They say the spice of life is adding a little bit of variation to your daily routine. Same can be said for those who are working the 4-5 + fitness track each week. My latest blog provided some information on interval training, and since I forgot my handy mp3 player (never leave home without it) I decided I needed some variation to my work out routine. High-Intensity (short bursts of intense exercise with short recovery breaks in between) Interval running on the treadmill!
My usual treadmill routine consist of starting at a slower running speed and then gradually increasing it ...because I'm not the cross country/long distance 10 mile or let's be real, 5 mile runner. When I want to get somewhere far I fly not drive, I run not walk, I have two levels on my car speedometer "stop and go". You got the point - I like to get where I need to get to fast.
The result/Quickie version.
I found myself running farther in distance and in a shorter period of time. The best of all I felt it was a much stronger work out - efficient use of my Cardio work out time. For most people this is the question of the day - How to find time for a good work out? or A challenge for others that say I have no time to exercise. In addition, the extra plus is that I burned more fat/calories than running my usual routine.
Try it out - a "spice of life" (in anything) and "interval training (to any work out routine)". It doesn't have to be extreme, just a variation.
Excerpts from
ScienceDaily (Mar. 12, 2010) — The usual excuse of "lack of time" for not doing enough exercise is blown away by new research published in The Journal of Physiology.
["We have shown that interval training does not have to be 'all out' in order to be effective," says Professor Martin Gibala. "Doing 10 one-minute sprints on a standard stationary bike with about one minute of rest in between, three times a week, works as well in improving muscle as many hours of conventional long-term biking less strenuously."]
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Switch up your Work Out routine
An ACE Health Tip:
Interval training
To maximize your cardio sessions, consider interval training. Interval training is defined as short, high-intensity exercise periods alternated with periods of rest. So instead of hopping on a piece of cardio equipment for 30 minutes and performing your workout at the same speed for the entire session, try mixing it up one day with periods of sustained higher intensity exercise followed by a return to lower aerobic intensities used as a recovery period. There are a variety of approaches to interval training, for example you may opt to utilize, including a 1:1 exercise to recovery ratio (e.g. run for 2 minutes then walk for minutes) or a 1:2 ratio (e.g., cycling for 2 minutes at a higher intensity followed by a 4 minute recovery period of cycling at a lower intensity). Interval training can be used by novice exercises and elite athletes alike by simply adjusting the intensity and/or the rest-to-recovery ratio accordingly to meet the needs and current ability level of the exerciser. Research continues to emerge regarding the benefits of interval training, and more recently the researched benefits of high-intensity interval training.
Make sure you check out the links to Science Daily....
Interval training
To maximize your cardio sessions, consider interval training. Interval training is defined as short, high-intensity exercise periods alternated with periods of rest. So instead of hopping on a piece of cardio equipment for 30 minutes and performing your workout at the same speed for the entire session, try mixing it up one day with periods of sustained higher intensity exercise followed by a return to lower aerobic intensities used as a recovery period. There are a variety of approaches to interval training, for example you may opt to utilize, including a 1:1 exercise to recovery ratio (e.g. run for 2 minutes then walk for minutes) or a 1:2 ratio (e.g., cycling for 2 minutes at a higher intensity followed by a 4 minute recovery period of cycling at a lower intensity). Interval training can be used by novice exercises and elite athletes alike by simply adjusting the intensity and/or the rest-to-recovery ratio accordingly to meet the needs and current ability level of the exerciser. Research continues to emerge regarding the benefits of interval training, and more recently the researched benefits of high-intensity interval training.
Make sure you check out the links to Science Daily....
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Just Be "Aware"
I had a conversation with my sister the other day about our attention or obsession with checking our weight on a daily basis or making a note of what we eat and/or the amount of what we eat. You know or probably heard about it, checking your weight in the morning gives you your "true" weight. In addition to that if you are on some weight program you have to most likely become accustomed to counting calories, fat, carbs, as well as the amount liquid you drink. Not sure what came first, what did the experts say you had to count in order to lost weight? 
"To lose weight you must consume only a certain amount of fat, wait that's not right - certain amount of calories, what that's not right - a certain amount of carbs - wait that's not right - let's see what we can sell next...." What's the latest weight lost fad? It's hard enough reading all the new food labels that reflect this need for counting everything we eat - Non-Fat, Low-Fat, No Fat, Low Calories, Only 4 Calories per servings, Low Carb foods, etccc...... But yet it doesn't stop there, we have additional food labels to let us know - High Fiber, Lots of Vitamin C, Antioxidants, and Omega-3..
Here is an excerpt from an Article by Dan Shapley that reflects some of these points.
"Don't be misled by these food label tricks" - Click here to read the full article.
- It's a fact of the grocery store that the most healthy food often has the least marketing muscle behind it. The best sources of fiber and vitamins are fresh vegetables and fruit, and yet it's the processed, packaged junk food fortified with vitamin and fiber powder that screams for attention. The Center for Science in the Public Interest recently published a comprehensive report on the subject, a persuasive indictment delicately called "Food Labeling Chaos." -
** After a quick Google on the title I found that there are a lot of blogs sharing this article. Awesome! **
How's this for a concept - Don't count anything? How much fat, calories or carbs is on the label of an apple, banana, pear, orange, grape, broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, okay I think you get the picture. Just Be Aware of what you're eating - Make a choice. For a quick snack lets have a couple of apples, almonds, and some water and skip the large fries at..........
"To lose weight you must consume only a certain amount of fat, wait that's not right - certain amount of calories, what that's not right - a certain amount of carbs - wait that's not right - let's see what we can sell next...." What's the latest weight lost fad? It's hard enough reading all the new food labels that reflect this need for counting everything we eat - Non-Fat, Low-Fat, No Fat, Low Calories, Only 4 Calories per servings, Low Carb foods, etccc...... But yet it doesn't stop there, we have additional food labels to let us know - High Fiber, Lots of Vitamin C, Antioxidants, and Omega-3..Here is an excerpt from an Article by Dan Shapley that reflects some of these points.
"Don't be misled by these food label tricks" - Click here to read the full article.
- It's a fact of the grocery store that the most healthy food often has the least marketing muscle behind it. The best sources of fiber and vitamins are fresh vegetables and fruit, and yet it's the processed, packaged junk food fortified with vitamin and fiber powder that screams for attention. The Center for Science in the Public Interest recently published a comprehensive report on the subject, a persuasive indictment delicately called "Food Labeling Chaos." -
** After a quick Google on the title I found that there are a lot of blogs sharing this article. Awesome! **
How's this for a concept - Don't count anything? How much fat, calories or carbs is on the label of an apple, banana, pear, orange, grape, broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, okay I think you get the picture. Just Be Aware of what you're eating - Make a choice. For a quick snack lets have a couple of apples, almonds, and some water and skip the large fries at..........
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Teenage Obesity: Learned Behavior from Parents?
This is a great article!
Learned Behavior from our Parents.
Of course, we all know that much of what we practice in life is based on what we have learned from our parents. Sometimes, we get caught in those patterns to truly realize it. I can't take the credit for finding this article, actually came from a tweet! But it is my choice to make sure I share it with many others. Happy Reading!!
I know many have heard/read this statement:
Children learn far more from observing how adults live than they do from what adults have to say.
Click on this Link - Teenage Obesity: Learned Behavior from Parents?
Learned Behavior from our Parents.
Of course, we all know that much of what we practice in life is based on what we have learned from our parents. Sometimes, we get caught in those patterns to truly realize it. I can't take the credit for finding this article, actually came from a tweet! But it is my choice to make sure I share it with many others. Happy Reading!!
I know many have heard/read this statement:
Children learn far more from observing how adults live than they do from what adults have to say.
Click on this Link - Teenage Obesity: Learned Behavior from Parents?
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Making the TIME
As a mother of two very wonderful and yet demanding children trying to find the time to stay inform and stay education/knowledgeable in an interest of mine is a challenge in itself. Here's me allowing my son to make whatever mess and deal with the clean up later and subject my daughter to a video game of what else "Fat Princess".
However I did get the time to read an article in which I would like to share and highlight on. By the way there is a plethora of information on health......
"What Health & Wellness Choices Do You Have?"
The article focuses on the choices we make about our well being. For example, prescription drugs and otc drugs in which I believe endless prescriptions and OTC medications at times hide the symptoms without healing. Don't get me wrong that's not for all prescriptions, I do feel some are very important and life saving. But just remember we have a choice. For instance, as the article mentions we have the choice to "treatments" or lifestyle choices such as nutrition strategies, herbal medicines, food supplementation, mental visualizations, and exercise.
The following is a great quote - not sure who stated it.
“All the pleasures and riches in the world are insignificant when you do not have your health to enjoy them with, so a choice for health and wellness begins within each of us.”
This is directly from the article....
3 key elements that every successful individual in any pursuit knows:
However I did get the time to read an article in which I would like to share and highlight on. By the way there is a plethora of information on health......
"What Health & Wellness Choices Do You Have?"
The article focuses on the choices we make about our well being. For example, prescription drugs and otc drugs in which I believe endless prescriptions and OTC medications at times hide the symptoms without healing. Don't get me wrong that's not for all prescriptions, I do feel some are very important and life saving. But just remember we have a choice. For instance, as the article mentions we have the choice to "treatments" or lifestyle choices such as nutrition strategies, herbal medicines, food supplementation, mental visualizations, and exercise.
The following is a great quote - not sure who stated it.
“All the pleasures and riches in the world are insignificant when you do not have your health to enjoy them with, so a choice for health and wellness begins within each of us.”
This is directly from the article....
3 key elements that every successful individual in any pursuit knows:
- a really good reason to want to succeed
- the ability to constantly visualize the goal being achieved
- the conviction to never stop trying
The Beginning of a New Experience
Well a practical title but pretty much says it all...getting myself familiar with the creativity and organization of putting a blog together is fun. There is a lot on my mind so be prepared.- love to debate different issues so those willing/desire to share their thoughts and ideas I say Welcome. I believe there is a lot we can learn from each other.
Looking forward to it.
Looking forward to it.
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