hold the position as long as you can. This is great for ski conditioning.

***Jumping Jacks
The basic jumping jack is a good cardio and strength training exercise.

Be Creative, have fun. enjoy =)

Rules of thumb that with Boost YOUR Metabolism! =)

1) Make sure you eat breakfast.

If you don't eat breakfast, you slow down your metabolism and send the body into "hoard mode," thinking it's starving because you're going a long period of time frequently 8 to 10 hours or more, without food.

2)Eat the majority of your food earlier in the day.

Dinner should be your lightest meal, and some experts recommend you don't anything after 8 p.m., or any later than 3 to 4 hours before bedtime. This helps your body process and burn the food when you're aware and moving around and burning more calories per hour.

3)Don't starve. ...yes you NEED to eat.

Dropping your calorie intake below 1,000 calories a day will signal to your body that you are in starvation mode, and will slow down your metabolism. Which equals weight gain

4)Eat smaller meals more frequently.

Smaller, more frequent meals keeps your blood sugar stable and provides a steady source of energy to fuel metabolism.

5)Get enough aerobic exercise.

As much as you can is really a help for your metabolism, and if you do it in the morning, you'll raise your metabolism all day.

6)Build muscle with weight training or resistance exercise.

At least two to three times a week, you should add weight training or progressive resistance exercise that builds muscle. Muscle burns more calories than fat, and the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, even at rest!

7)Water, water, water!!

You've heard it before, but drink those 8 8-ounce glasses of water every day. The energy burning process of metabolism needs water to work effectively.

8)Get enough B vitamins.

Among supplements, if you are suffering from flagging energy, you need to make sure that you are getting enough B vitamins. Vitamin B-12 in particular is one that is essential for energy. To ensure you're getting enough B vitamins, consider taking a B complex, plus a separate sublingual B-12.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Morning Sweat Session..This one's sure to wake you up!

You can do this workout at anytime, but I did it this morning so that is why I chose this title! lol I combined a continuous interval treadmill session right into a short full body tone up circuit I thought up. Change, alter, shorten or lengthen anything you want. Enjoy =)
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TREADMILL
*5 min warm up walking at 4.3-4.5

*10 min run at 6.3-6.5 speed minimum

*1 min at 7
*1 min at 7.3
*1 min at 7.5
*1 min at 7.7
*1 min at 7.9
*1 min at 8.1

*30 sec sprint ( at as fast of a speed as you can sustain)
*45 sec sprint
*45 sec sprint
*30 sec sprint

*run 5 min at 6.3-6.5 speed or at least to the 30-35 min mark
*walk at 4.3-4.5 pace for 10 more min. or until the 40-45 min mark.
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SHORT CIRCUIT
*30-45 sec of x jumps ( start low squat or like a ball hands touching floor,legs together, explode up off ground and into air and spread arms and legs making the body look like an x in the air, land back in the low ball like squat and touch ground, keep repeating)
*1 min of jumping jacks
*1 min of push ups (can do 30 reg. and 30 yoga push ups)
*30 second knee to elbow jumps
*30 second high knees
*1 min jump rope

***Repeat 3-4 four times through the circuit. This should take anywhere from 14-21 min depending how long you take transitioning in between things. However, the faster you start right into this circuit after your treadmill routine, the more you will actually feel this. Same goes for the speed and pace you keep in between each exercise in this circuit.

Save calories and fat; substitute lean turkey for your beef recipes!

As discussed before in order to maximize fat loss and build lean muscle mass, we need to make the bulk of our diets lean protein meats and other protein sources. We also need to keep fat counts low and only choose slow digesting complex carbs; meaning to opt for high fiber whole grain and whole wheat sources of carbs.

You might be tempted to use ground turkey for a low-fat substitute for ground beef, but check the label before you assume too much. Not all ground turkey has the fat and calorie savings you might believe.

If a package is labeled "ground turkey," what it means is that it can be any combination of breast and leg meat, and even skin. A 3-ounce cooked portion of this kind of ground turkey has about 200 calories and 11 grams of fat. A 3-ounce cooked portion of extra-lean ground beef contains 218 calories and 13 grams of fat, so you aren't really getting reduced calories and fat from using this type of ground turkey.

What you want to look for is a label on ground turkey that says "ground turkey breast." This type has 100 calories and 1.5 grams of fat for the same cooked 3-ounce portion.

Of course if you use the lean ground turkey, you will lose some moistness and flavor. If you are making turkey burgers, for example, they won't be as tasty as the combination ground turkey. But if you're making chili or something else with a lot of flavor and spices, you probably won't notice a difference.

I also look for 97/3 percent lean. I use turkey instead of beef in maid rites, burgers, meatballs and anything else that calls for beef. This saves a ton of calories and you feel like you are eating a cheat food but its actually lean protein! Little changes like this are what lead to big success in the long run.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Lower Body Tone Up Circuit

This routine is something I tried on one of my clients and they loved it! By the second set of the traveling jumping squats they said their legs were jello like? =) This routine involves some interval cardio spouts in between the strengthening moves to jump start fat loss and build lean muscle. However if you feel you need more cardio than what is involved then then add in a 20-30 min cardio routine before or after this strenth circuit. Here's the routine..enjoy.
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3 Rounds of ( after your first day of this..go back to it on a different day and beat your first time)

***50 meters of walking lunges (weighted or non-weighted..your prefrence)
***100 meters of forward traveling jumping squats. (low sqaut position with weight in the heels, jump forward and land in squat, keep repeating)
***200 meter run ( on the treadmill this is 24.5 on the treadmill for distance.)

*NOTE- This is cross fit based..you have to go hard at this circuit and as if you are going againast time in order to get the full benifit.

Monday, January 11, 2010

1 hour Calorie Blaster and Mini full body circuit

If you are anything like me, it's extremely hard for me to stay motivated and not BORED while on a treadmill for over a half an hour. Having something to look at often helps, like a t.v, but in the gym I workout in this is often not an option. For me, I'm an outdoors runner. I will often run outside even in the cold conditions as long as it's around 35 or 40 and above. However, the weather we have been having has been freezing and you still have to make yourself get a good cardio workout in!So, like discussed before, changing up your treadmill workout and making up different routines not only helps to continue to shock your body to achieve results, but it also takes away the Boredem and really helps time fly by faster. Posted below in an one hour treadmill routine. You can alter it to be a half an hour or forty five min as well..what ever you need! It just helps to have some ideas of how to challenge and change things up for yourself. When combining cardio with weight training and resistance training you are usually doing enough if you are doing up to 1/2 hour of cardio..if you are going hard and pushing yourself. If you are at a lower or more steady pace..then a longer cardio time will be needed to burn the amount of calories you would in a 1/2 routine while going hard. A couple times a week I like to challenge myself and do an hour of cardio, BUT at a fairly intense and challenging pace or routine. This is what will really burn a ton of calories. I usually throw in a hard hour of cardio on my off day fro strength training or on a light body weight resistance training day. Today I mixed this hour cardio routine in with a mini full body strengthening routine I made. I ended up doing only up to the 15 rep. round of the mini resistance circuit but if done alone I would shoot for up to 6 rounds. I have posted the both routines below. Remember...be creative! You can always alter any routine to make it shorter, easier, or harder for your needs. Build and mold routines from what you all ready know to keep challenging your body! =) Enjoy.
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ONE HOUR TREADMILL ROUTINE
6 minutes at 4.0.........(too make it more challenging I raised this recovery speed each time early in the routine; then actually went to the 4.0 pace at the end intervals)

2 minutes at 6.8, 0.0 incline....(***remember its best to always have a slight incline due to the natural slope of the machine so I kept mine on 1.5 instead of 0 and for the raise I did 3.5 instead of 2.0)
2 minutes at 6.8, 2.0 incline
2 minutes at 6.8, 0.0 incline

1 minutes at 4.0

2 minutes at 7.3, 0.0 incline
2 minutes at 7.3, 2.0 incline
2 minutes at 7.3, 0.0 incline

1 minute at 4.0

2 minutes at 7.5, 0.0 incline
2 minutes at 7.5, 2.0 incline
2 minutes at 7.5, 0.0 incline

1 minute at 4.0

1 minute at 7.5
1 minute at 7.6
1 minute at 7.7
1 minute at 7.8
1 minute st 7.9
1 minute at 8.0

1 minute at 4.0

2 minutes at 7.5, 0.0 incline
2 minutes at 7.5, 2.0 incline
2 minutes at 7.5, 0.0 incline

1 minutes at 4.0

2 minutes at 7.3, 0.0 incline
2 minutes at 7.3, 2.0 incline
2 minutes at 7.3, 0.0 incline

1 minute at 4.0

2 minutes at 6.8, 0.0 incline
2 minutes at 6.8, 2.0 incline
2 minutes at 6.8, 0.0 incline

1 minutes at 4.0
TOTAL: 60 minutes
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MINI FULL BODY CIRCUIT

21 reps of each exercise
18 reps of each exercise
15 " " " "etc.
12" " " "
9
6
3
THE EXERCISES
1)*Jumping squats taking the butt past the knees and sitting back in the heel; explode up and jump as high as you can using arms for momentum and land back in the low "butt past knees" squat. ( you won't feel this unless you take your time to go fully down into the low squat each time)
2)*Walking lunges with two hand weights of choice. I did tens today to go light.
3)*push ups
4)*Yoga push ups to work triceps and core
5)*ab exercise of choice..I did butterfly to work the entire core.

**So you would do 21 squats, 21 lunges, 21 push ups etc...then repeat doing 18 reps of each exercise, and on down the repetition list.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

100'S..

Sometimes it nice to switch your weight training and strengthening routines just as it is for cardio. Bored from your normal 3 sets of 20 reps?...Well mix it up by throwing in cardio in between exercises or doing cross fit workouts like I have posted previously. Another method I picked up from Western was called doing "100's". How you can do it is you pick 4-6 exercises and you do 100 sets of each exercises and see how much time it takes you...Next time you do it you can beat that time. It's also just different on the muscles to go straight through 100 reps and fatigue just the working muscle group without switching exercises. Usually I will set one day and pick upper body or lower body and zone all exercises towards the designated area. For instance..arms..so do 100 curls with dumbbells, 100 tricep dips, 100 push ups, 100 rows, 100 yoga push ups, and 100 sit ups. However you could pick full body exercises as well. As usual be creative and build new routines off of old ideas or suggestions like these! =0 You can also throw in sprints, jumping jacks, or jumping rope in between as well. Posted below is a workout I thought up and did yesterday incorporating 100's and a pretty steady treadmill interval I used a few weeks ago.
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The ten min treadmill interval I used is as follows and you could build this into any routine or alter however you like to make another workout for the future =

*10 min on treadmill (intervals)
... 7.0 speed, 2.0 incline, 1 min
... 5.2-5.5 speed, 0 incline, 30 seconds
... repeat for a total of 10 minutes
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..........and this is the workout I put together =

*10 min on treadmill (intervals)
... 7.0 speed, 2.0 incline, 1 min
... 5.2-5.5 speed, 0 incline, 30 seconds
... repeat for a total of 10 minutes

*100 bicep curls ( with desired weight) ; 100 tricep dips
*1.5 min sprint on treadmill @ 9..this can be lowered if needed.(however it takes the treadmill a little bit to even get to 9 so you Can do it!!! =))
*100 push ups ; 100 rows (use free weights or machine)
*1.5 min sprint on Tread. @ speed 9
*100 yoga push ups ; 100 sit ups
*1.5 min sprint on tread. @ 9

10 min on treadmill (intervals)
... 7.0 speed, 2.0 incline, 1 min
... 5.2-5.5 speed, 0 incline, 30 seconds
... repeat for a total of 10 minutes

walk for a bit at a good pace and cool down if you can.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

15 min. Treadmill Routine

Like discussed before..you always need to be mixing up and adding challenges to any fitness routine; including your cardio or in this case, treadmill routine. The body adapts quickly to routines and changes and alterations guarantee continued results and help to constantly "shock" the body; which is what is needed to cause a change. This is only a 15 min routine but you can do it by itself or you can add around it. What I did was I ran for 15 min prior to this routine at a steady pace then I went right into this 15 min routine below. After the 15 min were up I ran and then walked for an additional 10 min...so then I still got a good 40 min run in considering I needed a longer cardio day that day. You can alter it before or after however you like. This is a good intensity for a 15 min run thou!
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High Intensity Treadmill Workout
3 minutes at 7.3
3 minutes at 7.5
3 minutes at 7.7
3 minutes at 7.9
3 minutes at 8.1

It's only 5 intervals and 15 minutes, but it's fast. This is also great to do before a workout. And remember I always keep my incline @ 2 ..so shoot for 1.5 or 2 at all times because 0 incline is actually a decline compared to the level of challenge you would actually be getting outdoors. This is a proven fact. Enjoy =)

A Few Workout Ideas =)

As I have discussed before Cross Fit training is newly popular form of high intensity strength training that combines elements of cardio and helps a body work towards lean muscle and fat loss. Any time you weight train it boost the metabolism and any time you do short high intensity burst of activity, it also does the same. So imagine all of this combined and you've got cross fit. I have been doing cross a few days a week at the local Fit For Life..(now cross fit Rushville) since this past summer and I love it. What I really find fun and out of the ordinary workout box is that the workouts are usually timed. Meaning Tyler will encourage and coach me along as I try to get whatever it is I'm doing done in the fastest time possible. I also like to use this method every once in awhile on my clients in Macomb as well. They too love throwing in cross based workouts because it mixes things up for them. The workout I did yesterday..well the cross part only took me 6 min and some seconds that I do not remember now haha. Yea 6 min..real hard psshh right?..It never fails to amaze me but my toosh is actually sore today and that doesn't usually happen even when I do a full weighted leg workout. So..when you do strengthening activities at that intensity you will feel it. Since Tyler was running me through a short timed leg workout I through in my own cardio at the beginning and end; which you can do too. Sometimes the cross workouts are up to an hour and include pretty intense cardio but sometimes he will give me a timed but killer dash like yesterday.
Here's how it went and you can alter anything you want to make it work for you!
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*warmed up
*walked 5 min on the treadmill
*ran 10 min at a 6.5 pace
*did a mountain of prints(resting in between every sprint)...30 sec, 45 sec, 1 min,1min, 45 sec., 30 sec.
*ran at a good pace for 10 more min then walk for 5 (took about 40 min)..you can shorten this is needed; I was waiting on Tyler lol
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The Cross Workout
*Weighted walking lunges..holding two dumbbells of a weight of your choice..make it heavy enough that you feel the resistance
*Jumping stationary squats...remember to keep the weight in the heels and when you go down, take the time to make sure you take your butt all the way slightly past the knees keeping weight sitting back in heels and not leaning forward. This is key. Then explode up using arms to drive you and jump as high as you can off the floor landing back in the same low squat position.
Here is the reps and how you will do them...
21..(21 lunges, straight into 21 jumping squats and this will be the pattern you follow)
18
15
12
9
6
3
*goal is to finish as soon as possible but you must do all reps and keep a fast pace to achieve good time..this is what makes it a good routine. However..just as important as keeping that high speed intensity is maintaining good form and take the squat all the way down!
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****really short on time before or after a cardio workout?
Time yourself for 4-5 min and see how many squats or jumping squats you can do in that time period with out stopping and maintain a intense pace.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Your get fit grocery list

Your grocery list should follow and include several guidlines. Most people's number and most needed change in their diets and changing from white grains and carbs to whole wheat grains and carbs. Carbs are energy but white carbs are fast disgesting and leave you feeling hungry within no time; also the high levels of sugar spike insulin and can lead to fat gain. Whole wheat and whole grains are slow digesting, leaving you fuller longer and contain high levels of fiber and protein to promote healthy lean muscle mass. Here are some helpful tips for your next grocery adventure.

***Fresh vegetables and fruits should make up the largest part of your healthy foods grocery list. Vegetables and fruits have vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and they are usually low in calories. We all need at least five or more servings of vegetables and fruits every day. Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables that everyone in your family will enjoy.

***Most of your grain and cereal products should be made from whole grains, not from refined flours. This part of your list includes whole grain breads, whole grain pastas, and whole grain breakfast cereals. Whole grains are important for vitamins, minerals, and for fiber, which is often lacking in modern diets. Read labels to look for 100% whole-grain or 100% whole-wheat to be sure you are getting whole grain products.

***Your protein and meat choices should consist mostly of fish, poultry and lean meats. (CHICKEN, turkey, or lean cuts) Eggs, nuts, seeds and legumes are also good protein choices. Choose fresh and frozen unbreaded meats and fish. Avoid breaded, deep-fried convenience foods that you put in the oven. They are high in fats and sodium.

***Beverages should be kept simple. Water, low-fat milk, juices and herbal teas are all good choices. If you opt for soft drinks, choose diet sodas and soft drinks to avoid extra sugar. ( I have not drank pop since the 6th grade! )


***Dairy products should include low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese. If you do not want cows' milk, choose soy and rice beverages, calcium-fortified orange juice, or goats' milks and cheese.

***Be careful with dressings, cooking oils and condiments. They are sneaky sources of refined sugar and poor quality oils. Read labels to choose dressings made with olive oil, canola oil or walnut oil. Choose low-fat mayonnaise for your sandwiches and choose canola oil and olive oil for cooking. Opt to cook with olive oil, because it contains omega 3s...the good fats =) (nuts also contain these)

***Frozen foods are a convenient way to keep vegetables on hand. There are also prepared meals that you can pop into the microwave or oven. These can be convenient and healthy if you choose low fat versions with good portion sizes. Read labels and chose frozen foods wisely. Avoid frozen pizzas, pocket-sandwiches, deep-fried appetizers, and breaded foods.

***Foods in cans and jars are also very convenient. Look for low-sodium soups, vegetables and sauces. Avoid high-fat gravies and high-calorie foods like canned spaghetti and ravioli products.

***For sandwiches, choose peanut butter or other nut butters, low-fat turkey slices or sliced roast beef. Avoid processed lunch meats, sausages and hot dogs.

***Don't load up on high calorie treats and desserts. Choose fresh fruits, healthy nuts, seeds and whole grain crackers for snacks. An occasionaly indulgence is ok..but not all the time!

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Another great workout for a "snowed in" day =)

Lately my family has been bumbed that they have had no outlet of means to workout with. The gym they use in another close by town and the roads have been horrible..not to mention who wants to get out in this white out like conditions!? To top it off, our in home treadmill has broken. While I have been doing my training uptown at fit for life, this has left my family rather at a lost on what to do to get active. As a lot of you may have read, last night I posted a workout that i made for Missy (my youngest sister) last night. It was short and sweet, but left her sweating and her butt SORE today! haha =) So tn, she asked me to make another and she said she only wanted to do about a 20 min workout. I thought perfect!...circuit workout will be great...we don't have machines and all we have is an open space in the basement..just exactly all we did need for this workout! I have posted this 20 min circuit that we did earlier below. Circuits many times consists of chosen exercises that are performed for a 1 min. As soon as you finish one you go straight into another and do it for 1 min. You can make these last as long as you want, for Missy it was around 20 min...a little longer maybe because she needed a few short breaks in between. You can create a circuit however you like ...with mostly leg working moves, arms, abs, or a full body mixture (which I like)..and of course don't forget to add in cardio based elements that get that heart pumping in between.

Missy's circuit workout...take about 5 min to stretch and warm up by doing jumping jacks or running in place.
*1 min twist jumps..jumping up land to left in squat position and touch floor, jump back up and twist to face right while in the air and land in squat facing right touch floor. Keep repeating
*1 min of push ups
*1 min of holding a plank position for abs
*1 min jumping squats
*1 min back lunge into front kick. 30 sec on left 30 on right
*1 min high knee runs in place
*1 min yoga push ups..arms stay under body, brushing body during the movement (works triceps and core)
*30 sec of tuck jumps...start in squat with arms up and jumps into air and elbows meet the knees in the air. get as many as you can in 30 sec.
*30 sec. jumping jacks
*1 min of 15 sec. quick feet, 15 sec. jumping plie squats ( leg wide and feet turned out to work inner thighs) 15 sec. quick feet, 15 sec jumping plie squats
*1 min. open leg knee to elbow runs in place
*1 min burpes.
*1 min push ups
*1 min plank hold
*1 min jumping jacks
*30 sec again of tuck jumps ( these are awesome for the core!)
*30 sec. of squat jacks..jumping jack but stay in a squat and only legs do the work. Keep low and there is no vertical movement
*1 min yoga push ups
*1 min tricep dips on chair or edge of selected furniture
*1 jumping jacks

Enjoy =)...let me know if you have any questions!!!

Winter Treadmill Workouts...from Boring to fun variations!

A lot of people get extremely bored in the winter, due to the fact that a lot of days are way to cold to run outside and therefore we are stuck on the treadmills. Treadmill workouts can get stale and boring if there are not constant tweaks and changes in your running routine; not to mention constant change is what keeps the body"shocked" after each workout..which in return is what jumps starts continued fat loss with each and every workout! Remember the rule of thumb..*spend at least 20 min on your cardio workout or run. This is the amount of time it takes for your body to tap into it's fat stores after is has burnt off your lactic acid stores that build up and are released at the beginning of a workout. When trying to change up routines remember to add in hills by upping the incline and speed and trying to hold that setting for at least 20-30 seconds; then bring the tread. back down to a steady pace and incline. Also add in sprints. There high intensity burst or HITT training are what is proven to burn more fat and speed up your metabolism more than any other form of cardio. So...it is important to create a balanced mix of sprints and high intensity cardio as well as steady time durations(endurance cardio) into your weekly cardio routines to achieve a optimal fitness level. I like choose some days in the week to do a total high intensity cardio session by running steady for 10 min then doing a 30 sec sprint, releasing to an easy pace for 30, then a 45 sec sprint, 1 min, 1.5 min, then work my way back down with a 1 min sprint, 45, then 30 and this is called a mountain. I will then jog at a steady pace for the remaining time and usually go for 30 min when I do a high intensity sprint routine. You can also do 6, 30 sec. sprints or create whatever combination of sprints and hills you like. Be creative!...this is what makes time go by faster and it takes your mind off the routine being tedious, boring, or long. I also mix in several strong, steady paced distance runs in my weekly cardio routine as well to work on endurance and keep my workouts fresh; and remember this is all mixed in with your weekly strength and resistance training as well =)..(as discussed yesterday). This morning I did not feel like getting up and running but as usual once I got to Fit for Life and got going I felt good. Getting yourself there is the hardest and most important part! Here is a pretty great routine I did this morning. Its a pretty high intensity endurance run so it kind of includes both elements and really blasts calories! If you are a new runner after the 3 min increments stop at 30 min. However, if you are a runner with a good endurance level, challenge yourself and take it to 45 min! Here is the workout...
*10 min warm up gradually working up to a steady pace of around 6.3-6.5
*3 min @ 7.3
*3 min @ 7.5
*3 min @ 7.7
*3 min @ 7.9
*3 min @ 8.1
*5 min of recovery, still jogging but at a comfortable speed of your choice.
*during the last 15 min keep your jog at or above a 6.1-6.3 level and if able shoot to throw in 2 30 sec. hill strides with the incline at least @ 9 or 10 or above and the speed at at least 7.3 or above. Also try to do 2, 30 sec. sprints with the incline back down at normal level and sprint at the highest speed you feel you can still obtain; resting in between sprints.

-Take a piece of paper or write this down and keep on the treadmill with you to keep you on track.
-also I always keep the treadmill at least at a 2 level of incline, because the treadmill tends to naturally slope and resist making a run as difficult as it would really be outside.
Have a wonderful and active day. Megan =)

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Short on time? Try this fast routine

Got 20? Well if so the following workout is a go to work out for when you are crunched on time or just feel like fitting in a fast and to the point workout. Anymore most all of my workouts are what I call "cross based". The following workout is a very watered down cross workout but this is an example of the general idea. Cross based workouts are perfect for fat blasting and metabolism boosting. They are workouts that include resistance and strengthening exercises..(sometimes weights but a lot of the time high intensity body weight exercises)and they are combined with cardio based elements like running, jumping drills, and cross also usually involves plyometric exercises. I have found that since I began cross training with Tyler at the local Fit for Life my body has took a turn that has led to be in the best change of my life. Now I usually train with Tyler about once a week just for fresh ideas and and to change up my regular routines and my own training methods. we do a lot of high intensity circuits..one ex. I did was running a 800 m. stride on the treadmill, coming off doing jumping body squats, front squats, box jumps and then repeating this circuit 4 times. This method of working out is fun and intense; while including fat blasting cardio and body toning strength training...best of both worlds! This evening my sister said she wished she had worked out today and that it was too late for her to go to gym. She didn't know what to do here in out home; and I jumped at the opportunity to run her through this "convincing short" routine. She agreed and found that in 20 min she felt totally relieved that she had gotten a surprisingly fairly good workout in; which totally beat later regretting she had done nothing. Here is the workout....this is a very simple example and anyone can throw together these mini-workouts combing simple strength exercises and mixing them with a cardio option of your choice.

Missy's Living room workout---Missy is 14 so you can do this simple routine too!
warm up with 3 min of jumping jacks and stretching.
The workout----6 circuits of:
* 20 Jumping Jacks
* 12 body weight squats..take butt below knees; keep weight in the heels. ( if applicable for the individual, every other circuit do jumping body squats in stead of stationary)
* 12 push ups
* 12 sit ups...try to switch the ab exercise each circuit.
Enjoy =)

Weight Training...your #1 get fit tool!

I hear this ALL the time..."I don't want to weight train, I will get bulky like a man". PSHH Weight training is the best way to reduce fat and burn more fat, lean out, and promote permanent weight loss. Studies show women do not have the natural ability to bulk like man and when weight training is done correctly a woman can build a sleek, toned and leaned out body. We all gawk at the stars and models we find oh so perfect...but guess what people I am guaranteeing you they are weight train in some form. There is a big difference between being skinny and being thin, toned, and "fit" looking. Weight training strengthens the joints and promotes perfect posture. When just beginning a weight loss journey, nothing will jump start fat loss and inches off that waist like weight training will. However, yes you do need to pair it with consistent cardio as well; for cardio is weight training's best friend and wing man! They work together to promote overall powerful results. The more muscle you have the more fat you burn and cardio is what is going to then in return jump start your engine and burn the fat; ultimately revealing that leaned out look we all want! I researched from one of my favorite fitness sources, Oxygen magazine and have included the following benefits and truths about weight training.

While cardiovascular exercise is a great way of burning the fat, adding a little strength training to your workouts will earn you extra calories every day. You'll even be burning extra calories while you're sleeping or sitting on the couch watching Eastenders.

Aerobic exercise may burn a few hundred extra calories for dinner, but for every additional pound of muscle you gain, your body burns around 50 extra calories every day of the week.

Research has shown that regular resistance training can increase your Basal Metabolic Rate by up to 15%. So for someone burning 2000 calories per day, that's a potential 300 extra calories, more than a Mars bar, burned every single day.

Do not be disheartened if initially you seem to be staying at the same weight or gaining slightly.

Muscle weighs more per square inch than fat, so whilst your weight might not be dropping very quickly, your clothes are feeling baggier and you are seeing a healthier, slimmer and better toned you in the mirror. That's far more important than anything those nasty scales have to say, any time.

Over the course of your sessions, use exercises that work all the muscle groups and do 8-12 repetitions. However I prefer to do high rep to really lean me out. I use a weight I can do 20 reps with and I do three sets of each exercise with this. I also have days where i solely concentrate on upper body and then some for lower body strength training. Most important I do some days that are full body strengthening and use my own body weight in body weight exercises. Be sure to use a suitable weight so that the last rep really feels like hard work. Don't overdo it and make sure that you leave a day or two to recover in between sessions. Muscles grow while resting, so pushing yourself as hard as you can seven days a week won't do you any favours.
Have a fun and active day -Megan =)....oh and soon to come body weight exercise ideas

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Nothing "Great" comes easy...

Sadly, we have to face this fact..that getting in good physical condition, and/or making a major lifestyle change is not easy. It will and does take work and dedication; but with the right motivation...anyone is capable. There is no fix to "skinny". 10 day diet pills and magic "potions of the stars" that we see advertise and gimiks. Real success comes from sweat..yes I said sweat and hard work. This is what leads to results. Before we begin any fitness journey or plan we must first face this fact and accept it. Something I feel we all can relate to is basically just getting caught up in our busy and hectic lifesyles that we all lead in today's society. Some of us wake up to tired from a late night and have our morning classes screaming in our ears as our alarm clocks sound. Some of us have to wake up and bus the kids to school, head to work, come home, fix dinner and take care of errands and chores and by the time you even get the time to think about working out it is either almost t/m or your so tired you can think of nothing worse that a workout! Yes, the initial sequence of beggining your routine and fixating workout time frequently into your schedual is the hardest of the first steps. HOWEVER< studies show once in the flows of things it does get easier and the body accepts the change AND as discussed earleir the body natually begin to feel better about exerciese and bertter over all due to the endorphins exercise natually produces. So the challenge....make time! =) Whether it's brutally getting into a schedual of early mornings or making a little "you" time before you come home in the evening...you have to do what is right for you and you body; and this is to stay active. Even fitting in a lunchtime workout is better than none. Try bringing a lunch and using your actal break for a workout if this is your only option. Need the initial motivation to get started and stay on track? This may sound silly but fequently look at someone you feel is in your ideal pysical condition or someone you feel looks totally healthy and you admire them. It works! Before the Miss Illlinois USA Pageant kept reminders on my fridge that counted down the days I had before I needed to be in my "best ever condition"; and it really did help! Food logs are also very good reminders and tools. Log your calories and fat intake and this will open your eyes to what you need to improve and prevent over indulding too often. If all else fails a buddy system never lets you down. Set goal with a friend and keep each other on tract with reminders, schedual partner workouts, and encouraging one another to keep on tract.
Hopefully this is another motivator to our now beggining new year of ...Getting Fit, Staying Fit, and Taking the Steps to a Healthier and HAPPIER you! =)

New Years Resolutions?..5 days into the new year; why not start now! =)

New years...while it serves as a "new start" each year, it also serves as a new year full of diet, weight loss, and fitness goals for many. However..does anyone really know the success rate on this? haha BUT that is the challenge. Why not make this year different and do your body proud...start making the lifestyle changes that lead to a better and healthier you; not to mention make you look and feel great about yourself! Exercise has many benefits beyond the typical "looking good" and "losing weight". Exercise naturally releases what the medical world referes to as feel good endorphins. These are hormones your body releases during exercise that make a person have a energized or high feeling after exercise and this typically carries thought the rest of the day after exercise. Working out also has the basic benefits of lowering blood pressure, chances of certain diseases such as diabetes, and prevents the natural aging process of the body. So lets get started right!? I know...the age old question that most ask...how do I start?..and what do I do? If you are someone who has not done physical activity in awhile then start light. My rule of thumb is 20 min minimum. This means shoot for your workout (mainly your cardiovascular activity to last at least 20 min. 20 Min is the time it takes the body to tap into one's fat stores and begin to burn that fat. So if you are a beginning start with a twenty minuet walk a day. Cardiovascular activity is activity that can be sustained or short burst of activity that keeps the heart rate up. examples of these activities are:

-walking...when beginning
-running
-biking
-jumping rope
-swimming
-other cardio equipment like an elliptical trainer ect.
It is soooo important to always do cardio in your workout regimen considering this is what conditions the heart and cardiovascular system. It is also important to pair this in a happy median with resistance and strength training....which will be my next blog =)

Hopefully this is a nice start and enough to get our engines going. I have always dreamed of having a blog about what I have actually been passionate about since I was a little girl..and that is fitness, health and striving to encourage and help others train! I hope you will come to find my blog helpful, insightful, and motivating as time goes on!