workout routines

Hey my fitness go-getters!

I am on Spring Break and I was unable to do my weekly routine with my colleagues :(. I promised myself that I will not lose any momentum and continue to WORK to reach my goals. I have yet to get on a scale to see how much I currently weigh because my scale takes a special battery and it just recently died. So I’ve been learning about my results through photos and comments from other people. I hear more and more comments about how I’m slimming down in my midsection and also the definition in my legs! I also wore a shirt recently that was way too tight when I purchased it, but now it fits perfectly, and the great thing about this was that one of my friends brought it to my attention! This is just more motivation for me to continue to work.

Besides my weekly sessions with my colleagues, I do intense workouts at home thanks to Discovery Fit and Health Channel, formerly known as FitTv. I can honestly say that the workouts on this channel, specifically with Gilad, are no joke. His plyometric segments are killer! (I’ll talk about plyometrics next week). I like to DVR the workouts so I can go straight through without the long and tedious commercial breaks. This way also allows me to complete two workouts within a 45-minute time span.

My favorite Gilad workouts would have to be the Total Body Sculpt series. Here we work on cardio, strength, and kickboxing and more. Your entire body gets a good workout. Even though I pretty much have the routines down packed they are still a challenge, but I notice my growth each time I workout with the show. I went from struggling to do 5 mountain climbers to now being able to do them at slow to moderate speeds. I say that is progress. You don’t need much to work out at home either. I do have a few free weights that I purchased from Modell’s and I do have resistance bands, but that’s about it. I am thinking about purchasing a stability ball soon though.

Check your local listings for the Discovery Fit and Health Channel and you can visit Gilad’s website here

Discovery Fit and Health also has tons of strange shows, but I mainly watch for Gilad. Do any of you watch any fitness/exercise shows on television?If so which shows?

Happy and Healthy Wednesday my loves!

Last week we focused on just getting started. So hopefully you have made the commitment, assessed your fitness level, set specific goals, created a workout log, and now it is time begin so we can hit our last point which is being consistent.

One of the most important things that we need to do when it comes to an exercise program is establishing a cardio workout routine. Cardio is important for the following reasons:

Weight loss
Stronger heart and lungs
Increased bone density
Reduced stress
Reduced risk of heart disease and some types of cancer
Temporary relief from depression and anxiety
More confidence about how you feel and how you look
Better sleep
More energy

We should begin with cardio at least three times a week for about 20 minutes per day. If you can commit to about 10-15 minutes per day for about 5 days a week that is great as well.

I found these exercises from a website that I am always on now FitnessMagazine.Com (my other favorite besides Prevention.com). There are three work outs for different levels of fitness that can fit in to almost anyone’s schedule and you don’t need a gym. Check them out! (Source: Fitness Magazine by Jenna Autuori-Dedic)

Split up your workouts. Instead of working out for 40-minutes straight try four 10-minute workout sessions or two 20-minutes sessions. Try working out when you first wake up in the morning for 20-minutes and another 20-minutes when you come home.

The Plan: Got only 5 minutes?

Time	Activity
0:00-0:30	High knees
0:30-1:30	Squat jumps for 20 seconds; then march in place for 10 seconds. Repeat.
1:30-2:30	Mountain climbers for 20 seconds; then march in place for 10 seconds. Repeat.
2:30-3:30	Burpees for 20 seconds (squat, place palms on floor and jump feet back into full plank; do a push-up, then jump feet back in and jump up with arms overhead); then march in place for 10 seconds. Repeat.
3:30-4:30	Alternating jump lunges (lunge back with right leg and jump, switching legs to land in lunge with right foot forward) for 20 seconds; then march in place for 10 seconds. Repeat.
4:30-5:00	March in place.

The Plan: Got 10-minutes?

Time	Activity
0:00-1:00	Step-ups (Step up and down on bottom step of a staircase.)
1:00-2:00	Side-step squats (Stand with right side facing stairs, place right foot on bottom step and lower into squat; return to start. Do for 30 seconds; switch sides and repeat.)
2:00-3:00	Knee tucks (Facing stairs, place right foot on bottom step, right knee slightly bent. Lift left knee toward chest as you bend elbows by sides; lower to start. Do for 30 seconds; switch sides and repeat.)
3:00-4:00	Step hops (Facing stairs, place right foot on bottom step and jump up, extending arms overhead and lifting left knee toward chest. Return to start. Do for 30 seconds; switch sides and repeat.)
4:00-5:00	Liftoffs (Facing stairs with hands on hips, place right foot on bottom step; lunge back with left leg, then stand up on right leg, raising left leg behind you. Return to lunge. Do for 30 seconds; switch sides and repeat.)

The Plan: Got 20-Minutes?

Time	Activity
0:00-2:00	Walk at a slow-to-moderate pace.
2:00-5:00	Jog.
5:00-17:00	Sprint for 1 minute, then walk or jog for 2 minutes. Repeat combo 4 times total.
17:00-20:00	Walk at a slow-to-moderate pace.

Because cardio is great for the heart I decided to feature HeartSoul Footwear. Here are just a few options that are great for the spring and under $150. Check them out

More Farah…