High Intensity Interval Training, HIIT… maybe some of you have heard of it. And maybe some of you have used this type of training without even realizing it. It replaces your 30-40 minute typical aerobic exercise such as walking or jogging, with a quicker and more effective routine instead. It can play a part in supercharging your physical fitness by boosting your basal metabolic rate (bmr) and helping to burn off extra fat.
Although it has a long, fancy name, it really is easy. First off, you need to find your weapon of choice. You have a lot of flexibility in deciding, so just choose what you are comfortable with- a treadmill, the elliptical, a bike, jump rope… almost anything will do. Then you need to spend about five or so minutes warming up gradually, letting your joints loosen up and getting your heart rate slightly elevated. Then the intervals begin. For example, a workout might consist of a 30second/90 second series. What this means is that for 30 seconds, you are going to exercise at a high intensity, as hard as you can manage to go. Then followed by 90 seconds of a steady, moderate pace. You complete this series between 8-15 times. Simple, right?
Now this is obviously not formulaic. It does not have to be a 30/90 series. Maybe you prefer running for one minute then walking for two. Or you might say to yourself, I am going to sprint to that tree up ahead and then walk to that sign… Anything to keep your body guessing. Now although it sounds easy, truth be told, it’s not. It provides for an intense, few minutes.
Maybe you are feeling skeptical and wondering how fifteen minutes could ever be both more effective and more efficient. Now I am not trying to say long duration activities the 30-60 minute consistent pace workouts are bad for you on the contrary, they should be incorporated into your fitness routines. However, they cannot be the stable of your fitness routines our bodies both know and understand what fuels we need to perform certain tasks. When we do long duration activities at a constant pace the body does burn fat but it takes much less caloric expenditure to do this type of work! Also if we tell our body to do this over and over it will make more of the fuel it needs to do what you ask, which is fat. So by shocking your body with the sprint type workouts your body knows it needs sugar. Therefore, instead of converting the sugars we eat into fat for fuel your body stores it in the muscle for your next sprint instead.
The big benefits of this type of training are:
1. Burn more calories by elevating your metabolism causing you to burn fat faster
2. Increase your power
3. Increase your speed
4. Increase your endurance
Many studies have shown that with this type of training, people burn up to nine times more fat than with traditional steady pace long duration training. I don’t know about you, but I like the idea of burning more fat and doing less work.
If you want to learn more about Body-N-Motion’s personal training services please click here, or the logo in the upper-left.
Let me know what you think. Leave comments and/or questions here or on our FaceBook page.
by Mike White (Owner, Trainer @ Body-N-Motion)
Friday, August 28, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
More on Micro Meals
Developing a positive mental pattern, gaining a wider knowledge of your body’s nutritional needs, recognizing daily opportunities to become more active and possess a motivated mentality. These are the reactions I hope you’re having from my blogs.
Those of you at home need to realize that you can accomplish your health and fitness goals. Even if you have failed in the past, you can do it!
Last week I hinted at the grand idea of micro-meals. I know that you were all probably on the edge of your seats, wanting more information on this concept. Well, I won’t keep you waiting any longer.
Micro-meals replace your daily breakfast/lunch/dinner routine. It requires that you instead eat 5 to 6 times daily while making sure that you are consuming appropriate sized portions of the right foods.
Let’s run through a sample day shall we…
You wake up at six in the morning. One of the first things you should do is eat breakfast. Your metabolism has been slowed down all night and eating an early breakfast will help to jump start it into gear and provide you with some energy. If you neglect breakfast, your metabolism will slow even further as your body reacts to the hunger. Your first meal should consist of a mix of complex carbohydrates and protein; for instance, a cup of whole grain oatmeal with strawberries and two hard boiled eggs. Top it off with a large glass of water. Meals two and three should be similar in quantity and substance- a complex carbohydrate paired with protein. Here is an analogy to explain the emphasis on combining the two, let’s say that you are cooking Thanksgiving dinner. The turkey gets placed in the oven at 400 degrees, while the dinner-rolls only need to be at 300 degrees. You are feeling crunched for time so you put both of them in together at 400 degrees. What is going to happen to the rolls? They are going to burn up. Your body does the same thing when you pair carbs with protein. The protein takes more effort to digest compared to the carbs. So what happens when they are combined is as they are being digested, the carbs are quickly burned up and your body is left working on the protein which is not easily stored as fat.
Your final three meals of the day should contain food that is high in fiber and paired with some sort of protein. For example, 4-6 oz of chicken cut into cubes along with 2 pieces of broccoli, two spoonfuls of beans and of course a big glass of water. Or, one small cup of cottage cheese with a peach and water. Fiber helps to clean your body out and it takes longer for your body to digest which leaves you feeling fuller longer. Also, it can help prevent your body from turning those extra calories you consume during the day into fat; instead, it will flush them out of your body all together. You should take the time to check out the quality foods list and you can decide for yourself what sounds good, all the while maintaining balance.
Maybe this doesn’t seem like much food at one time, but it is the perfect balance of foods to give your body what it needs to function at its highest level and shut off hunger. You must develop the discipline to walk away hungry and know that what you ate is enough! These meals take little time to eat and will help in speeding up your metabolism. So get out there people and start eating!
Remember it takes your stomach 20 minutes to tell your brain you are full. So give it time and the results will speak loudly!
If you want to learn more about Body-N-Motion’s personal training services please click here, or the logo in the upper-left.
Let me know what you think. Leave comments and/or questions here or on our FaceBook page.
by Mike White (Owner, Trainer @ Body-N-Motion)
Those of you at home need to realize that you can accomplish your health and fitness goals. Even if you have failed in the past, you can do it!
Last week I hinted at the grand idea of micro-meals. I know that you were all probably on the edge of your seats, wanting more information on this concept. Well, I won’t keep you waiting any longer.
Micro-meals replace your daily breakfast/lunch/dinner routine. It requires that you instead eat 5 to 6 times daily while making sure that you are consuming appropriate sized portions of the right foods.
Let’s run through a sample day shall we…
You wake up at six in the morning. One of the first things you should do is eat breakfast. Your metabolism has been slowed down all night and eating an early breakfast will help to jump start it into gear and provide you with some energy. If you neglect breakfast, your metabolism will slow even further as your body reacts to the hunger. Your first meal should consist of a mix of complex carbohydrates and protein; for instance, a cup of whole grain oatmeal with strawberries and two hard boiled eggs. Top it off with a large glass of water. Meals two and three should be similar in quantity and substance- a complex carbohydrate paired with protein. Here is an analogy to explain the emphasis on combining the two, let’s say that you are cooking Thanksgiving dinner. The turkey gets placed in the oven at 400 degrees, while the dinner-rolls only need to be at 300 degrees. You are feeling crunched for time so you put both of them in together at 400 degrees. What is going to happen to the rolls? They are going to burn up. Your body does the same thing when you pair carbs with protein. The protein takes more effort to digest compared to the carbs. So what happens when they are combined is as they are being digested, the carbs are quickly burned up and your body is left working on the protein which is not easily stored as fat.
Your final three meals of the day should contain food that is high in fiber and paired with some sort of protein. For example, 4-6 oz of chicken cut into cubes along with 2 pieces of broccoli, two spoonfuls of beans and of course a big glass of water. Or, one small cup of cottage cheese with a peach and water. Fiber helps to clean your body out and it takes longer for your body to digest which leaves you feeling fuller longer. Also, it can help prevent your body from turning those extra calories you consume during the day into fat; instead, it will flush them out of your body all together. You should take the time to check out the quality foods list and you can decide for yourself what sounds good, all the while maintaining balance.
Maybe this doesn’t seem like much food at one time, but it is the perfect balance of foods to give your body what it needs to function at its highest level and shut off hunger. You must develop the discipline to walk away hungry and know that what you ate is enough! These meals take little time to eat and will help in speeding up your metabolism. So get out there people and start eating!
Remember it takes your stomach 20 minutes to tell your brain you are full. So give it time and the results will speak loudly!
If you want to learn more about Body-N-Motion’s personal training services please click here, or the logo in the upper-left.
Let me know what you think. Leave comments and/or questions here or on our FaceBook page.
by Mike White (Owner, Trainer @ Body-N-Motion)
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