Summer is fast approaching, and you've taken note of all the snow melting away and started thinking it's time to get rid of that winter insulation you've put on over the last few months. I know, it's easy to pack on a few pounds as we spend our time indoors playing Wii and drinking beer after beer. Hey, why not...it's dark before 5pm. There's never really a great motivation to get to the gym when pajamas are so comfortable and the new season of "24" just started airing.
But now our days are longer and our layers are less and less as the sun starts shining brighter and longer each day. So it's time to kick up the training a notch and get ready for lazy days at Atwater Beach. To get the most out of your cardio training start focusing on your heart rate. Here's how:
Learn To Monitor Your Heart Rate (HR)
There are a couple of ways to read your own HR. You can take care of this manually by locating your carotid artery, which is found just under the intersection of your jaw and neck on either side of your neck. Take your index and middle finger and feel for a pulse. You may have to feel a couple of different spots until you get it, but it's there...trust me! Once you have a good feel count how many beats you have for 15 seconds. Multiply that number by 4 and you have a HR BPM (Heart Rate Beats Per Minute).
The easy way is to pick up a heart rate monitor sold at any local big chain store. Just type in Heart Rate Monitors on any search engine and you'll find a boat load of good stuff. I would recommend something in a wristwatch format, without a chest strap as those tend to be a pain after a while and they limit chest expansion.
Training "In The Zone"
A Max HR is the highest your heart rate should get at an absolute maximum for your age. This is found by the following formula: 220-age = MaxHR
Now that you have your MaxHR, you can start training "In The Zone." Follow the guide below to train towards your specific goals:
Zone 1: Recovery or Energy Efficient Zone: 60% - 70% of MaxHR. This zone is primarily for building endurance for a long distance goal. Let's say you want to run a 5K, training at this zone for 30 minutes will get you there. You will also experience some fat burning benefit (but not a bunch) and your muscles will have a chance to re-energize at this pace.
Zone 2: Aerobic Zone: 70% - 80% of MaxHR. Training at this pace you will start to improve your cardiovascular system (taking in air and getting rid of carbon dioxide), which will in turn improve your muscle development, which then burns fat more consistently. Training in Zone 2 but taking some time to recover when necessary in Zone 1 will increase fat loss and health benefits over the long term.
Zone 3: Anaerobic Zone: 80% - 90% of MaxHR. If fat loss is your main goal this is NOT the zone you need to be in. Anaerobic zones stop burning fat and start using your lactic acid system (glycogen) for energy. Consider this the short sprint training zone, used in interval training mostly.
Zone 4: Red Line Zone: 90% - 100% of MaxHR. This zone is reserved for explosive motions and very short sprint interval training routines. Most programs that last over a few minutes will be left to zones 1 and 2, with a little of zone 3 in the mix as you push yourself towards the end of the workout. Hitting the redline tends to be a little much, and if you are not training for the Olympics I would stay away from this zone as you put yourself in a health risk.
So, start training in the zone! Use the previously mentioned blog "H.I.I.T. It!" as a guide to interval training, and as you do those 30 second sprints try and get into Zone 2 or 3. Then, during your rest periods try and stay in Zone 1 for recovery.
As always, stay hydrated and be sure to fuel up with proper nutrition before and after your workouts. For specifics see a registered dietitian, and consult a physician before starting any fitness program.
If you have any questions, I'm always available through the website http://www.resultsfocusedpt.com/, or this blog.
Stay healthy Milwaukee!
Tony Langtimm, CPT
Owner
Results Focused, LLC
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Sit At Your Desk And Lose Weight
Most of my clients, and even just friends and acquaintances here in Milwaukee, have expressed a desire to lose weight and just look a little more lean and toned. When I ask them what steps they have been taking to get to that nice, lean, toned body shape I usually hear "Well, you know...running maybe 30 minutes a day, or jumping on the elliptical machine for an hour or so. Stuff like that." Basically the general public associates weight loss with spending a long period of time (30 minutes to 2 hours a day!) on some boring cardio machine or becoming a marathon runner. First off, whose got the time? Secondly, your only doing part of the job.
What exactly promotes weight loss? Simply put, your body needs to burn more calories then you put in it. Just about every thing you eat caries a caloric value. Those calories are basically stored as energy in your body, and if they aren't used they stay stored in your body as fat. Fat is basically your bodies way of storing energy to be used later on. The problem is, as we store this energy most of us stuck behind a desk have trouble using that energy efficiently enough to keep the weight off. So, let's find a way to make your body a calorie burning machine even when you're stuck staring down a deadline and working overtime.
How can we become calorie burning machines? Well, let's ask ourselves what each and every one of us has as a tool at our disposal every day. You guessed it, I'm thinking muscle, and lots of it baby! Before you write this article off, let's tackle a couple of myths about muscle gain:
1.) "But I'm a women, I don't want to get big!" - To gain bulk in your muscles you need a good amount of testosterone. Women don't carry a ton of this stuff, so that's why even women body builders don't gain that much mass.
2.) "I don't want to lose my mobility and get all stiff." - No worries here, just be sure to stretch after your lifting routine and keep up the sprint work from the "H.I.I.T. It!" blog. Yoga is a great addition for staying flexible.
So back to the task at hand. The more muscle you have the more calories you burn even when you're just sitting around watching T.V. Each pound of muscle you have burns 6 calories a day just sitting there. So, if you weigh 180 lbs., and your body fat is 20% of that, you have 144 lbs. of muscle. That burns about 860 calories a day. Keep in mind, each pound of fat burns only 2 calories a day. Also keep in mind that 3500 calories deficit is 1 lbs. of fat weight lost (and the same goes in the other direction for weight gain!). All that math just shows that MORE MUSCLE = MORE CALORIES BURNED just hanging out.
To add more muscle start implementing a weight training routine 3 times a week. If you're a newbie to the weight training idea, start with these quick tips in mind.
1.) Choose 1 exercise that focuses on each of the following muscles groups: Chest, back, shoulders, triceps (back of arm), biceps (front of arm), quadriceps (front of leg above knee), hamstrings (back of leg above knee), calves (lower back of leg) and core (stomach, lower back).
2.) Choose a weight that works for each exercise where you can complete 3 sets of that exercise at 15 repetitions, and your last set is pretty difficult. This should take 30 minutes max, even if you rest about 60 seconds between exercises.
3.) If you're just getting started, try using the machines at your gym first. This will ensure your form is correct and you stay safe. At larger gyms they even show you the muscle you are working in a handy little diagram posted on that machine.
4.) Keep a log of your workouts, and after 4 or 6 weeks change up your routine by adding more weight and less repetitions, or even by changing the exercises all together.
5.) Consider hiring a personal trainer for 1 or 2 sessions to get the basics down. Ask as many questions as you can and let them help you develop a plan specific to your strengths and weaknesses. Planning ahead will make this more efficient, rather then just jumping into the gym and deciding right then and there what you should do. Chances are you will accomplish twice as much in half the time if you have already thought through your routine.
So, get out there and start working those muscles! Even if you only have the time to crank out some push-ups and body squats (sitting down and standing up a bunch of times) at least you are keeping yourself mobile, building and maintaining muscle, and burning more calories! Good luck, and stay healthy.
What exactly promotes weight loss? Simply put, your body needs to burn more calories then you put in it. Just about every thing you eat caries a caloric value. Those calories are basically stored as energy in your body, and if they aren't used they stay stored in your body as fat. Fat is basically your bodies way of storing energy to be used later on. The problem is, as we store this energy most of us stuck behind a desk have trouble using that energy efficiently enough to keep the weight off. So, let's find a way to make your body a calorie burning machine even when you're stuck staring down a deadline and working overtime.
How can we become calorie burning machines? Well, let's ask ourselves what each and every one of us has as a tool at our disposal every day. You guessed it, I'm thinking muscle, and lots of it baby! Before you write this article off, let's tackle a couple of myths about muscle gain:
1.) "But I'm a women, I don't want to get big!" - To gain bulk in your muscles you need a good amount of testosterone. Women don't carry a ton of this stuff, so that's why even women body builders don't gain that much mass.
2.) "I don't want to lose my mobility and get all stiff." - No worries here, just be sure to stretch after your lifting routine and keep up the sprint work from the "H.I.I.T. It!" blog. Yoga is a great addition for staying flexible.
So back to the task at hand. The more muscle you have the more calories you burn even when you're just sitting around watching T.V. Each pound of muscle you have burns 6 calories a day just sitting there. So, if you weigh 180 lbs., and your body fat is 20% of that, you have 144 lbs. of muscle. That burns about 860 calories a day. Keep in mind, each pound of fat burns only 2 calories a day. Also keep in mind that 3500 calories deficit is 1 lbs. of fat weight lost (and the same goes in the other direction for weight gain!). All that math just shows that MORE MUSCLE = MORE CALORIES BURNED just hanging out.
To add more muscle start implementing a weight training routine 3 times a week. If you're a newbie to the weight training idea, start with these quick tips in mind.
1.) Choose 1 exercise that focuses on each of the following muscles groups: Chest, back, shoulders, triceps (back of arm), biceps (front of arm), quadriceps (front of leg above knee), hamstrings (back of leg above knee), calves (lower back of leg) and core (stomach, lower back).
2.) Choose a weight that works for each exercise where you can complete 3 sets of that exercise at 15 repetitions, and your last set is pretty difficult. This should take 30 minutes max, even if you rest about 60 seconds between exercises.
3.) If you're just getting started, try using the machines at your gym first. This will ensure your form is correct and you stay safe. At larger gyms they even show you the muscle you are working in a handy little diagram posted on that machine.
4.) Keep a log of your workouts, and after 4 or 6 weeks change up your routine by adding more weight and less repetitions, or even by changing the exercises all together.
5.) Consider hiring a personal trainer for 1 or 2 sessions to get the basics down. Ask as many questions as you can and let them help you develop a plan specific to your strengths and weaknesses. Planning ahead will make this more efficient, rather then just jumping into the gym and deciding right then and there what you should do. Chances are you will accomplish twice as much in half the time if you have already thought through your routine.
So, get out there and start working those muscles! Even if you only have the time to crank out some push-ups and body squats (sitting down and standing up a bunch of times) at least you are keeping yourself mobile, building and maintaining muscle, and burning more calories! Good luck, and stay healthy.
Monday, March 8, 2010
H.I.I.T. It! It's Just A Better, Quicker Way of Burning Fat and Calories.
How many of you spend up to an hour on your treadmill or other cardio machine and are not seeing the fat burning benefits you had hoped? What if I told you it's entirely possible to cut that time in half and get even more fat and calorie burning benefit from your workout by using the High Intensity Interval Training method?
HIIT is actually far more superior then long duration training for a few reasons. First, you push yourself for 15 -20 minutes and your workout is done. This takes away all the excuses, everyone can find 20 minutes for better health and fitness. Second, the intensity you will put into this 20 minute workout is such a push that your body will burn more calories throughout the day trying to recover from it. Third, long duration training actually burns muscle mass as you put your body into a catabolic state. This is why sprinters have a muscular build while long distance runners lack that muscular look. And honestly, if you are looking to burn fat off of your body you can't afford to lose muscle. Each pound of muscle you have burns around 6 calories a day at rest, while each pound of fat only burns 2 calories per day.
So how does this HIIT stuff work? First find the type of cardiovascular workout you enjoy, whether it's running, swimming, cycling or even jumping rope. I'm going to use running as an example. Start off with a brisk walk or a slow jog as a warm-up for 5 minutes. Then the rule of thumb is a 2:1 ratio of rest:HIIT. Translated this means for every 30 second sprint you take, be sure to walk or jog for 1 minute. Complete the sprint, walk, sprint, walk sequence for the remaining 15 minutes of your workout. (And when I say "sprint", I mean really kick it into high gear!) Be sure to cool down afterwards and stretch those muscles that you just put through a killer workout.
Do this routine 3-4 times a week to jumpstart your calorie burning body. Don't be afraid to eat a nice healthy recovery meal afterwards too!
HIIT is actually far more superior then long duration training for a few reasons. First, you push yourself for 15 -20 minutes and your workout is done. This takes away all the excuses, everyone can find 20 minutes for better health and fitness. Second, the intensity you will put into this 20 minute workout is such a push that your body will burn more calories throughout the day trying to recover from it. Third, long duration training actually burns muscle mass as you put your body into a catabolic state. This is why sprinters have a muscular build while long distance runners lack that muscular look. And honestly, if you are looking to burn fat off of your body you can't afford to lose muscle. Each pound of muscle you have burns around 6 calories a day at rest, while each pound of fat only burns 2 calories per day.
So how does this HIIT stuff work? First find the type of cardiovascular workout you enjoy, whether it's running, swimming, cycling or even jumping rope. I'm going to use running as an example. Start off with a brisk walk or a slow jog as a warm-up for 5 minutes. Then the rule of thumb is a 2:1 ratio of rest:HIIT. Translated this means for every 30 second sprint you take, be sure to walk or jog for 1 minute. Complete the sprint, walk, sprint, walk sequence for the remaining 15 minutes of your workout. (And when I say "sprint", I mean really kick it into high gear!) Be sure to cool down afterwards and stretch those muscles that you just put through a killer workout.
Do this routine 3-4 times a week to jumpstart your calorie burning body. Don't be afraid to eat a nice healthy recovery meal afterwards too!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
