Fun Holiday Interval Training
November 29, 2010
It is already that time of year again, and the holiday season is upon us. That can be troublesome on two different fronts. The obvious is our battle with food. Every time you turn around there’s a holiday party, whether it’s with friends or co-workers. This can mean very savory, unhealthy, and high calorie food, not to mention the free flowing beverages.
The second front is one that many people may not consciously think about as much. That’s because how busy we are, which means a lot of missed workouts. We just don’t take the time to exercise at the gym for an hour to two hours per day.
Workouts seem to trickle off during the holiday season and before you know it, we’ve all eaten high calorie, unhealthy food, put away the beer and wine, AND haven’t visited the gym for five weeks!
We’ve blinked, the holiday season is over and suddenly we have 10 pounds of frightening fat on the body and we have lost muscle too! YIKES! And for some of us, we struggle to get back into the habit of getting to the gym for our workouts on a consistent basis.
Once you’ve been on the couch a few weeks it can be such a challenge to find that training groove. This can even lead to a greater layoff, or a permanent vacation from training. Not good.
So what can you do about the impending holiday doom? In case you didn’t figure it out, the angel in saving grace is definitely interval training!
According to a study published in the Journal Applied Physiology, by Jason Talanian, he showed some impressive findings from his research on interval training.
Subjects that completed seven high intensity interval training workouts over a two week period were able to increase aerobic capacity by 13 percent, boost fat burning capacity by 36 percent and increased key aerobic enzymes by nearly 25 percent.
After the two weeks of interval training, the subjects used less muscle glycogen (stored carbohydrates) during a 30 minute bicycle ride at 60 percent of maximum effort.
The high intensity interval training program they followed consisted of 10 sets of 4-minutes of cycling at 90 percent of max effort alternated with 2 minutes of rest.
Long-term studies on this topic confirm that high intensity cardio training causes more fat loss than typical low intensity aerobics.
The body does use more fat for fuel at lower intensities and more carbohydrate for fuel at higher intensity levels. However, the important factor is the number of calories burned.
The interval training workout burns more total calories while also increasing the body’s ability to use fats as fuel for the rest of the day and night. The extended boost in metabolism is another bonus of the interval training techniques.
In other words, you get a calorie burning boost while at rest after interval training. This is something you do not get with lower intensity aerobics.
Even so, most people today still perform endless amounts of low intensity aerobic and wonder why they aren’t making the fat loss progress they want.
There are two primary reasons why this happens.
One, most people still aren’t aware of the incredible fat burning potential of high intensity interval training.
Two, this type of intense cardio fat loss training is hard work!
It’s much easier to walk on a treadmill or revolve on the elliptical for an hour than it is to do 15 minutes of interval training.
With a typical aerobics fat burning program you perform your exercise (treadmill, stationary bike, elliptical trainer, etc.) in a steady state manner at around 60 – 75% of your max heart rate.
Usually, the sessions last 30 minutes to an hour and a half (not to mention the travel time for getting to and from the gym).
With interval training your workout sessions are much shorter and you can add a lot more variety into your program.
High intensity interval training is just like it sounds. You alternate intense exercise with active rest.
Did you know interval training has an even greater advantage during the holiday season? First of all, the obvious shorter time required is an advantage. Most of us are extremely busy and our time is even more valuable during the holiday season. So shorter workouts are a great way to make sure we are still training.
Even better, though, is these type of workouts can be done at home on your own time. You can even eliminate trips to the gym. In fact, even if we have a home gym but can’t get to it because we’re traveling, that’s not a problem with interval training. Why?
Because we can create endless interval training programs with body weight only exercises and get in a awesome challenging interval training program. Personally, I think you can get in as intense if not more intense interval session with body weight exercises over machines like the treadmill, elliptical machine or stationary bike. It can be tough to do intervals on some machines because of having to change the intensity level on the machine, such as increasing the incline on a treadmill and trying to alternate walking and running.
If you don’t think bodyweight exercises can give you a good interval training workout? Try using the simple exercise of burpees and perform 8 “sets” of all out burpees for 30 seconds, followed by 15 seconds of rest. Every time you perform an exercise session like this you burn calories and boost your metabolism to burn more calories after the training session is completed.
Here is another option for a Holiday Interval Workout that includes the entire body!!
* Jumping Jacks 30 seconds
* Rest 15 seconds
* Power Plank with leg lift 30 seconds
* Rest 15 seconds
* Alternating Front Lunges 30 seconds
* Rest 15 seconds
* Push Up Taps 30 seconds
* Rest 15 seconds
* Mountain Climbers 30 seconds
* Rest 15 seconds
* Alternating Side Lunges 30 seconds
* Rest 15 seconds
* Downward Dog Push Ups 30 seconds
* Rest 15 seconds
* Low Plie Squats 30 seconds
* Rest 15 seconds
* Side Kicks 30 seconds
* Rest 15 seconds
* Jump Rope/Jumping Jacks 30 seconds
Enjoy the season with a workout you can do at home, while traveling, or at the gym.
Treadmill Training Interval
November 22, 2010
One of my favorite cardio machines to use is the treadmill. There are so many varieties of intervals that can be done. It is easy to vary the speed, incline, run, walk, gallop to the side.
Here is a great Happy Holiday, burn those extra calories, interval treadmill workout. To increase this workout, replace walking with a run.
Warm up 5 minutes with a basic walk speed 3.8 (no incline)
2 min speed 3.8, incline 5.0
3 min speed 4.0 incline flat
2 min speed 3.8, incline 7.5
3 min speed 4.1, incline flat
2 min speed 3.8, incline 10.0
3 min speed 4.2, incline flat
1 min side gallop speed 3.5, incline flat
1 min side gallop speed 3.5 (other side)
3 min walk, speed 3.8 incline 12
1 min side gallop speed 3.5, incline flat
1 min side gallop speed 3.5 (other side)
3 min walk, speed 3.8 incline 12
1 min side gallop speed 3.5, incline flat
1 min side gallop speed 3.5 (other side)
3 min walk, speed 3.8 incline 12
Cool down = 5 min, speed 3.5, incline flat
An easy way to burn 300-400 calories in 40 minutes.
Enjoy this cardio program.
Aerobic Exercise and Happiness
November 15, 2010
Three months of aerobic exercise decreased body fat and calorie intake in overweight and obese people, according to a new study, and the researchers believe that changes to a central nervous system factor are responsible. The results were be presented at The Endocrine Society’s 90th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
A research team at the University of Chile Clinical Hospital in Santiago, led by A. Veronica Araya, MD, assistant professor, showed that decreased food intake and reduced body mass index (BMI), a measure of body fat, were linked to increased levels of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF. “Its main role is promoting the growth and survival of nerve cells”, according to Araya.
However, recent evidence shows that BDNF also is related to obesity and metabolism. The authors speculated that it could suppress appetite.
The team evaluated blood levels of BDNF before and after a three-month program of aerobic exercise in 15 overweight or obese men and women. The seven men and eight women, ages 26 to 51, worked out on a treadmill and bicycle. They were asked about their calorie intake and told to continue eating their usual number of calories. The participants were unaware that one of the study’s objectives was to evaluate changes in food intake. 
At the end of the study, the subjects had decreased body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and blood pressure, the data showed. They also reported consuming fewer calories than at the beginning of the study. Over the three months, BDNF levels greatly increased. This higher the concentration of BDNF, the less the subject’s intake of calories and the greater the weight loss, Araya said.
Thus, it is possible that increases in BDNF suppress appetite, she said. They did not test appetite suppression directly, but some past studies have shown that aerobic exercise suppresses appetite. This also can lead to more happiness. Overeating is decreased, therefore reducing guilty feelings associated with excessive eating.
5 Strategies to Walk off Fat
November 8, 2010
Since I enjoy walking, and we still have this great fall weather to enjoy outside, I have comprised five of my secrets to walking off fat!
1. Pump Those Arms – keep your elbows bent and vigorously pump your arms so you can walk faster and burn more calories. Try punching the arms, swinging arms above head, or swinging the arms out to the sides for more variety and calorie burn.
2. Small Speedy Steps – increase the speed of your walk by taking smaller steps. Time yourself to see how long it takes you to take 100 steps. Then keep a moderate pace for one minute. Time yourself for another 100 steps but try to reduce the time it takes by 5 seconds.
3. Set Your Sights In Front of you – when you are walking outside, walk at a faster pace to the next tree, then slow down for 30seconds, speed up again to the next marker that you choose. The interval type of training always burns more calories.
4. Hills Are Good – the incline of a hill can really help the back of the legs, glutes, and hamstrings. Just remember to keep your speed up while walking up the hill because you still want your heart rate elevated.
5. Add in Extras – I like to add in extra weight resistance exercises so I will elevate my heart rate and work on strength. Include lunges, kicks, and push ups for an extra boost in calorie expenditure!
Go enjoy that fall day – check out the leaves, and then check out how good you feel after using these strategies to walk the fat off!
Lime Halibut and Cucumbers
November 1, 2010
Enjoy this protein packed flavorful fish recipe that will be sure to energize your body and satisfy your taste buds! You may want to serve with broccoli, spinach, or asparagus.
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound fresh or frozen skinless, boneless Halibut
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8teaspoon pepper
Nonstick spray coating
2 medium cucumbers, seeded, or zucchini, cut into 2x’/2-inch sticks
1 medium green or sweet red pepper, cut into 1/4-inch squares
1 teaspoon cooking oil
DIRECTIONS:
Thaw fish, if frozen. Cut into 1/4-inch pieces; set aside.
For sauce, stir together wine, chicken broth, lime juice, cornstarch, honey, ginger, coriander, and pepper. Set aside.
Spray a wok or large skillet with nonstick spray coating. Preheat over medium-high heat. Add cucumbers; stir-fry
11/2 minutes. Add green or red pepper; stir-fry about 11/2 minutes more or till crisp-tender. Remove from wok.
Add half of the fish to wok and stir-fi-y 2 to 3 minutes or till fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Remove from
wok. Add oil to hot wok. Add remaining fish and stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes or till fish flakes easily when tested with a
fork. Return all fish to wok. Push fish from center of wok.
Stir sauce and add to center of wok. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Return vegetables to wok; stir ingredients
together to coat with sauce. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.
Makes 4 servings.
Calories: 161/serving
TIME:
Preparation Time: 15 min.
Cooking Time: 9 min.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING:
23g protein
10g carbohydrate
2g fat
62mg cholesterol
129mg sodium
571mg potassium
-Low Fat -Low Cholesterol -Low Sodium
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