Pump Up Your Workouts

by: AndreaDow
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Tuesday, January 8th

This week is still devoted to being healthier in the New Year. Last week I gave you some tips to eat well and today we are going to talk about how to maximize your workouts to get the best results! Everyone is tight on time and knows that efficiency is the key to balancing your personal and professional life. How do we carry this same idea into the gym?

Joe Dowdell, owner of Peak Performance in New York City, advises adding intervals or bursts of high intensity to your training. His clients include Claire Danes and Eva Mendes. Studies are showing that interval training results in a loss of more body fat compared to staying with the same intensity throughout your workout.

Here are some easy ways to add intensity to your workout thanks to InStyle Magazine:
1. Treadmill- alternate 1 minute of jogging with 2 minutes of walking.
2. Stationary Bike- alternate 30 seconds of pedaling at a high intensity followed by 90 seconds of pedaling at a moderate intensity.
3. Pool- for every 2 lengths of backstroke you swim, alternate with 1 pool length of a fast front crawl.
4. Weight Room- complete a full circuit/set (for example: lunges, squats, rows, push-ups, plank) of your routine and then rest. Be sure to repeat the circuit twice.

Here are some additional tips from exercise physiologist, Len Kravitz, Ph.D, Heather Dillinger and Dixie Stanforth.
1. Make sure you are cool because being too hot will stress your body and you will not perform as well. Try to keep a fan in front of you at home or the gym.
2. Invest in a heart-rate monitor to make sure you are not slacking and working at the appropriate level. Try Life Fitness's new Dual Watch and Heart Rate Monitor ($60 at CVS stores nationwide). No bulky chest strap here!
3. Warm up with 3-5 minutes of low-intensity walking to make your muscles more pliable. As a result, you will use more muscle fibers as you exercise and lose more weight!
4. Believe and receive. A 2007 study at Harvard showed that participants believing they were getting a good workout showed more fat loss than those performing the same exercises that did not feel they were really exercising. Remind yourself to give it your all every few minutes of your workout!
5. Keep your rest periods short during weight lifting (30 seconds) to keep your heart at a higher rate and burning more calories.

Whatever you do, just keep moving!

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