Quality versus Quantity

I often here the question of, "Am I better off exercising for only 1 hour or should I workout for 3 hours to get the best results".

Go for Quality of the workout. Are you moping around the gym for a good 3 hours- Doing an hour on the elliptical while watching "TeenMom" and then walking on the treadmill for an hour at a speed of 3.5.  Get the best results in a shorter amount of time and have fun while doing it.

I believe in high intensity workouts with speed interval training. Instead of running a grueling boring six miles on tread mills, run 3 miles and kill it! Or instead of running 3 miles.. run 3 miles with sprints and walking.  According to the American College of Sports Medicine, more calories are burned in short, high intensity exercise. Research also confirms that interval training target abdominal body fat. If you are counting calories burned, high intensity exercise such as intervals are better than long. 

Here is my favorite workout that is only 1 hour long! Change your speed according to how fast you can run. Push yourself to limits you wouldn't usually run at. These are average running speeds for the average treadmill runner. It's only 20mins on the tread mill. You'll survive! I keep my ipod blasting with the most upbeat music to keep my adrenaline going.

I have learned these methods through going to my favorite workout class, " Barry's Bootcamp" . But to save me the dollar I have made my own:

Workout Length: 1 hour long
Get your heart pumping :) 

Treadmill speed interval training
Durations: 20 mins
Warm Up: Incline : 4.5  Speed: 5.5 - 2 mins

Pace Yourself: Incline: 6.5  Speed: 6.0 - 1 min
Sprint: Incline: 4.0  Speed: 8.5 1 min
Recover: Incline 4.0 Speed 5.0 1 min
Sprint: Incline: 0 Speed: 9.5 - 30 sec
Repeat: 5 times!

Move to floor 
Duration: 30 mins:
Plank Hold- 1 min
Ab Bicycle- 1 min
Burpees with weights- 15 reps (5 pound weights)
Squats with 5 pound weights- 20 reps
Jump Rope- 1 min
Recover: Relax for 1 min
Repeat 3 times

Back to Treadmill
Duration: 10 min
Extreme Sprints!

Warm up: Incline 4.0 , Speed: 6.0 - 1 mins

Power Sprint: Incline 0.0 Speed: 9.5 30 sec
Walk it out: Incline 10.5 Speed: 4.0 30 sec
Jog: Incline: 4.0 Speed: 5.5 1 min
Repeat 3 times

ALL DONE :) 

Why am I stressing incline in the treadmill workouts?  
Walking or running on a level surface doesn’t use as much energy as walking or running on an incline.  By increasing the incline level on the treadmill, you will increase the number of calories burned during your workouts. Incline training works the leg muscles differently and more efficiently than training on a level surface. It creates long lean muscles. And your bootay will be a lot firmer ;)

Have you ever tried a speed interval workout?

Ketchup on my Caviar Please!!-- Let's Talk YOGURT

 

Thanks for the emails and requests for certain posts. Please comment and remember to follow me!  A friendly co-worker asked me to come back to blogging. Despite my hectic schedule, I am back and I am here to stay....
 
So how do you get those few extra carb overload pounds to shed off your tummy? Besides working out and eating right you should be EATING more Greek Yogurt!

Let's talk greek yogurt. I am talking plain 0% Greek yogurt (no sugar or fruit added). Why Greek Yogurt?

 “The body actually burns more calories digesting protein than carbohydrates,” says Grothe. “And protein takes longer to digest, so it helps you feel satiated longer. Greek yogurt has about twice as much protein per serving than regular yogurt, and that helps make Greek yogurt a ‘fat-fighting food,’ according to health website WebMD.com.”


Don't fall for those sugary added packaged mini yogurts with 19g of sugar. Buy the plain yogurt and control yogurt sweeten additives on your own. The way these companies make yogurt tasty with artificial preservatives is like taking Caviar and putting Ketchup on it .  But, the flavor is so PLAIN and bitter? I have found great ways to add yogurt to my diet more :)  Here is my 4-day a week breakfast share :)

Low calorie and keeps you full

How do I start my morning?  Being that I have a desk job I take this breakfast down slow while drinking 1 liter of water

1  cups 0% percent greek fage yogurt- that is 100 Calories and 23 grams of Protein

1 tblsp unsweetened baking cocoa powder

1 packet of Stevia (takes out bitterness of cocoa powder)

Whip together--
TA-DA "Chocolate Yogurt"

Top with blue berries

If you want a crunch and can control serving amount sprinkle Kashi Cereal ontop for a granola like taste. :)

Opt out Mayo for Greek Yogurt. Tuna fish with whipped avocado and greek yogurt tastes amazing. Making Guacamole? Use one less avocado and whip in some Greek yogurt.

Yogurt is highly recommended for post workout. Exercise uses carbohydrates for energy, and muscle carb depletion results from any form of exercise. Ingesting carbs after a workout refills muscle stores and refuels the body, according to Dr. John M. Berardi.





A high protein diet keeps you fuller longer and more energized.