Exercising Tips

So maybe your wondering why you haven't lost the weight or inches you were expecting.  I want to give you some tips that can help you break through your plateau and get you to your fitness goals faster.  We tend to think that just exercising period is enough and that is great to do for your heart and maintenance, but if you want to burn fat and gain some lean muscle to help you burn even more fat, you are going to have to step up your game.  High Intensity Interval Training is one of my favorite things because I get results.  This is 10-20 minutes of short intense bursts of activity with moderate exertion recovery.  You should have sweat pouring off of you, heart rate up, and feeling the burn in your muscles.  Feeling sore for a few days after means you did a good job, if you feel nothing then you didn't work out hard enough.  I add this to a cardio routine and it really makes a difference.  For example: on the treadmill have a 5 minute warm-up at a comfortable pace.  Then run at a comfortable pace for about 15 minutes.  Then I start on my intervals.  I will speed walk for one minute, then run at 1/2 mile faster pace than I was earlier for one minute.  Then speed walk for one minute, then run for one minute at 1/2 mile faster than the last time and so forth until I have reached a speed I can barely keep up with.  It usually takes me 12-14 minutes before the treadmill is going faster than I can.  Then I will run for another 10 minutes at a comfortable speed and then have a cool down.  You can do something like this on a bike, or elliptical too.  Just remember, you always need to be out of your comfort zone for part of your workout, or you will never see any changes. The interval training also works well with circuits.

Also, don't be afraid of larger weights.  Use the light weights when you do circuit training and always have the weights in your hands, use the heavier weights when you do reps.  Fewer reps with heavier weights burns more fat and increase your strength.  Just keep swapping out weights for heavier ones as a gradual process.  And remember that you can't spot reduce fat.  Don't focus on trying to just get your thighs smaller, do workouts that cover all of your body.  Remember, the more muscle you have the more fat it burns no matter where it's at.

I hope these tips help and if you have any questions, let me know.  I can show this to you also, as a group or individually at your home.  Just let me know.
Gina