Become More Productive
Getting more done in the same allotted time is part of many goals, even fitness goals. You can become more productive by making some changes in your workout. One example is using HIIT—high intensity interval training. It’s not an exercise but a way of doing any exercise. You alternate intensity throughout the workout, going from peak intensity and then back to a recovery pace, then back to peak intensity again. You need 150 to 300 minutes of moderate exercise weekly but only 75 to 150 minutes of intense workouts. You can’t maintain a high intensity for long. Alternating intensity allows you to do that.
Have a workout plan.
When you use a trainer or online workouts, they provide the plan. You’ll get to work immediately without wasting time deciding what to do next. There’s no indecision or waiting when you know what to do next. Waiting too long between workouts due to indecision allows your heart rate to drop, making the workout less efficient. If you have a written plan that uses gym equipment, if the next machine is in use, skip it and return later when it’s empty.
Include warm-up and cool-down exercises.
Warm-up exercises are stretches. They involve moving your body in a similar way as your workout entails. Unlike cool-down or static stretching that you do after you workout, they’re dynamic stretches. Dynamic stretching continuously moves through different stretches, while static stretching is stretch and hold, like toe touching. Squat-to-heel-raise, jumping jacks, and walking lunges are examples of dynamic stretches. They slowly increase your heart rate and body temperature and promote blood flow and oxygen to the muscles. They increase your range of motion, decreasing the risk of injury. All these things help optimize your performance so you increase benefits from your exercise session.
Do strength training or add weight to cardio workouts.
If you’re doing cardio, wearing ankle weights and wrist weights can increase the calories you burn. Holding dumbbells while doing lunges or squats increases difficulty and provides more benefits. Don’t forget to include strength training in your workout program. Strength training builds muscle tissue as it burns fat. The more muscle tissue you have, the higher your metabolism is. It also can help prevent osteoporosis, lower your blood pressure, improve your mood, and make you less prone to injury.
- Do compound exercises that use more muscles and joints, such as squats or lunges. If your exercise only targets one muscle group, like bicep curls, they won’t build as many muscles or burn as many calories.
- Have a cup of coffee a half hour before working out. Caffeine in coffee can boost your energy level by stimulating your nervous system. You’ll have more energy and enjoy the workout more.
- Plan your workout for a time when you won’t get interruptions. Turn your phone on airplane mode if you must have it with you.
- Track your workout. Track the number of sets and reps you do each session. You can also track how easy or difficult they were to do. That helps you make necessary modifications to your program.
For more information, contact us today at Reggie C. Fitness
Everyone should include stretching in their workouts. In Houston, TX, we incorporate stretching into the workouts to help people stay flexible. Staying flexible is vital to staying fit. It protects the muscles from injury when doing everyday tasks. Stretching helps increase the range of motion, allowing easier movement. It reduces the pain caused by tight muscles. It improves posture and balance, helps boost strength-building, and improves overall performance.
It’s the perfect time to get in shape. There are still several months before summer is here. That gives you three to four months to get your body swimsuit ready. It doesn’t matter where you start, whether you’ve never exercised, are overweight, or just have to tone your muscles to look your best, starting now is all that’s important. You may not reach your ultimate goal, but you can make huge strides toward it. In the four to five months until mid-summer, you can lose 40-50 pounds, tone and tighten your muscles, and develop a healthy sexier appearance.
In Houston, TX, working out doesn’t require you to make a fashion statement. As long as your clothes allow free movement, they’re good enough to workout, even if they’re old and torn. What you shouldn’t skimp on is workout shoes. Not all shoes are gym worthy. Tattered and torn shoes held together with duct tape and gorilla glue can lead to injury. The type of shoes you choose depends on your foot and the exercises you’re doing. Weight-lifting shoes are different from those you wear to do bodyweight exercises.
No spot-reducing exercises can take fat off one area and not another. When you lose weight, you lose it all over your body, not just in specific areas. However, toning the muscles in certain areas can change your body’s appearance, making it look thinner with less fat. Getting rid of back fat is possible by targeting the muscles in the back and toning them. By tightening the muscles, it builds muscle tone and alters the appearance for the better.
If you’re like many people in Houston, TX, you probably made some New Year’s resolutions. One of them may be to exercise regularly and get into shape. Most people who make that resolution are sincere and start well, but as each day passes, they find it harder to stick with their goals. You can stay motivated if you have realistic goals. Are you trying to push too hard and accomplish an impossible goal? Having a realistic goal will keep you motivated longer.
What are HIIT workouts? HIIT is an acronym for high intensity interval training. It isn’t a specific workout but a way of doing any workout. You alternate the intensity between high intensity and recovery. HIIT workouts burn tons of calories, but some are far better than others if you want to burn fat. There is a difference between the two. If you’re burning calories, those calories can come from both fat and muscle tissue. If you’re burning fat, you don’t deplete muscle tissue to use as energy.
There are many reasons people have reduced mobility. Some people have temporary issues like a broken ankle, while others have a more permanent problem or are bedridden. In all cases, people benefit from exercise. The more limitations, the more adjustments need to be made. You can workout in a chair, a bed, or if possible, move on your own and adjust for your limitations. Before starting any exercise program, always check with your healthcare professional first.
In Houston, TX, some people start working out and eating nutrient-dense meals in the middle of December, hoping to get fit for the holidays. It takes more than just a week or two of exercise or nutritious meals to be fit. It takes developing healthy habits to become healthier. If you consistently do things to help you get fit and avoid those things that can harm your body, it will provide a boost to help you reach your goals and make it easier.
The last two months of the year are hard for anyone in Houston, TX, who is trying to lose weight. Every get-together has food temptations that can destroy the potential for success. How do you avoid overeating during the holidays and bypass all those goodies that only come once a year? One simple way is to go ahead and eat a treat or two. If you have a small serving of your favorite food that your Auntie makes only at holiday time, it’s not the end of the world. It’s okay to eat a small amount of unhealthy food occasionally. Just don’t eat a whole pie or consistently eat unhealthy foods.