Exercise
Depending on what your goals are there are different things you should focus on, but ultimately your work out should include cardio, weight training, and core work. Also, always remember to stretch before or after... I am really bad about this.
If your aim is to lose a lot of fat, then cardio, cardio, cardio. Find your favorite cardio machine and get at it. I suggest doing it at a time some of your favorite programs are on TV so time will fly and you are still spending time watching TV, but you are burning mega calories in lieu of sitting on the couch. My favorite is the elliptical machine where you also move your arms and there is a bit of an incline. It is low impact on the knees and for me, time seems to fly on it. I can spend 3 hours on it easily, but that is definiately not necessary. Try reading instead of watching TV and see what you like better. Depending on what I read, sometimes time seems to fly when I am pretty interested in the material. I always choose the "fat burn" setting b/c it will alternate between low and high intensity. I also really like the stationary bike. I suggest an hour of cardio a day and more if you're aiming to lose more than 10 lbs. Pick your favorite cardio machine (ellip, tread mill, stationary bike, or go for a jog) and then try out the stairmaster. It will kick your ass! Start out doing about 10 minutes after a vigorous hour of cardio. The stairmaster does wonders for your buttocks and thighs. It is intense and you will be drenched w/ sweat after only 10 minutes.
Now for weight training... I like to do a combination of free weights and weight machines. For weight machines, I use 2 varieties of back machines (works your whole back, anterior deltoids, and biceps), 2 varieties of the chest machine (chest muscles, posterior deltoids, and triceps), the "spread your legs" machine where you have your legs on the outside of the things and you push your thighs in (works inner thighs) and your legs on the inside of the things and you push your thighs out (works ass, outer thighs, and back thighs), the ass machine where you lay on your stomach and push one leg up at a time (this can also be done on your hands and knees w/out weight), etc. You can find any other machine to work out specific areas of your body that you need to work on. For all the aforementioned, I do 3 sets of 10. I then move on to free weights. I get 10 lb weights and do bicep curls with a lunge and alternate each leg. I then do about 20 squats and move on to an overhead press with lunges. It is very important to do these correctly. Lunges should be done so that the knee does not pass the toe and legs are lined up pretty straight. Squats should be done so that knees do not bend, but rather the ass descends moving backward. You will feel the burn! I do some shoulder work where my arms are down on either side of my body and lifted still extended and not bent at an angle slightly in front of me. It doesn't take a lot of weight to feel the burn for this... if you're a weak girl like me 5 lbs should suffice. I am all about push ups so I usually do about 20.Core work: For my obliques I use the side crunch stand, where your body is basically at a 45ish degree angle and hold a 10 lb. weight to do intense side crunches. Linds and I call them the MTE's: Muffin Top Eliminators. I no longer have a muffin top so these babies work! I also use the regular crunch stand where your legs are elevated and you're head is close to the ground. You can do a variety of ab exercises on this stand. I do basic crunches holding a 10 lb. weight, pulses at the very top of my crunch, side crunches, and hold the weight while I am in a half sit up and move my arms from side to side pretty fast. Do planks! Try to do 3 1-minute planks. I usually do them w/ my arms extended, but you can do them bent if you wish. I do a 1 minute plank on both sides of my body where I have one hand on the ground and one hand to the ceiling and my legs extended w/ one foot in front of the other on the ground. Try to make your body as straight as possible for this. There are several different pilates move that I will incorporate to my work outs. If you don't know a lot about pilates, I recommend Windsor for beginners... they have short 30 minute videos that are pretty excellent. Also, you could start taking classes at your gym or somewhere in your area. Yoga is great for your core, too.
Supplements
I am all about the supplements and will tell you the ones I take and why...
Green Tea
I take green tea pills that include caffiene. Green tea contains polyphenols that have been shown to reduce cholesterol and reduce heart disease. Among these, the active ingredient EGCG increases fat oxidation during a work out and reduce the spikes in blood sugar when taken with meals (one of the main issues with the low-carb craze). I have been taking it for years and I love it!
Cayenne Pepper Supplement
Note: this is not for everyone... those prone to acid reflux or that have sensitive stomachs... stay away. Take with a substantial meal! I take 3 of these pills a day. They increase your metabolism by about 25%. Cayenne contains capsaicin which is a natural stimulant that gets your blood flowing improving your circulatory system, intenstines, stomach, and heart. It has a decent amount of Vitamins A and C. I love this stuff!
CLA: Conjugated Linoleic Acid
In addition to having antioxidant and anti-cancer properties, studies have shown that CLA reduces body fat (especially around the abdomen) and keeps body fat cells from increasing in size.
Goji Berry Juice
I take a 1 ounce shot of this whole food supplement for the following reasons:
Goji Juice has been traditionally used to alleviate the following conditions:
to strengthen the heart and alleviate heart palpitations
fights insomnia and forgetfulness
contains polysaccharides which control the pituitary glands that produce HGH (human growth hormone) which is a powerful anti-aging hormone
can be used by pregnant women to alleviate morning sickness.
Has in clinical trials shown a partial reversal in sexual dysfunction in seniors
Used to boost the function of the immune system
Has some anti-cancer properties and has been successfully used to treat hepatitis-B
Has been used successfully for weight loss
Helps the body detox, cleans the blood and build the immune system.
Here are some facts about this marvelous fruit:
They contain 19 amino acids including the 8 essential amino acids.
They have 21 trace minerals including zinc, calcium, germanium, selenium and phosphorus
B vitamins
Has more Beta-carotene than carrots (which converts to vitamin A) and has a complete spectrum of antioxidants.
Has vitamin E which is almost unheard of in fruits
Has 500 times more Vitamin C by weight than oranges
It contains the anti-inflammatory agent beta-sitosterol which lowers cholesterol and takes care of sexual health
They have essential fatty acids such as omega 6 and linoleic acid that regulate hormones
Has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties
sourceDigestive Enzymes
I recently began chewing papaya digestive enzymes after my meals to aid in protein digestion to make sure I get the most out of my foods. Thanks to Dell for this recommendation!
Diet
What you put in your body is very important! Everyone is different so I can't really tell you exactly what to eat. Personally, I have a diet high in protein (50+ grams per day), fruit, vegetables, and about 2 servings of whole grains per day. I make a shake with raw brown rice protein, a frozen banana, HEB Mootopia Chocolate Milk, and 2 tbs. of peanut butter and this amazing protein packed shake tastes like a chocolate-peanut-butter milk shake! So good. It is especially good before or after a vigorous work out. Eat as many fresh fruit and veggies as you can to get your fiber, antioxidants, etc. All the good stuff! Beans, lean meats (turkey, chicken, etc.), tofu, eggs (no more than 2/day), etc. are great sources of protein. Try to minimize your intake of refined sugar and white flour. Don't eat anything that contains trans fats... even if its a trace amount. Drink lots of water. Tons. This is so important. To reduce snacking in between meals I recommend Special K protein water... 5 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber will keep you going and minimize cravings. For women, Luna bars make a great lunch or snack.Other Tips:
Get plenty of rest!!!
Take a multivitamin.
Take the stairs in leiu of the elevator.
Ride your bicycle!!! It's so much fun it doesn't even feel like exercise, plus its good for the environment.
Nivea Goodbye Cellulite: This stuff is incredible and has totally worked for me!
Stay full! It is important to have 3 meals w/ small snacks like fruit, veggies, nuts, whole grain crackers & low fat cheese, protein water, etc. in between them so that your metabolism stays revved and you don't go into starvation mode. Use this daily calorie intake calculator to figure out the calories needed for you to stay at your current weight and subtract by 500 and use that as a guideline for daily caloric intake. Use this BMI calculator to figure out if yours is in a healthy range (18.5 - 24.9), and if it is not... try to get it there!
Be positive and keep at it. Results take hard work and it will be hardest at first to get into the routine. It can take some time at the beginning to start shedding the lbs. You may wanna take measurements b/c you normally will lose inches before pounds. Once you start to build that lean muscle through weight training and core work, you will become much friendlier w/ that evil scale b/c muscle aids in burning fat.
Anyway, this is why I'm hot! Hehe. My body rocks b/c of all the aforementioned so good luck on your fitness journey. If you have any questions or suggestions, I would love the feedback.
-leens
