FitSugar

Fit Tip: Cycle Your Workouts

FitSugar — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 04:00:00 -0700

Everything, it seems, works in cycles and your workouts should too. It is a good idea to modify your workout routine in terms of length, intensity and activity in 2 to 3 week cycles.

Every two weeks, I like to vary my workout in terms of duration and intensity since I try to mix up my cardio methods weekly. So for 2 or 3 weeks I work at a lower intensity for a longer period of time, like for 40 to 60 minutes. I like taking hikes in the hills, jogging in flat areas, or swimming at a steady pace for a long time.

I follow that cycle with a couple of weeks of more intense workouts. I take to the hills for my runs or head to the track or pool for intense interval training. These workouts I limit in time to 20 or 30 minutes. If I have my wits about it, I can organize my exercise phases with how hectic my schedule is going to be. Short intense workouts are great when I have out of town guests or a busy social calendar - 2 kids in preschool means lots of birthday parties and pot lucks.

Another reason this works for me is variation of any sort prevents both my brain and body from getting bored. Boredom often leads to folks falling off the exercise wagon. This cycling of intensities helps the body become more efficient at burning fat. And what is not to love about that?

Training Program: How to Start Cycling

FitSugar — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 09:00:00 -0800

If one of your goals for 2009 was to participate in a triathlon or just bike for exercise, then I found the program for you to follow. Beginner Triathlete is a great fitness resource on the web, but they can also help you get on your bike to get in shape. They've designed a three-month cycling plan for folks looking to lose weight, since cycling is much easier on the joints than running. But the plan is great for raising your fitness level as well. The site recommends that you repeat their four-week plan for three months, and when you have a completed it you will be ready to train for a triathlon. Triathlon season starts in Summer and runs through early Autumn, so if you start today you will be ready to tackle a tri.

The first week, the workout time totals just over three and half hours; with the fourth week schedule, you will be in the saddle for almost five hours. These workouts will work on a stationary bike, or a bike on the road. For the interval workouts I suggest a flat bike path free of cars and other distractions. The only jargon you need to know to follow this plan is that "cadence" is cycling speak for revolutions per minute (RPM), or how many times one pedal makes a complete rotation in one minute.

Have fun in the saddle and don't forget your helmet.

Source

Reese Gets a Full Body Workout, So Can You!

FitSugar — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 11:45:00 -0700

Reese has been getting healthier and healthier as she is a new single woman prepping for an upcoming movie. It looks like her trainer has been putting her through the ringer with some serious moves.

It looks like she's doing several variations of ab exercises, side planks, sprints, lots of stretching and even some crazy push-up against a tree. You go girl!

I love seeing celebs being really pushed by their trainers and it's even cooler that she is stepping up her outdoor jog! It just goes to show you that anyone can get a workout anywhere. Trees, park benches and a patch of soft grass are great tools to use in the great outdoors!

Reese inspired me to create a fun little workout. To see it (along with more pics of Reese working her tail off), just read more

Sprint (or speed jog in place): 30 seconds
Side plank: one minute
Sprint again: 30 seconds
Side plank (opposite side): One minute
Sprint: 30 seconds
Full body crunches: one minute
Sprint: 30 seconds
V-Sit with Opposite Leg/Arm Lifts: One minute
Sprint: 30 seconds
Elevated Push-up: 20

Try not to rest in between each move. The above completes one cycle (should take you about six minutes). Repeat the cycle 3-5 times, resting in between each cycle. And, just like Reese, make sure to stretch when you're done. Enjoy!

View 15 Photos ›

Pacific Coast News

Great Fitness Gadget: Peddle Anywhere

FitSugar — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 12:30:00 -0700

We're always looking for a way to multi task when it comes to fitness. So, one way to burn a few more calories throughout your day is to use a Mini Portable Cycle such as this one from Sharper Image.

The beauty of having a portable cycle is that you can peddle pretty much anywhere you have a chair and, unlike a stationary bike that it tucks away easily. This means that you can be peddling while watching TV at home, while you're talking to your mom on the phone or even while you're at your desk at work. What's more? You can also put it on top of a table to give your arms a great workout too (smaller hand grips are included). If this is just what you need to boost the amount of calories you burn in a day then buy it from SharperImage.com for $79.95.

Can Exercise Affect Your Menstrual Cycle?

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 14:30:00 -0700

Working out regularly affects all aspects of your life in a positive way. It keeps your heart healthy, improves flexibility and strength in your muscles, improves your blood pressure and blood circulation, gives you energy, helps you maintain a healthy weight, can prevent injuries or alleviate chronic pain, and can even make you have a better night's sleep.

Exercise can even help you when you have your period. You may not have a ton of energy to do what you normally do, but a little moderate exercise can actually alleviate cramps (dysmenorrhea) and bloating. The blood circulating through your body can also relieve headaches, and the release of endorphins can help you get rid of your cranky or depressed mood. I find that exercising can also curb my insatiable cravings for junk food.

How can exercise negatively affect your period? To find out, read more

Some women can stop getting their periods (called amenorrhea), and exercise can have something to do with that. If you are exercising excessively or obsessively, and have a lower percentage of body weight than is normal for your height (possibly from anorexia), your body could go into rescue mode. Working out takes a ton of energy, so in order for your body to keep up, it will begin to shut down unnecessary functions to use what little energy it has to keep your basic life functions going.

Since menstruation is not vital to your life, its purpose is to reproduce, your body will turn off the function to save energy. The good news is that usually when you begin cutting down on the exercise, and your body gets the nutrition and calories it needs, your periods should come back.

Likewise, if your body fat percentage is much higher than the normal level for your height (obesity), periods can also stop. Losing weight can help bring periods back.

Fit's Tips: Exercise and body weight aren't the only things that can affect your cycle, and a missing period isn't a disease, it's a symptom. If you are suffering from irregular or missed periods, make an appointment with your gynecologist so they can help you figure out how to get your period back.

Source

Swimming For Weight Loss?

FitSugar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:30:25 -0700

Swimming has gotten a bad rap as an exercise for weight loss. Unlike running, which curbs your appetite, swimming seems to increase it.

Studies comparing swimming with walking and cycling weight-loss programs found that swimmers gained five pounds on average, while the other two groups lost between 17 and 19 pounds. The culprit seems to be the increased appetite that follows working out in water, since swimming lowers your body temp and the body crave calories to help heat it back up. Plus the swimmers weight gain could be attributed to an increase in lean muscle mass, which would have changed their body composition without weight loss.

See how I think you can make swimming part of your weight-loss plan, when you read more.
If you are swimming for weight loss, I don't believe you should give up on the pool entirely - swimming is a great full-body exercise. I do think you should add some cardio training on land. I am a firm believer in cross-training, so adding strength training and walking or running will help burn calories as well as build bone density, which is another benefit of weight-bearing exercises that you miss out on when swimming. When you do finish a swim workout, take a sauna, a steam, hot tub, or a hot shower to help heat your body. Also try sipping on some hot herbal tea as a post-workout drink.

Add Sprints to Drop Those Last Five Pounds

FitSugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 03:47:07 -0700

You've been eating right and exercising regularly for quite some time and the scale has been good to you. You're five pounds away from your goal weight, but your body is hanging on to that extra fluff for dear life. To help drop those pounds for good, you're going to have to make a change to your exercise routine. When doing cardio, instead of traveling along at the same speed or intensity, sprinkle in 30-second sprints. It doesn't matter if you're jogging, biking, jumping rope, or swimming. Whatever type of cardio you're doing, start off your workout at a moderate pace for 10 to 15 minutes, then kick it up as fast as you can for 30 seconds, then slow it back down to an easy pace to recover for 90 seconds. Repeat this interval cycle five to eight times, and then finish off your workout at a moderate pace for 15 minutes. Including speedy bursts burns more calories than working at a continual steady pace. Doing this kind of interval training is also proven to decrease belly fat. So add sprints to your cardio workouts and you should see those last few pounds disappear.

DVD Review: Jillian Michaels - 30 Day Shred

FitSugar — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:00:31 -0700

I know that many of your share my admiration for Jillian Michaels of Biggest Loser fame, with her no nonsense approach to exercising and her ability to get the contestants up and moving. So I was excited to check out her workout DVD, Jillian Michaels - 30 Day Shred ($11).

As the title implies, the workout promises visible results in a month, if you do it every day for 30 days. (“Up to 20 lbs. in 30 days!”) Though that may seem like a big undertaking, the commitment is small - just about 25 minutes a day. Between the short workout sessions and Michaels’s motivation, I was feeling amped that I had a winning DVD on my hands.

To hear more about the 30 Day Shred, read more.

Sure, I got a hint of Michaels's hardcore ways when watching The Biggest Loser, but it did not prepare me for my first day, as I was completely worked over. Don't be alarmed - as with most fitness DVDs on the market, Michaels makes sure to include workouts aimed at the beginner, intermediate, and more advanced viewers.

The 30 Day Shred is a nonstop, heart pounding, super-intense cardio workout based on Michaels's "3-2-1 method," which combines a repeating cycle of three minutes of cardio, two minutes of strength, and one minute of abs into a single routine. The exercises and instructions are clear and straightforward, and as seen on The Biggest Loser, Michaels is incredibly motivating. I like that the workout stays at a fast pace and doesn't get boring since Michaels changes the exercises in each six-minute set.

If you're looking for a short and sweet workout, this is a great DVD to pick up. It won't steal a huge chunk of your day and has the big plus of burning fat and toning muscle simultaneously. Have you tried this DVD? Tell me what you thought about it in the comments section below.

Gabby Reece on Getting Physical With Laird Hamilton

FitSugar — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 03:30:00 -0700

When it comes to fit couples, like former pro beach volleyball fitness guru Gabby Reece and her hunk of a husband pro surfer Laird Hamilton, you have to wonder if they work out together.

When posed with Sugar user Spectra's question, "What kind of activities do you do with Laird to stay fit?" Gabby quickly responded, with an almost inaudible chuckle, "Oh my gosh, I try not to train with Laird. We've been together for almost 14 years and always joke that we are both too bossy to train together trying to tell each other what to do, and he always wins. I would say Laird is far more advanced in some of the things he is able to do. I use him as an inspiration."

To learn how Laird inspired her to start biking, read more.

Laird urged Gabby to start biking suggesting that it was a great way to explore the beauty Hawaii has to offer. She also occasionally works out with the "boys" when she misses her own workout group due to scheduling conflicts. She explains that the workout,

"is really hard. I am there just barely silent holding on for dear life. But I am learning. . . You can always learn more, because it gets boring. Part of it is being around people . . . that give ideas and inspiration on how to do different things to keep it fresh."

Gabby did go on to say they do stuff in the water together as a couple and as a family, but training together happens "only once in a blue moon" and that might be what keeps them together.

My husband and I cycle together, but we had to hash out the parameters since we have different approaches to attacking hills and speeding down descents. What about you? Do work out with your husband, partner, boyfriend?

Free Workout Music From Podrunner

FitSugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 03:00:03 -0700

Music is the great fitness motivator, and the faster the beat, the faster you move. If you're looking for an entire playlist that offers non-stop, fixed tempo music for your running, walking, or cycling workouts, check out Podrunner.

The site offers free workout playlists to help keep your pace constant, with ranges between 152 to 181 beats per minute. Podrunner also has mixes designed for interval training. You can download these music mixes online or through iTunes, and the MP3 files can be played on most digital music players. The playlists are all electronica, and the music is energetic and upbeat. Best of all, it's free.