FitSugar

3 Reasons Why High-Intensity Workouts Are Essential

FitSugar — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 02:00:45 PST

If your goal is to get fit this year, hopefully, you've been reading our tips on how to motivate yourself to go to the gym, and being inspired by readers in our Fit Community. And now that you've gotten into a routine with your workouts, it's time to decide how you'll be switching it up to maximize your time in the gym or on the road.

Interval and high-intensity training are perfect ways to do just that, and are an important part of meeting your weight loss and fitness goals. Need more motivation for incorporating them into your weekly workout? Read on for three important reasons to add high-intensity training to your fitness sessions.

It helps you get out of a fitness rut. Adding some high-intensity muscle reps once a week or adding interval training to your cardio routine will help you get past boredom during your workouts.
It saves you time. You should be modifying your workout every two to three weeks, so upping the cardio intensity will mean you can fit in a fast, efficient workout into your busy schedule.
It targets belly fat. Faster-paced workouts help your body release fat-burning hormones, which burn fat both during your workouts as well as long after you've showered off the sweat. In addition, intense workouts target the fat we store around our midsections especially, which is important in lowering the risk of certain diseases.

Fit Tip: Do Five Minutes of Exercise That Winds You

FitSugar — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 11:00:00 PDT

Now that you're working regular exercise into your weekly schedule, you want to make sure you're getting the most out of it. For your heart's sake, spend at least five minutes of each workout doing something that makes you work at an intensity that leaves you winded. It's great for your respiratory system and also burns calories. Run up a hill, jump rope, do jumping jacks, dance, sprint up the stairs, or bike up a hill. Do anything for five minutes straight that leaves you huffing and puffing. I like to save this for the last five minutes of my workout. It makes me feel proud to push myself hard, and afterward, I always feel full of energy.

Fit's Tip: If you have asthma, ease into this type of high-intensity workout. You may want to keep your inhaler near by just in case, since breathing heavy can provoke an asthma attack.

Source

Don't Get in a Fitness Rut: Add a High Intensity Workout

FitSugar — Wed, 30 May 2007 09:30:00 PDT

Are you getting into a fitness rut? Doing 3 sets of 12 reps of everything you do getting a little old? If so, think about incorporating a single set workout (high intensity training) into your routine every now and again.

Single set strength training (high intensity training) stresses muscle exhaustion in less time than the typical 3 sets. You probably currently lift 75% of your max resistance 10 times for three reps, but high intensity means lifting a higher percentage of your max resistance for a shorter period of time. For example, if your max (amount you could only lift once) is 10 pounds, instead of lifting 7.5 pounds 10 times for three sets, lift 8.5 pounds (85% of your max) until muscle exhaustion (until you can't do it again). It could as little as one rep, as long as one rep completely exhausts the muscle, but most people can lift 85% of their max 6 times.

Be sure not to go above 85% of your max (if your max is 100 lbs, don't go about 85 lbs) because that could lead to injury. Remember to breathe during the concentric (lifting) part. Always give the muscles you worked at least 48 hours rest before working them again. Also, it is always a good idea to use a spotter. Remember the name of the game here is quality not quantity so make sure that you're using proper form. I do not recommend doing a high intensity workout daily, but rather adding it once a week or so to spice up your workout.

Fit's Tip: Working at higher intensities also shortens the duration of your workout.

No Headphones? 5 Ways to Entertain Yourself on the Treadmill

Leta Shy — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:44:44 PST

I love running on the treadmill, but let's be honest: it's not the most entertaining workout. I usually distract myself from counting down the minutes with a good playlist, audiobook, or tuning in to the gym's TVs. When I forget to take my running headphones, however, I have to entertain myself in an entirely different way. Here are some ways to keep yourself entertained (not to mention motivated!) when you can't do your normal headphones-on, tune-everything-out routine.

Change up your intervals: You should be doing this anyway once you've mastered your current workout, but if you're used to going through the motions, now's the time to change your intervals or the speed of your high-intensity runs.
Take a fit test: See how fast you can run in a set period - say, five minutes - without stopping (make sure you don't overdo it, though - stay at a level where you don't feel short of breath, lightheaded, or dizzy). Doing a fit test regularly is a good way to gauge your progress if you've been running regularly and if it's time to pick up the pace. Plus you may be surprised by just how fast you can really go!

Read on for more.

A Reader Answers: Can Exercise Help With Migraines?

Fit Community — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 01:52:16 PST

FitSugar reader JessicaSmithTV wanted to know: can exercise help with migraines? She asked an expert and posted the answer in our Fit Community.

Today's post comes to us from special guest contributor and medical expert Paul Rizzoli, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School:

When you’re prone to migraines you’re forced to think through whether or not something you do will invite a headache into your life. Exercise is definitely one of those things. Should you skip a workout because you feel a migraine coming on? Or is it better to push through in the hopes a little sweat will make you feel better?

Most headache specialists recommend exercise and an increase in overall physical activity to their patients. However, to date, there’s skimpy evidence to support the idea that working out actually guards against migraine attacks. A few studies have shown that taking regular exercise can reduce the severity, though not the number of headaches.

Keep reading to see what studies say about exercise and migraine relief after the break!

From the Community: Everything You Need to Know About Tabata Training

Fit Community — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:24:34 PST

FitSugar community member (and fitness instructor) livinginthin gives us a primer on Tabata training, a type of high-intensity interval workout.

You've probably heard the word Tabata by now (and if you haven't, you will!). So what exactly is this hot new fitness trend, and why you should care about it?

What is Tabata?

The term Tabata was coined after the Japanese researcher Dr. Izumi Tabata, who compared the effectiveness of short, very high-intensity training (bursts of maximal effort for 20 seconds followed by 10 seconds of recovery, repeated for four minutes in total) to a traditional 60-minute aerobic workout.

Who should do it?

Anyone looking to amp up their fitness level, maximize their cardio time, burn more calories, and blast off more fat in way less time. The key to a successful Tabata session is being able to hit the high levels of intensity (the participants in the Tabata study worked at 170 percent of their VO2 Max - that's killer!). If you are new to exercise, or returning after a long hiatus, you may want to progress slowly with trying a Tabata workout.

Learn more about Tabata, after the break!

What's Your Favorite Way to Exercise When You're Short on Time?

Leta Shy — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 02:35:40 PDT

Lately I've been longing for a long workout at the gym or a yoga class, but my schedule only has room for exercise that is far less time-consuming. But just because a workout isn't long doesn't mean it can't be useful.

Whether it's just taking a walk or popping in a DVD before work, short bursts of cardio can be just as effective as longer ones if you up your workout's intensity, which lets you reap the calorie-burning rewards. And best of all, you don't have to try to fit in a superlong fitness session around a too busy schedule, or feel guilty for not being able to get moving.

How to Prevent a Bad Running Day

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:56:02 PST

Some days I slip on my sports bra and sneaks and I feel so light and strong - like I could keep going and going. Other days it seems like my legs are trudging through mud. What gives? We can't prevent bad running days entirely, but here are a few things you can do in order to have more good days than bad.

Get enough sleep the night before. Hit the hay early enough so you get seven to nine hours of shut-eye.
Make sure you're hydrated. Not drinking the appropriate amount of water before and during your workout can lead to dizziness, headaches, decreased energy and performance, dry mouth, and cramps. A few hours before running, drink about 15 to 20 ounces. Drink another eight to 10 ounces 10 to 15 minutes before heading out.
Eat before your run. Remember that food is fuel. If you're not working out for five or so hours, enjoy a meal that contains protein, fat, and carbs. Several hours before a run, eat a meal that's under 500 calories. Thirty to 90 minutes before you head out, enjoy a carb-loaded low-fat snack. If you're working out first thing in the a.m., fuel up with easily digestible carbs that are low in fiber. Getting too much fiber can cause major cramps during your run.
Hit the ladies room. There's no need to carry unnecessary weight with you, so if you can relieve yourself before your run, you'll feel much lighter and will be less likely to experience belly aches.

See more tips after the break!

4 More Facts You Don't Know About Calories

Prevention — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 04:08:37 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

Only 12 percent of Americans can estimate the calories they eat in a day! Find out why we're so clueless and get easy ways to stop calorie confusion
By Mara Betsch, Prevention

You know what calories are, and you probably know that if you eat too many, you'll gain weight. But do you know how many are in your favorite deli sandwich? Or how many calories you should really eat each day? Most Americans don’t. Only 12 percent can accurately estimate the number of calories they should consume in a day someone their age, height, weight, and physical activity, according to a 2010 survey by the International Food Information Council Foundation. So what is it about calories that keeps us baffled? Last month, we shared some reasons you might be confused about calories - here are four more and the simple steps that will help you do the math.

1. Exercise makes you hungry
Though studies are mixed when it comes to whether exercise actually stimulates or suppresses appetite, many people think of working out as a way to eat whatever they like. "There’s definitely a mentality of 'I have sweated therefore I deserve,'" says Bonci. However, with most people burning about 100 calories per mile, a short workout won't give you a free pass to eat junk food. "If you walk two miles, eating a handful of chips post-workout can undo the calories you burned," says Bonci. As mentioned above, gym machines don’t accurately measure calories burned, either.

Stop the confusion: To stop an after-workout binge, fuel up pre-gym, Zied suggests. "Have something before - something with carbs and a little protein, like whole wheat toast and peanut butter or a banana and milk." Depending on the intensity of your workout, you may need something afterward as well. After a workout longer than 45 minutes, you should aim to eat about 200 calories.

Tips to Stop Overeating After Workouts

2. Liquid calories are ignored
"People are spending hundreds of calories on beverages each day," says Zied. Unfortunately, a lot of those calories are from sugar-sweetened drinks and alcohol, not milk and 100 percent fruit juice. According to a 2007 study, beverage intake accounted for roughly 12 percent of total calories in 1965 and steadily increased to 21 percent in 2002 - that's 222 extra calories a day from drinks alone! Because bottled drinks often contain multiple servings, it’s best to either pour a serving in a glass or look for mini soda cans and juice boxes.

Keep reading for more info about calories and weight loss after the break.

A Reader Shares Her Tabata Workout Video

Fit Community — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:09:21 PST

Reader FitFabCities loves intervals, and wants to get you in on the fun, too! She shared her own Tabata workout in our Community.

I love workouts that get you in and out of the gym quickly and this high intensity training (HIIT) Tabata workout does just that. So here is how it works: Tabata protocol has you do 20 seconds of high intensity work followed by 10 seconds of rest and you can do any kind of intense interval from sprints to burpees to pushups. You complete that pattern back and forth for a full four minute block, take a much needed break then put those four minute blocks together to make up an 8, 12, 16 or 20 minute workout.

Another great thing: Tabata protocol has been scientifically proven to be the workout that burns the most calories in the least amount of time and high intensity interval training is one of the best ways to flatten your abs and reshape your body. (I'm not kidding, click here and check out the benefits section.) The whole workout is complete in 16-24 minutes. Oh yeah, and if that wasn't enough to make you fall in love with Tabata, it also raises your metabolism for the next 24 to 36 hours so you burn an additional 100 to 150 calories watching Emily take down the Graysons on Revenge (my new obsession) or someone start a fight on Real Housewives (my forever obsession). Who doesn't love that?

Get the workout breakdown and video after the break.