Cardio: running the pounds off

We all hate it. We all do whatever we can to avoid it. Some of us even have nightmares about it and wake up in the middle of the night sweating. You stare at the timer as you feel the sweat drip from your forehead, and time seems to be almost at a standstill. I am talking about the dreaded cardiovascular exercise.

Whether it be running outside or on a treadmill, the elliptical, swimming or even biking there are many ways we can get our heart pumping fix. There are multiple benefits in doing so in both the short run (maybe weight loss goals) and the long run (future heart health).

According to Livestrong.com the benefits of cardio include: heart benefits, cancer prevention, mental health, and weight control. So the benefits really do outweigh the pain and sweat you have to put yourself through in a 30 minute running session.

The average amount of time that is recommended for the amount of cardio to get in per week is 30 minutes for three times a week. Obviously, if you are looking to push yourself you can stretch the amount time or intensity of each workout. The biggest tip I can give you is to ensure that you slowly build up your endurance and workouts, step by step.

What I mean by this is to not lace up your running shoes, step out of the door and go on a 15-mile-run out of no where. You can start with 20 minute runs at a decent pace, and week by week add five to ten minutes depending on your overall fitness and skinny goals.  So the overall goal is to start small and progressively push yourself each week.

Another tip that will help you in your cardiovascular journey is to change it up every now and then, and not allow yourself to fall into the boring trap of doing the same routine over and over, especially when it comes to working out at an indoor gym. You are more likely to be more motivated to workout when you do not get into a nauseating routine that becomes all too familiar.

Whether you change it from the elliptical to the treadmill or Zumba class to spin, as long as you get your heart rate up and your blood flowing you are already on the right track to getting to where you want to be. Don’t be afraid to push yourself, just remind yourself Halloween is right around the corner and the holidays are breathing down your neck. Keep your goals in mind these next few months and strive to get skinnier each and every week! Go us!

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” — Winston Churchill

The Insanity Challenge

 

The Insanity workout put on by Beach Body is definitely along the lines of an uphill challenge. It puts to work muscles that might have been left dormant for a year or so too long. It combines workout elements like plyometrics and interval work with jumping, running in place and pretty much stomping the yard (or in your case probably the living room). One note to take into consideration is warning your neighbors if you live in an apartment or on the second floor because the police might be called on you from the amount of jumping you are about to take part in.

Three participants (aka my roommates) took part in the fitness test challenge to see how they would like the Insanity program. Two of them are former softball players, and one currently is on the softball team at the collegiate level. In other words each of them know how to work hard, but this workout was something none of them considered themselves ready for.

Take a listen to hear feedback, and decide for yourself whether or not this Insanity program is right for you!

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

“Nobody ever drowned in his own sweat.” — Ann Landers 

Get Up, Get Fit, Get Motivated!

Working and being motivated all in the same moment!

There are many ways people find motivation to get themselves to reach the goals they want to reach, but what ways last? What ways won’t leave you bored and over it? During this post we are going to discuss different ideas from multiple fitness websites and such to find what works best for you!

First off, there is no better motivation than some words of wisdom at the very beginning of your morning. Whether you take a white board marker or buy a million post-its, all you have to do is write some words to get you off to the right start first thing in the morning. If you are too lazy to get your pen and paper out and jot down some words, you can always get help from your handy dandy smart phone! There are multiple apps that are out there that will send you quotes of the day, and alert you each and every day to light that fire under your unmotivated tush.

The next motivational tip is to always keep a gym bag in your car ready for you to workout. We all have busy and hectic lives with ever-changing schedules, so opportunities to work out can come up at any time. Therefore you must be ready for your chance to get your workout on! Keeping running shoes, a towel, water bottles, sweats and a tee shirt are the necessities of every car trunk.

What better motivates you than some new tunes on the iPod calling your name?! Always take some time on the weekends to update your iPod to keep it fresh and fun, so that when you do go to the gym you aren’t slowed down by sappy love songs or Pandora commercials that last for what seems like centuries.

When it comes to what to eat for the day and even the week make sure to keep in mind the amount of calories you are consuming, and how that will affect reaching your goals. A great way that I have found to do this is the wonderful adventures of My Fitness Pal app for the iPhone (which is also available online for those who do not have a smart phone). The app counts your calories for you and keeps it like a diary, and only allows you a certain amount of calories per day depending on your weight loss goals as well as the amount of exercise you part take in. This is a great way to keep you conscious of each item you eat, and what you need to be eating less of.

Lastly, it never hurt to have a work out buddy. Working out with a friend is a great idea for those who have a hard time motivating themselves. Having a friend call you at 7 a.m. to tell you that your butt is getting bigger by the second, and the treadmill has your name on it never hurt anyone (except maybe your feelings for just a minute).

So write down those motivational quotes, pack your bag, turn up that music, count those annoying calories, and grab a bud to get to where you want to be. Together my friends we will get skinny!

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson