1. You will gain muscle strength and make it easier to carry those kids, groceries, etc (without throwing your back out!).
2. Want to minimize the look of cellulite? Adding a little muscle mass will help fill out that "lumpy cottage-cheese" look and give your skin a more even appearence (plus it will help burn that fat).
3. Obviously you will look more toned, as strength training sculpts and defines the muscles better than any other workout.
4. Want to burn more calories? Strength training (esp power circuit training)promotes lean muscle mass which will increase your basal metabolic rate=burn more calories during the day (even doing nothing!)=burn more fat!!!
5. You will lose inches and body fat (even if the scale isn't going down as much as you would like).
6. You will improve your posture, core strength, range of motion, and balance (which all go as we age). This means less injures, and less aches and pains too.
7. You will look younger and feel younger (and possibly be able to keep up with your kids)!
8. Strength training will burn more calories/workout than most other exercising (esp power ciruit training) because you will continue to burn calories post-workout as your muscles recover and rebuild whereas other cardio workouts do not.
9. Here's a big one-you will increase your bone density! This might not be important to you now, but osteoporosis affects 1 out of 3 women after age 65. Start now to increase and maintain that bone density and you won't have to worry about hip fractures and other things that come from getting old and having brittle bones!
10. Lastly, strength training will give you more energy! And let's face it, we all need that to get through the day (esp with kids)!!!
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
How to find your healthiest weight
1. First find your BMI (Body Mass Index):
Multiply height by height (in inches)=A
Divide weight (B) by A=C
Multiply C by 703=BMI
Example: 67x67=4489 BMI ranges:
140/4489=.03118 Underweight: Less than 18.5
.03118x703=21.9 Normal: 18.5 to 24.9
Overweight: 25 to 29.9
Obese: 30 or higher
2. What's your build? This is important because BMI isn't always accurate. According to this equation, Arnold Swarznegger, Serena Williams, and football players are obese because it doesn't take into equation, frame size, muscle mass, or body fat %. To figure out your frame size, hold up your arm at a 90 degree angle with your palm facing your face. Put the pointer finger of your other hand on the bone on one side and your thumb on the other. Then measure the distance between them. Keep in mind frame sizes are for women in the 5-foot-4 to 5-foot-7 range.
Distance between elbow bones: Frame size:
2 2/8 inches and below Small
2 3/8 inches to 2 5/8 inches Medium
2 6/8 inches and above Large
3. How much have you gained since high school? Weight gain after about age 20 is really important because of most of the weight gain is typically unhealthy fat. A weight gain of 10-15 lbs since high school is considered ok, although if you've gained over 20 lbs since high school and most of that is FAT TISSUE, then it's time to readjust your eating habits and pump up the exercise. Genetics can play a huge role in how much weight you put on too, if you have a parent that is heavy, gaining weight may be that much easier for you and you may have a predeposition for becoming obese. If you can cut 500 calories a day, you should be able to lose 1 lb/week.
4. How big is your belly? Why does waist size matter? The fat that makes your middle resemble an apple is bad news, upping your risk of metabolic syndrome-a combo of high blood pressure, high triglycerides, high cholesterol, and prediabetes. Bottom line: Women's waists should be not larger than 35 inches; men's 40 inches max. But experts worry that anything bigger than 32 is bad for you.
Waist-size calculator:
Healthy 32 inches or below
Worry zone 33 to 34 inches
Danger zone 35 inches and above
5. How old are you? Although you'll still want to stay within healthy weight and BMI ranges as you get older, you may experience a little creep-and that's OK within reason. In a healthy weight table used by the Weight Watchers organization, for instance, 134 is the maximum recommended weight for a woman up to age 25 who is 5 feet 4 inches tall. For ages 25 to 45, it's 140. When women hit 45-plus, they need to be extravigilant because they start to gain fat and lose muscle due to hormonal changes.
6. Is your lifestyle healthy? Even if you still eat Twinkies, exercise will lower your blood pressure, cholesterol, and risks for several cancers. It also helps clear blood clots and sets a healty interval between heart beats. Plus, it increases muscle contractions, which help regulate blood sugar levels, keeping diabetes at baby. You'll be healthier and thinner if the stable of your diet is lots of fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins, and whole grains. It's as simple as that.
SOURCE: Health.com
Multiply height by height (in inches)=A
Divide weight (B) by A=C
Multiply C by 703=BMI
Example: 67x67=4489 BMI ranges:
140/4489=.03118 Underweight: Less than 18.5
.03118x703=21.9 Normal: 18.5 to 24.9
Overweight: 25 to 29.9
Obese: 30 or higher
2. What's your build? This is important because BMI isn't always accurate. According to this equation, Arnold Swarznegger, Serena Williams, and football players are obese because it doesn't take into equation, frame size, muscle mass, or body fat %. To figure out your frame size, hold up your arm at a 90 degree angle with your palm facing your face. Put the pointer finger of your other hand on the bone on one side and your thumb on the other. Then measure the distance between them. Keep in mind frame sizes are for women in the 5-foot-4 to 5-foot-7 range.
Distance between elbow bones: Frame size:
2 2/8 inches and below Small
2 3/8 inches to 2 5/8 inches Medium
2 6/8 inches and above Large
3. How much have you gained since high school? Weight gain after about age 20 is really important because of most of the weight gain is typically unhealthy fat. A weight gain of 10-15 lbs since high school is considered ok, although if you've gained over 20 lbs since high school and most of that is FAT TISSUE, then it's time to readjust your eating habits and pump up the exercise. Genetics can play a huge role in how much weight you put on too, if you have a parent that is heavy, gaining weight may be that much easier for you and you may have a predeposition for becoming obese. If you can cut 500 calories a day, you should be able to lose 1 lb/week.
4. How big is your belly? Why does waist size matter? The fat that makes your middle resemble an apple is bad news, upping your risk of metabolic syndrome-a combo of high blood pressure, high triglycerides, high cholesterol, and prediabetes. Bottom line: Women's waists should be not larger than 35 inches; men's 40 inches max. But experts worry that anything bigger than 32 is bad for you.
Waist-size calculator:
Healthy 32 inches or below
Worry zone 33 to 34 inches
Danger zone 35 inches and above
5. How old are you? Although you'll still want to stay within healthy weight and BMI ranges as you get older, you may experience a little creep-and that's OK within reason. In a healthy weight table used by the Weight Watchers organization, for instance, 134 is the maximum recommended weight for a woman up to age 25 who is 5 feet 4 inches tall. For ages 25 to 45, it's 140. When women hit 45-plus, they need to be extravigilant because they start to gain fat and lose muscle due to hormonal changes.
6. Is your lifestyle healthy? Even if you still eat Twinkies, exercise will lower your blood pressure, cholesterol, and risks for several cancers. It also helps clear blood clots and sets a healty interval between heart beats. Plus, it increases muscle contractions, which help regulate blood sugar levels, keeping diabetes at baby. You'll be healthier and thinner if the stable of your diet is lots of fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins, and whole grains. It's as simple as that.
SOURCE: Health.com
Thursday, August 7, 2008
The #1 Weight-Loss Tip
We might have heard this before, but I'm going to blog about this because when it comes to nutrition, most people don't get it right. We all have our weaknesses, ups and downs, and challenges when it comes to eating healthy. If weight loss is your goal, then stop the cycle of losing the weight and gaining it back by even doing this one simple trick...
WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU EAT!!!! Various studies and research done shows that people that write down everything they eat (aka a food journal) have more success getting the weight off and KEEPING IT OFF then those that don't. Why? Because one, it makes us more aware of what we're putting in our mouth; two, it helps us uncover what our challenges are and; three, it can also help us uncover any emotional eating habits we may have (by writing down our feelings/stresses that day). Usually when people can do this one simple thing every day, they will slowly start to change their eating habits which will hopefully develop into lifelong habits.
In fact, in a recent article published in Time Magazine (Aug 4,2008), it explains why keeping a food diary is crucial for short and long-term success. In a new study conducted, participants who kept a food journal six or seven days a week lost an average of 18 lbs, compared with an average of 9 lbs lost for non-diary keepers (all participants had were encouraged with the same weight-loss strategies such as calorie restriction, weekly group sessions, and moderately intensive exercise). To quote Victor Stevens of Kaiser Permanente for Health Research, "hands down, the most successful weight-loss method was keeping a record of what you eat."
So, in conclusion, go buy a small three-ring notebook and stash it somewhere you will also see all day (aka the kitchen counter, your purse, etc) and start keeping a food journal. It's cheap, easy (cmon, 5 min a day isn't going to kill you!), and it will produce results!
WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU EAT!!!! Various studies and research done shows that people that write down everything they eat (aka a food journal) have more success getting the weight off and KEEPING IT OFF then those that don't. Why? Because one, it makes us more aware of what we're putting in our mouth; two, it helps us uncover what our challenges are and; three, it can also help us uncover any emotional eating habits we may have (by writing down our feelings/stresses that day). Usually when people can do this one simple thing every day, they will slowly start to change their eating habits which will hopefully develop into lifelong habits.
In fact, in a recent article published in Time Magazine (Aug 4,2008), it explains why keeping a food diary is crucial for short and long-term success. In a new study conducted, participants who kept a food journal six or seven days a week lost an average of 18 lbs, compared with an average of 9 lbs lost for non-diary keepers (all participants had were encouraged with the same weight-loss strategies such as calorie restriction, weekly group sessions, and moderately intensive exercise). To quote Victor Stevens of Kaiser Permanente for Health Research, "hands down, the most successful weight-loss method was keeping a record of what you eat."
So, in conclusion, go buy a small three-ring notebook and stash it somewhere you will also see all day (aka the kitchen counter, your purse, etc) and start keeping a food journal. It's cheap, easy (cmon, 5 min a day isn't going to kill you!), and it will produce results!
Sunday, August 3, 2008
5 Great Total Body Exercises
Sorry for the lack in blogging, again, I was gone the past 2 weeks on vacation. I'm back though, and hopefully I can keep up (life is crazy this summer!) with the blog now. I thought I would post some GREAT total body exercises that work multiple muscles so you get the benefits of 1) maximizing your time, 2) keeping your heart rate elevated to burn more calories, and 3) challenging your body. The best way to weight train is "power circuit training" in which you do a total body workout, not resting in between sets, and combining muscles together (esp legs with arms). This method of training is especially effective in burning MAJOR calories and losing body fat at the same time as increasing lean muscle and tone.
1. Walking lunges with lateral/front shoulder raises. Pretty much everyone knows how to do a lunge, but to really challenge yourself, and to kill two birds with one stone, hold 3-8 lb. dumbbells while doing a walking lunge. As you come down into a lunge, raise your arms straight out to the side to shoulder heigth (elbows slightly bent). When you've done 20 or so, turn around and repeat, only this time, raise arms straight out to the front, shoulder heigth. WORKS LEGS AND SHOULDERS.
2. Plie squat with bicep curl. While holding 8-12 lb. dumbbells, stand in a wide stance toes pointed out (you know, ballet stance). Hold the weights in between your legs to avoid hitting them on your legs. Squat down to a 90 degree angle at the knee with hips/glutes tilted back (like sitting in a chair) and torso slightly leaning forward (but not rounding your back). Make sure to keep heels planted on ground to avoid knee pain and to activate glutes better. As you come up from a squat, do a bicep curl. Do 25-35 reps. WORKS LEGS ESP INNER THIGHS/GLUTES AND BICEPS.
3. Step-up with medicine ball/weight twist. Stand to the side of a bench or step holding a 8-12 lb. medicine ball or dumbbell/weight at your waist. With one leg on the bench (remember bench should be to your side), step up bringing opposite knee up (the one on the ground) and at the same time twist weight/ball to outside hip (not the leg on the bench). Make sure to hold abs in tight as this will challenge your balance too. Do 15-25 reps/each side. WORKS LEGS AND ABS.
4. Push up/Row combination. With 8-10 lb. dumbbells, get into a push-up/plank position holding the weights on the ground (wider than shoulder width). Do a push-up and then bring one arm back, elbow bent, squeezing the shoulder blade back. Repeat push-up and then alternate other arm. This is a very challenging exercise, but awesome! Make sure to hold your abs in tight too, not to let your lower back "droop" and you might want to have a wide stance with your feet too. Do 15 reps/each side (for a total of 30). WORKS CHEST, SHOULDERS, TRICEPS, BACK, AND ABS.
5. Ball bridge with tricep press. With 5-10 lb. dumbbells, sit on stability ball and walk feet out so that you're laying on ball with only your upper back on ball. Raise arms straight above your head and bring hips up into a bridge. At the same time you lower your hips/glutes down towards ground, bend your elbows so dumbbells come behind your head (keep elbows stablized so only your lower arm is in motion) and then extend arms the same time you raise your hips. Do 20-30 reps. WORKS GLUTES, HIPS, HAMSTRINGS, AND TRICEPS.
Try these out and tell me what you think!!!!
1. Walking lunges with lateral/front shoulder raises. Pretty much everyone knows how to do a lunge, but to really challenge yourself, and to kill two birds with one stone, hold 3-8 lb. dumbbells while doing a walking lunge. As you come down into a lunge, raise your arms straight out to the side to shoulder heigth (elbows slightly bent). When you've done 20 or so, turn around and repeat, only this time, raise arms straight out to the front, shoulder heigth. WORKS LEGS AND SHOULDERS.
2. Plie squat with bicep curl. While holding 8-12 lb. dumbbells, stand in a wide stance toes pointed out (you know, ballet stance). Hold the weights in between your legs to avoid hitting them on your legs. Squat down to a 90 degree angle at the knee with hips/glutes tilted back (like sitting in a chair) and torso slightly leaning forward (but not rounding your back). Make sure to keep heels planted on ground to avoid knee pain and to activate glutes better. As you come up from a squat, do a bicep curl. Do 25-35 reps. WORKS LEGS ESP INNER THIGHS/GLUTES AND BICEPS.
3. Step-up with medicine ball/weight twist. Stand to the side of a bench or step holding a 8-12 lb. medicine ball or dumbbell/weight at your waist. With one leg on the bench (remember bench should be to your side), step up bringing opposite knee up (the one on the ground) and at the same time twist weight/ball to outside hip (not the leg on the bench). Make sure to hold abs in tight as this will challenge your balance too. Do 15-25 reps/each side. WORKS LEGS AND ABS.
4. Push up/Row combination. With 8-10 lb. dumbbells, get into a push-up/plank position holding the weights on the ground (wider than shoulder width). Do a push-up and then bring one arm back, elbow bent, squeezing the shoulder blade back. Repeat push-up and then alternate other arm. This is a very challenging exercise, but awesome! Make sure to hold your abs in tight too, not to let your lower back "droop" and you might want to have a wide stance with your feet too. Do 15 reps/each side (for a total of 30). WORKS CHEST, SHOULDERS, TRICEPS, BACK, AND ABS.
5. Ball bridge with tricep press. With 5-10 lb. dumbbells, sit on stability ball and walk feet out so that you're laying on ball with only your upper back on ball. Raise arms straight above your head and bring hips up into a bridge. At the same time you lower your hips/glutes down towards ground, bend your elbows so dumbbells come behind your head (keep elbows stablized so only your lower arm is in motion) and then extend arms the same time you raise your hips. Do 20-30 reps. WORKS GLUTES, HIPS, HAMSTRINGS, AND TRICEPS.
Try these out and tell me what you think!!!!
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Secrets to Losing the Baby Weight
Before I begin, please be informed that this will be my last post until the beginning of August. I am heading out of town for 2 weeks in a couple of days and will have limited computer use (really I just need a break from blogging!), but feel free to leave me a comment, question, or idea for a new post.
I recently had my second baby about 4 months ago, and even though I'm not totally back to where I want to be, I was able to fit back into my clothes and lose the weight only weeks after having giving birth (it probabaly helped that he was nearly 10 lbs!). A lot of people I know have commented on how fast I lost the baby weight, how great I look, and how flat my stomach was and so I thought it would be great to lend some expertise on this subject. Also, I have experience on training pregnant women.
The first and most important factor in losing the baby weight is to control how MUCH you GAIN in the first place. Obviously, you don't have complete control on your weight gain. For example, how much the baby is going to weigh and even how much water weight you gain. However, you do have control on how much extra FAT you gain. As most of us know, a good range of weight gain during pregancy is 25-35 lbs total (for a single gestation and for a normal-weight woman). When you add everything up, that's only about 7-10 lbs of extra fat tissue. With my first pregancy, I only gained 18 lbs (which might seem low), but my baby weighed 9 lbs 5 oz and I was completely healthy and active my whole pregancy. With my second child, I gained around 25-27 lbs. Some might call this genetic, but I believe that more than anything, our pregancy weight gain has to do with these factors: if we're at a healthy and normal weight before getting pregnant, if we have good eating habits, and if we exercise consistently throught our pregnancy (which might be hard if you're given strict orders for bedrest.)
So, if you're trying to conceive, the best thing is to be at a good weight before you get pregnant. In addition, have a good exercise routine 3-5 days/week. This way, you will be "in shape" before getting pregnant which will benefit in the following areas: less weight gain during pregnancy, less aches and pains, and a big one...more energy. I can personally attest to this 100 fold. More incentive to have a healthy pregnancy and feel better about yourself. The other thing to do is maintain healthy eating habits. You really only need an extra 300 kcal/day when you're pregant. This is a snack, ladies, not a 1/2 gallon of ice cream! I know it's hard to not give into our crazy cravings, but you can practice some self-control. Find snacks that are less calories and fat that will satisfy that sweet or salty craving (for example, fudge bars) and it's ok to indulge once in awhile, just not everyday! It will be healthier for the baby in the long run, as well.
A lot of people think that pregnancy is the time to eat whatever they want, whenever you want, and to not care for 9 months. But let me tell you, it will only be harder to lose the baby weight afterwords if you have that much more extra to lose once the baby is born. Plus, starting a good exercise and eating program is tough to start doing if you're not already doing it. So, in conclusion, two words...planning and consistency! This might not be what everyone wants to hear, but trust me, these are the smartest tactics in dealing with the "after-baby bulge". For those out there that are already pregnant and feel doomed with the weight gain, keep you chin up. It's never too late to start eating healthy and gradually working an exercise routine into your life.
I recently had my second baby about 4 months ago, and even though I'm not totally back to where I want to be, I was able to fit back into my clothes and lose the weight only weeks after having giving birth (it probabaly helped that he was nearly 10 lbs!). A lot of people I know have commented on how fast I lost the baby weight, how great I look, and how flat my stomach was and so I thought it would be great to lend some expertise on this subject. Also, I have experience on training pregnant women.
The first and most important factor in losing the baby weight is to control how MUCH you GAIN in the first place. Obviously, you don't have complete control on your weight gain. For example, how much the baby is going to weigh and even how much water weight you gain. However, you do have control on how much extra FAT you gain. As most of us know, a good range of weight gain during pregancy is 25-35 lbs total (for a single gestation and for a normal-weight woman). When you add everything up, that's only about 7-10 lbs of extra fat tissue. With my first pregancy, I only gained 18 lbs (which might seem low), but my baby weighed 9 lbs 5 oz and I was completely healthy and active my whole pregancy. With my second child, I gained around 25-27 lbs. Some might call this genetic, but I believe that more than anything, our pregancy weight gain has to do with these factors: if we're at a healthy and normal weight before getting pregnant, if we have good eating habits, and if we exercise consistently throught our pregnancy (which might be hard if you're given strict orders for bedrest.)
So, if you're trying to conceive, the best thing is to be at a good weight before you get pregnant. In addition, have a good exercise routine 3-5 days/week. This way, you will be "in shape" before getting pregnant which will benefit in the following areas: less weight gain during pregnancy, less aches and pains, and a big one...more energy. I can personally attest to this 100 fold. More incentive to have a healthy pregnancy and feel better about yourself. The other thing to do is maintain healthy eating habits. You really only need an extra 300 kcal/day when you're pregant. This is a snack, ladies, not a 1/2 gallon of ice cream! I know it's hard to not give into our crazy cravings, but you can practice some self-control. Find snacks that are less calories and fat that will satisfy that sweet or salty craving (for example, fudge bars) and it's ok to indulge once in awhile, just not everyday! It will be healthier for the baby in the long run, as well.
A lot of people think that pregnancy is the time to eat whatever they want, whenever you want, and to not care for 9 months. But let me tell you, it will only be harder to lose the baby weight afterwords if you have that much more extra to lose once the baby is born. Plus, starting a good exercise and eating program is tough to start doing if you're not already doing it. So, in conclusion, two words...planning and consistency! This might not be what everyone wants to hear, but trust me, these are the smartest tactics in dealing with the "after-baby bulge". For those out there that are already pregnant and feel doomed with the weight gain, keep you chin up. It's never too late to start eating healthy and gradually working an exercise routine into your life.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Are you exercising hard enough? Part 2
In the last post, I wrote about how important it is to monitor heart rate during exercise to determine how strenuous we are working. In this post, I will focus on how much exercise we really need to maintain our fitness, increase our cardiovascular endurance/strength, to increase lean muscle and tone, and to lose body fat. There are a lot of different theories out there, some true and some false, and hopefully this article will sift through some of the confusion out there.
1. How often do I need to exercise to lose weight?
You might not want to hear this (for those out there that despise exercise or think they don't have time), but for weight loss goals, you really need to do 5 days/week for an hour to see maximum benefits and results. Ideally, moderate to intense exercise (heart rate between 65-85% max) to burn the most amount of calories as well. Combine this with a good diet, and you should be on your way to losing 1-2 lbs/week (which is the safest and best rate. More 1-2 lbs/week, you're most likely not just losing fat, you're losing water and muscle mass.)
2. What kind of exercise is best for losing weight?
Ideally, 3 of the 5 days/week should be strictly cardiovascular such as jogging, cycling, swimming, some kind of cardio machine (just watch the heart rate). To really see results and challenge your body, you should do intervals in those workouts. That will change it up, keep you heart rate up, and keep the muscles second guessing which is always more efficient when it comes to burning calories. The other 2 days/week you should do some kind of strength training workout that focuses on the TOTAL body, combining muscles together in exercises to make it more efficient and keep the heart rate up (i.e. lunges with dumbbell curls or shoulder presses). I strongly believe the best strength training workouts for burning fat are circuit workouts (no breaks), high reps, and as stated above, as many muscle groups together/exercise as possible. These type of workouts will yield a high calorie expenditure, even after you're done working out. Also, change up your routine every week to keep the body working hard. You will see MAJOR results from doing a combination of these two things (cardio and strength training) and on track to hitting your goals.
3. What about yoga and pilates? Are these workouts good for losing weight?
Yoga and pilates are GREAT exercises for strengthening the core and promoting lean muscle mass, improving balance and range of motion, and for the mind-body benefits. The only problem with these kind of workouts is that they are not the most efficient at burning the maximum amount of calories. If you only have an hour/day to exercise, I wouldn't choose these types of workouts ALONE to do if weight loss is your primary goal. Yoga and pilates are best when doing it in conjuction with the cardio and strength training. Again, keep in mind that I'm specifically talking about WEIGHT LOSS here. Don't think they aren't great workouts, because they are, just remember that you won't burn as many calories doing them, and at the end of day, it's all about calories in vs. calories out.
4. How much rest do I need in between strength training workouts?
The answer is simple-1 to 2 days. For example, strength train Monday and then again Wednesday or Thursday. You really don't need a third day if you're working out hard and efficiently (which is where a Personal Trainer comes in handy for most).
5. How often do I need to workout to maintain my weight or fitness level?
Most people can get away with 3 days/week of an hour/day, but it's always good to get some kind of exercise even if it's taking a light walk with your kids to keep moving.
Hopefully this has dispelled some of the fiction out there, nowadays you'll see commercials for "5 min a Day" and let me tell you, that is never enough! I know you wish it was, but seriously, do you really think that 5 min/day is enough to lose weight, tone your muscles, let alone, improve your general fitness level? Hard work yields results. Plain and simple.
1. How often do I need to exercise to lose weight?
You might not want to hear this (for those out there that despise exercise or think they don't have time), but for weight loss goals, you really need to do 5 days/week for an hour to see maximum benefits and results. Ideally, moderate to intense exercise (heart rate between 65-85% max) to burn the most amount of calories as well. Combine this with a good diet, and you should be on your way to losing 1-2 lbs/week (which is the safest and best rate. More 1-2 lbs/week, you're most likely not just losing fat, you're losing water and muscle mass.)
2. What kind of exercise is best for losing weight?
Ideally, 3 of the 5 days/week should be strictly cardiovascular such as jogging, cycling, swimming, some kind of cardio machine (just watch the heart rate). To really see results and challenge your body, you should do intervals in those workouts. That will change it up, keep you heart rate up, and keep the muscles second guessing which is always more efficient when it comes to burning calories. The other 2 days/week you should do some kind of strength training workout that focuses on the TOTAL body, combining muscles together in exercises to make it more efficient and keep the heart rate up (i.e. lunges with dumbbell curls or shoulder presses). I strongly believe the best strength training workouts for burning fat are circuit workouts (no breaks), high reps, and as stated above, as many muscle groups together/exercise as possible. These type of workouts will yield a high calorie expenditure, even after you're done working out. Also, change up your routine every week to keep the body working hard. You will see MAJOR results from doing a combination of these two things (cardio and strength training) and on track to hitting your goals.
3. What about yoga and pilates? Are these workouts good for losing weight?
Yoga and pilates are GREAT exercises for strengthening the core and promoting lean muscle mass, improving balance and range of motion, and for the mind-body benefits. The only problem with these kind of workouts is that they are not the most efficient at burning the maximum amount of calories. If you only have an hour/day to exercise, I wouldn't choose these types of workouts ALONE to do if weight loss is your primary goal. Yoga and pilates are best when doing it in conjuction with the cardio and strength training. Again, keep in mind that I'm specifically talking about WEIGHT LOSS here. Don't think they aren't great workouts, because they are, just remember that you won't burn as many calories doing them, and at the end of day, it's all about calories in vs. calories out.
4. How much rest do I need in between strength training workouts?
The answer is simple-1 to 2 days. For example, strength train Monday and then again Wednesday or Thursday. You really don't need a third day if you're working out hard and efficiently (which is where a Personal Trainer comes in handy for most).
5. How often do I need to workout to maintain my weight or fitness level?
Most people can get away with 3 days/week of an hour/day, but it's always good to get some kind of exercise even if it's taking a light walk with your kids to keep moving.
Hopefully this has dispelled some of the fiction out there, nowadays you'll see commercials for "5 min a Day" and let me tell you, that is never enough! I know you wish it was, but seriously, do you really think that 5 min/day is enough to lose weight, tone your muscles, let alone, improve your general fitness level? Hard work yields results. Plain and simple.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Are you exercising hard enough? Part 1
It's human nature to not push ourselves physically as much as we probably should or could, right? I would say 90% of people don't push themselves enough when they work-out. Lazy, maybe? Distracted by the TV or our I-Pod (or even kids!), possibly? Too tired or it's too hard, very likely. Most of us just don't have the will-power to really hurt ourselves! Seriously though, don't you hate it when you're working hard at losing weight, getting ready for the swimsuit season, going on a cruise and it's just not happening? Ever wondered why? I think most of us have experienced this at some point in our lives.
There are several factors, of course, that play into achieving results, but I want to talk specifically about our exercise routines and heart rate. First, you should always be aware of your heart rate. There is a simple equation below that you can do to figure out your target heart rate zone, which you should CONSTANTLY monitor while exercising. Oh, and I STRONGLY believe a heart rate monitor is the best investment you will make! Here it is:
Take 220-your age=maximum heart rate (this figure is actually your anaerobic max). Now take that number, and figure out what 65% and 85% of that number is. That is your ideal heart rate zone for burning fat and calories. Technically, the range actually goes down to 55%, but for most people this isn't even working up to a sweat. Here's an example:
220-30 (my age)=190
190x.65=123
190x.85=161
My target zone=123-161 bpm
Keep in mind that if you are extremely fit this might not be totally accurate. As you get more fit, you can push that high range out before you get "anaerobic". In comparison, the low range number might be too low as well. At this point, you can go by the "Perceived Exertion Scale", which means going by how you feel. On a scale of 1 to 10, a 10 is anaerobic meaning you're breathing so heavy that you can only maintain that pace for a short time, say 30-60 sec. A 9 on the scale, would be pushing that threshold, you're breathing heavy, but you're able to maintain that pace for a longer time, and also, talking is extremely hard and forced. Carrying a conversation at this point is difficult. So, an 8-9 should be at the high end of your target zone. If you're not breathing heavy, you're carrying a conversation fairly easy, you would be at a 5 or so, and this is ok for short periods of time, (but it's time to kick it up a notch). Staying between a 6-9 is ideal and you'll burn the most amount of calories in this range.
Hope this helps all those that are confused about heart rates and how hard they should be exercising! Stay tuned for Part 2...
There are several factors, of course, that play into achieving results, but I want to talk specifically about our exercise routines and heart rate. First, you should always be aware of your heart rate. There is a simple equation below that you can do to figure out your target heart rate zone, which you should CONSTANTLY monitor while exercising. Oh, and I STRONGLY believe a heart rate monitor is the best investment you will make! Here it is:
Take 220-your age=maximum heart rate (this figure is actually your anaerobic max). Now take that number, and figure out what 65% and 85% of that number is. That is your ideal heart rate zone for burning fat and calories. Technically, the range actually goes down to 55%, but for most people this isn't even working up to a sweat. Here's an example:
220-30 (my age)=190
190x.65=123
190x.85=161
My target zone=123-161 bpm
Keep in mind that if you are extremely fit this might not be totally accurate. As you get more fit, you can push that high range out before you get "anaerobic". In comparison, the low range number might be too low as well. At this point, you can go by the "Perceived Exertion Scale", which means going by how you feel. On a scale of 1 to 10, a 10 is anaerobic meaning you're breathing so heavy that you can only maintain that pace for a short time, say 30-60 sec. A 9 on the scale, would be pushing that threshold, you're breathing heavy, but you're able to maintain that pace for a longer time, and also, talking is extremely hard and forced. Carrying a conversation at this point is difficult. So, an 8-9 should be at the high end of your target zone. If you're not breathing heavy, you're carrying a conversation fairly easy, you would be at a 5 or so, and this is ok for short periods of time, (but it's time to kick it up a notch). Staying between a 6-9 is ideal and you'll burn the most amount of calories in this range.
Hope this helps all those that are confused about heart rates and how hard they should be exercising! Stay tuned for Part 2...
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