fitness tip – Page 2

Fitness Tip: Workout Tunes

Some people like to workout without music. They like to focus on their breath and how each muscle feels. If I did that my muscles would tell me its time to go home.

I tried reading a book on the elliptical. The up and down made me sea sick. I tried listening to audiobooks, but my panting was louder than the narrator.

So I ended up making a playlist. And because I am a brat, some of the songs are somewhat sarcastic digs at myself. But it makes me laugh and motivates me.

An example: Dixie Chicks- Ready to run, Beck- Loser, Ting Tings- That’s not my name

I’m kind of weird, in that, I have had the same playlist for a year and a half. It’s my running playlist. I have found that I can kind of zone out and chill my brain out if I know the songs that are coming. It’s a little OCD, but it works for me.

Find what works for you. What keeps you in the gym. What helps you get through that last mile. Find what makes it fun 🙂

Fitness Tip: Which exercise burns the most calories?

The title of this post asks a question: Which exercise burns the most calories?

The answer is simple. And it’s the same no matter what new fangled gadgets come out or what experts say.

The exercise that burns the most calories is the one you actually do.

If you feel cheated, I apologize, but its true. Running burns more calories than riding the cycle. But if you hate to run, then what are the odds you’ll keep doing it?

The only way to lead an active life is to enjoy it. Back in the old days, I would go the gym for an hour and kill myself trying to burn as many calories as humanly possible. Of course I was so sore for the rest of the week that I couldn’t make myself get back there. So guess how long that lasted. Not long. Then it was back to riding the couch.

Generally, it’s pretty hard to do something for the rest of your life that makes you miserable. Find something you enjoy. Something you’ll look forward to. A walk, a hike, a bike ride. Maybe a zumba class or yoga.

Doesn’t matter what it is, as long as you keep doing it. And that’s how you’ll burn the most calories.

Potpourri: Breath through your nose

I always hated it when teachers would tell me to breath through my nose. My sinuses suck, and its just hard. Why should I. Is mouth breathing so faux-pas? Do I have bad breath?

Turns out, the fitness teachers weren’t just being obnoxious, just obtuse. Maybe they had no idea either.

Breathing through your nose makes the oxygen reach your blood stream faster. Thereby oxygenating your muscles you are trying to work and stretch. Making the workout easier and less likely to get injured. Breathing out through the nose also rids the bad air faster.

Huh.. who knew?

Fitness Tip: Chocolate Milk

Milk… does a body good. And for some athletes, chocolate milk can do your body even better.

Studies suggest that for some athletes, after an intensive cardio workout, (cycling, swimming, running) chocolate milk can be better for your body’s recovery than gatorade or the like. It has just the right mix of sugars and proteins to replenish sore muscles.

This is not for the “I just worked out for 15 minutes” crowd. But if you are dead beat after a 45 min or 60 workout, give some low fat chocolate milk a try. Say 6 oz. or 4 oz if you are trying to lose weight.

I’ve been doing this pretty religiously on anything 5 miles or higher. So far, I am able to run back to back days much easier, and my sore limping time has decreased. Give it a shot.

Here’s one of my sources for the article.
http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/03/08/chocolate-milk-wants-to-be-your-post-workout-drink/

Fitness Tip: R.I. C.E

Whenever you have an ache or pain in the knee, hip, back… whatever- listen because your body is trying to tell you something. It needs RICE.

Rice is not a only the foundation of good sushi. Its also the acronym for the foundation of good training. Follow the letters to help avoid injury, especially if you are working your body harder than it’s used to.

Rest- muscles need a chance to heal the microtears they incur from exercise. Its the rest and healing that make it grow stronger.
Ice- Ice packs reduce the swelling. Feels good too 🙂
Compression- wrapping the injury or sore muscle reduces swelling and provides necessary support while its healing.
Elevation- Keep it up and keep off it for a little while. Keep the blood from pooling in it.

Fitness Tips: Abs Part 2

Here’s the second ab video with Jessica to Mambo #5. Remember to alternate this and video number 1 every other day. And that’s how you strengthen your core and get a great ab workout for under 5 minutes a day

Fitness Tip: Abs part 1

I didn’t even know I had abs before I started going to the gym. I just figured I had a donut gut. Then after one week of cardio blast, my body let me know, even under layers of fat, I indeed had abs… and they hurt! Like I said last week, you don’t need 500 crunches a day. A 5 min alternating every other day routine, should be plenty. Unless you want a 6 pack abs– if I ever manage to get one of those, I’ll let you know how.

In the meantime, here is my Zumba instructors ab workout that she alternates with. It’s only one song, but it WILL kick your butt. Stick with it, and see results. I’ll try and get the other song for next week

Thank you Jessica for letting me post this.

Fitness Tip: Quality not Quantity

Have you ever seen those people that do like 200 stomach crunches a day? But their crunches are super fast and only come up part way.

Well guess what. If you did one songs worth of ab exercises, at rhythmic pace, you’d get a much better workout. First off, when you take your time, you create resistance and use strength of muscle as opposed to momentum. Secondly, if you use about 3 different ab exercises in one song, you can exercise upper, lower, and side abs.

Next week, I will post my favorite ab workout that’s helped me have a really strong core. For now just remember that it doesn’t matter how many repetitions you do, if your form is off. You won’t be working the right muscles or getting the most out of your time and sweat.

Fitness Tip: HIIT

Before you hit the weights, start with 5 minutes of HIIT. High Intensity Interval Training. It will kick you into that fat burning zone before you do lifting.

Here’s an easy way to do it: Hop on a bike. move the resistance up a few notches. The ride at an slow and easy pace for 45 seconds. Then for the next 15 secs. pedal for all your worth. Repeat this four more times for the 5 min total.