Tag: Fat Burning

Snap Out of It

Well this has been a rough week for me when it comes to healthy eating.  My birthday was Wednesday so there was some eating of cookies and cake during the day at work, followed by dinner out and some wine.  Then Thursday was a late night at work so we ordered dinner in – Chinese food.  Friday was a night out for dinner at a yearly PTA function which involved more wine and restaurant food.  While I didn’t over eat at any of these events, my body is just not used to eating in this manner anymore.   I’m feeling lousy because my eating routine is totally off kilter.  I’ve been eating out, not home cooked, so I feel sluggish and tired.  I feel like I’m full of salt, chemicals and wine.  I need to snap out of this and get back on track, but I’m not feeling motivated right now to even move.  My bed is so comfy and cozy and it’s cold and dark outside right now.  I have a scheduled slow, long run today and I’ve yet to move.  I feel like slapping myself and yelling, snap out of it girl.

I think I need to do some detoxing this week to get myself clean and restart my mojo.  It’s so amazing how much difference a week of unhealthy choices can make on my overall feeling of health.  I’m tired, bloated and totally lacking motivation.  I feel myself struggling hard to get back on track.  I know how easy it would be to just say forget it and continue on this path, but I just can’t let myself do it.  I have got to get myself back on track and quickly.  It seems to take me six months to lose 10 pounds, but I can put them back on in less than two weeks.  Funny how life works sometimes, right.

I’m not a fan of pills and drinking powdered shakes when detoxing.  I am a firm believer in nutrition and using the power found in food itself to get myself back on track.  I am going to pull out a 10 day green smoothie cleanse I used a few months back and give that another round.  Yes, this plan does involve drinking smoothies, but they are filled with delicious vegetables and super foods, not powders and expensive products.

10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse

This cleanse is super easy to follow.  I do the modified version which involves drinking two green smoothies a day (breakfast & lunch) followed by a healthy dinner.  There are options in the book for the modified version, as well as the full version.  The full version involves drinking three smoothies and eating healthy snacks and drinking tea.  I like to eat food and the thought of ten days without does not appeal to me.  Doing the modified version and substituting breakfast and lunch are super easy for me because then I don’t have to worry about packing lunch.  The author also hosts a free Facebook group, so you can go on and network with other people doing the cleanse. This book provides shopping lists, recipes, and detailed instructions for the 10-day cleanse, along with suggestions for getting the best results. It also offers advice on how to continue to lose weight and maintain good health afterwards. Easy and far less money than purchasing a program!  Many programs will cost $200 or more to get started.  This book is under $10.  You know I’m going to say it, win – win.

This is just the jumpstart I need right now! How about you?  Are you ready to do some internal cleansing?  Do you want to jumpstart your spring healthy eating and just plain feel better?  Then join me in doing the 10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse!  I’m heading out to do my shopping after my run.  I’m feeling better already and can’t wait to get some healthy food coursing through my body!  If you are joining me, leave a comment below.  I’d love to exchange recipes and good health with you.

 

 

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Tuesday Training Tips

Work out Harder, Not Longer

This week’s tip is one I’m currently experimenting with and have included in my workout schedule.  I have included three high intensity interval training sessions in my current workout rotation.  One of the best parts has been that the workouts are considerably shorter – no more than 30 minutes.

For me, the HIIT sessions are running based, speed work sessions that I’ve been performing on the track.  I am using a free APP to prompt me as I run.  It tells me to run/walk, sprint at 80% and then either easy run, or walk to recover.  I love it and feel like I’m improving my stamina.  There are many known benefits of incorporating this type of workout in your weekly routines.

Increased Calorie Burn – research shows that performing high intensity interval training burns more calories in less time.  My 30 minute session burns almost 500 calories. Studies have shown that a HIIT session can burn more calories than jogging on a treadmill for 60 minutes.

Improved Weight Loss – Studies report that 8 – 12 weeks of HIIT could result in reductions in body fat.

Challenging – Plateau Buster –This is not an easy workout and I definitely can’t hold a conversation through most of mine.  But, because it’s short bursts, I’m working harder the entire workout and time flies by.  I feel like these sessions have helped me push through my most recent plateau AND increased my motivation.  You know I love win win situations.

Here’s how to incorporate the principles of HIIT into your current workout routine:

Warm up for at least 5 minutes

Exercise as hard and fast as you can for 30 seconds.  This should be hard, think gasping for breath and feeling like you can’t possibly continue.

Recover for at least 1 minute, still moving at a slower pace.

Repeat the cycle at least 4 more times, increasing to 6-7 as you improve fitness.

Cool down for at least 5 minutes.

Allow recovery time between sessions, so limit HIIT to 2-3 times per week.  This is not an every day event.

For my running routine, the warm-up is walking or a slow jog.  This is followed by a cycle of comfortable run, full on sprint, comfortable run/easy jog.  Cool down is a nice slow jog or walk, depending on the day.   The app I used to get started with this was called Running for Weight Loss.  I use the free version, but they offer a premium version of the app as well.

For biking or elliptical workouts, I just go fast and slower.  On the elliptical an easy way to do is to alternate – one song easy effort, one song harder effort.

My favorite HIIT weight routine is Tabata.  I haven’t done this in a while, but it was my favorite class at the gym.  So much fun and time flies by.

If you are currently including this type of workout in your routine, please comment below.  I’d love to hear what you are doing and how it’s going for you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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