Part 3 of the Top 10 Fat-Burning Exercises!

Burpees

Burpees are an explosive full body movement, and also a form of body weight resistance training. These are performed by running in place, dropping to the ground, quickly get back to your feet. and resume running in place. That is considered 1 repetition. You may up the difficulty factor by adding a jump after you come back to your feet, and adding a push-up when you drop to the ground.

Set up a goal of performing x amount of burpees, and time how long it takes you to perform the total amount. This will fuel your motivation against the clock. A beginner may start with 20 while an athlete has a goal of 50.

Medicine Ball Walking Lunge and Wood chop

This is a total body exercise that also trains coordination, stability, balance, and proprioception (the body’s awareness of its environment). Combining all these skills creates a raised heart rate and is quick to make you sweat off some calories.

These are done by holding a medicine ball straight in front of you, and performing a lunge with your knee almost touching the ground. You can up the difficulty level by adding a twist to the side that is lunging.

Try to start by performing 16 (8 walking lunges on each leg) repetitions for 2 to 3 sets. Take only 30-45 seconds rest between sets and be sure to progress your endurance by add more repetitions and increase your strength with a heavier medicine ball.

Part 2 of the Top 10 Fat-Burning Exercises!

3.)  Swimming

Swimming is an amazing full body exercise, beginners will generally work at a higher intensity for a shorter duration burning more calories. Because of the shorter duration it is highly effective at maximizing your workout.

Experienced swimmers will maintain a high performance level maximizing the percentage of fat burned and will spend 45-60 or more minutes in the water.

4.)  Jogging

For beginners, it is wise to consult a fitness professional and find an introduction to running program because it is easy to burn out when it comes to jogging. The beginner will quickly hit the ceiling (anaerobic threshold). To force yourself at this level is the same as spinning  and burning up your carbohydrates (via the glycemic stores) and begin to burn muscle in the form of amino acids. (Proper nutrition for all of the exercises in this article is a must. Once again, a fitness profession, or a certified or registered nutritionist will assist you with this.)

When your anaerobic threshold increases so with your overall health and your fat burning ability, jogging is certainly an interval exercise for beginners, as your abilities increase you’ll be able to maintain a steady  fat burn. This exercise can then be combined with Interval Sprinting.

Fat-Burning Exercises!

Working off fat is never fun, nor easy. It takes a lot of effort and dedication, but the payoff is exponentially greater! We would love to help you work off that gut, so here are 10 fat burning exercises that you may utilize to achieve that better body. We will blog the exercises 2 at a time.

1) Interval Sprints

Studies have shown that sprinting increases a person’s speed, power, VO2 Max levels, endurance and fat loss. Sprinting in an interval program has a similar effect as weight lifting. Both are forms of anaerobic exercise, where the body relies on cellular production of energy rather than Oxygen. The bonus is that sprinting cause a high level of Excess Post Oxygen Consumption (EPOC). EPOC can simply be described as the body’s ability to continue to burn fat after the workout is complete. Fat becomes a high source of energy for the rest of the day after a quick and effective Interval Sprint program like below.

Sprint for 30 seconds, walk for 2 minutes, spring for 30 seconds, walk for 2 minutes, repeat 5-10 times.

2) Spinning

While many people may be afraid of a spinning class after seeing participants walk out soaking wet from their own sweat, there is a huge reason as to why this is an excellent for fat burning!

In one 45-60 minute session participants will burn 600-900 calories on average.

There is a distinction on how hard you should push yourself depending on your current abilities, and if you are targeting fat loss then you should read the following. There are three target zones to burn calories. In Zone 1, the body burns a higher percentage of fat and a lower percentage of carbohydrates. In Zone 2, the body burns a lower percentage of fat and a higher percentage of carbohydrates. In Zone 3, the body burns hardly any fat, a high percentage of carbohydrates (till carbs are depleted), and then begins to burn your existing muscle in the form of amino acids.

You can easily identify which training zone you are in by the Rate of Perceived Exertion model RPE or as I like to call it ROPE). Zone 1: you still have the ability to keep up with a conversation and you can easily to fairly easily breathe consistently through your nose. Zone 2: you can maintain conversation, but you have to start taking breathes between sentences and it is more difficult to breathe and you feel much better breathing through your mouth. Zone 3: It is highly difficult to maintain any conversation and nearly impossible to breathe through your nose.

All in all, in a 60 minute class interval within Zone 1 and Zone 2 to maximize your ability to burn off maximum fat calories.

Speed up your metabolism!!

The key to weight loss is to make sure that your metabolism is working  throughout the day. To have your metabolism working at maximum efficiency, you need to make sure that you are eating consistently throughout the day. That doesn’t mean loading up on fast food whenever you feel like it! It means eating healthy once every 4 hours! I recommend any variation of  the following if you’re waking up early. I am not a nutritionist, so take it with a grain of salt (but not too much salt ha ha):

Breakfast: Eggs, vegetables, whole grain toast, cereal, yogurt, protein shakes, fruit

- Breakfast should be your biggest meal of the day! Load up now so you’re burning it off later

Snack (4 hours later): Fruit, protein shake, granola bar, unsalted nuts

Lunch (4 hours later): Sandwich, salad, protein shake, fruit

Snack  (4 hours later): Fruit, protein shake, granola bar, unsalted nuts

Dinner (4 hours later): Chicken breast, fish, salad, pasta,vegetables

- Dinner should be smaller then your breakfast and lunch, since your day is coming to an end. I recommend making a big portion, then splitting it into equal portions so you can have it for lunch/dinner over the next few days!

Snack (an hour or so before bed) : Unsalted nuts, fruit, granola bar

Eating consistently throughout the day is the key to burning the most calories possible! Remember, nutrition is more then half of the battle in the war for our health and fitness! Don’t slack on what you’re eating because you are what you eat! Eat smart, eat healthy!

Everyday activities as exercise!

Do you enjoy gardening and doing yard-work?  If so, you are in luck!  The National Institute of Health recommends gardening 3-5 times a week for 30 – 45 minutes as a way to help keep weight down.  Gardening and yard work are unique forms of exercise as they let you do something fun and relaxing while at the same time working different muscle groups and getting a moderate cardio workout.  The nice thing about gardening and yard work is that it is an exercise that can be done by any age group and it is not as hard on your body as activities like jogging. 

There are some things to note before you begin your gardening workout.  Make sure you stretch before beginning and if you lift heavy pots or plants, lift from your knees not your back!  For gardening and yard work to be effective it is said that you should get at least 30 minutes of gardening in.  However; if you are unable to get 30 minutes in, not to worry, if you perform these tasks periodically throughout the day it is still worth doing.  The type of tasks you will need to complete if you are doing it for a shorter period of time are tasks like raking leaves or spreading compost.  So, get outside and have some fun while exercising!

Why you should workout in the summer!

Is the summer heat deterring you from your usual workouts?  The heat can make anyone not want to work out, however; you can use the weather to your advantage.  If you are used to exercising in the afternoon, when it is hottest in the summer, try moving your exercise time to the early morning or during the sunset.  During these times, the temperature is changing and you get a chance to view a beautiful sunrise or sunset.  It’s a great opportunity to do yoga, go for a run or bike ride.  Another reason to enjoy the heat is the chance to start swimming again.  The water will cool you down from the heat of the day and it is also great exercise.  Summer is also a time when you get the chance to have the whole family together, why not take the opportunity to go outside and play a game, play in the sprinklers, go to the beach or enjoy some other activity together.  This way you are getting the entire family involved in some summertime exercises.  So, don’t let the heat get you down, get outside and have a fun workout!  Don’t forget to drink lots of water while you’re out in the sun and remember to check with you doctor before beginning any new intensive workout!

Get fit with friends!

Having trouble staying motivated?  Grab some friends and family and set up a workout routine.  You’ll soon find it harder to skip exercise time when there are others counting on you to be there.  There are many ways to enjoy the San Diego sun other than working out in a gym, working out does not have to be boring!  The great thing about having a group of people to workout with is that you can pick different activities to do each time.  You can also set up outdoor activities like: ultimate Frisbee, a game of football, softball, soccer, beach volleyball, etc.   By including others you are more likely to stick with with your workouts and may even find yourself wanting to exercise on your own again.  Just remember to stay hydrated, be careful and most importantly have fun while getting in shape!

Food: Good or Bad?

Today we are going to expand a bit more on yesterday’s topic, nutrition.  We often hear how food is either bad or good for us, the actuality is that there is a place for all of the food we consume in our diet.  Healthy eating has been described as a puzzle with a lot of pieces, you have to find the way the pieces to fit together to get the full picture.  All foods are different and can fit into your diet with the right balance.  Some foods may have more sodium or fat, while others have more fiber and vitamins.  No matter what the situation, their is a place in your diet for them, you just need to balance the choices that you are making.  For example: if you have a high-in-fat meal during the day or know you will be having one later that evening, then make sure to have lower-fat meals the rest of the day.  Make sure that you use your judgement as well, if you have 2 pieces of pizza and are full afterwards, do NOT go for that third piece, moderation is key! With a balanced diet and a healthy exercise routine you should begin to see results in no time. 

Remember to consult with your doctor before beginning any new diet or exercise routine.

Don’t put your nutrition on the back burner!

Balance.  In order to be successful in reaching your fitness goals you must be able to balance exercise and nutrition.  At Strive! our trainers help you do that.  Healthy eating is important because when you combine it with your exercise routine it can help you lose weight, lower your cholesterol and give you an overall improvement in your daily body functions.  Everybody knows about the Food Pyramid and the amount of servings you need a day.  The hard part is actually doing it!  Here is a list of a few things that you can change in your diet to help you meet the serving requirements and make your diet a little bit healthier:

• low-fat whole grain breads, like rye and pumpernickel
• rice/pasta (no yolk) with veggie sauce
• raw or lightly steamed vegetables
• baked or mashed potatoes
• lean beef 
• lean pork
• fat-free hot dogs
• skim or 1% milk
• low fat cheese
• sorbet or sherbet
• low-fat ice cream

These are just a few suggestions that you could substitute into your current diet.  Remember to consult with your doctor before making any major changes to your diet!  With a healthy diet and exercise you should be able to see results!

Busting Myths!

You have just completed a pretty intense workout with your Strive! trainer and you are feeling great!  After a few hours the soreness begins to hit you.  If you are like most people, you want to hop into some really hot water or maybe take a dip in the jacuzzi to help ease the pain.  The best way to help your muscles relax is actually by taking a dip in some cold water.  If you put yourself in a cold bath then you get the same effect as putting an ice pack over your entire body.  Cold water is better than hot water in relieving sore muscles because after you exercise your blood vessels are less dilated and when you hop into the cold water then the colder temperatures constrict the blood vessels allowing for less waste materials to accumulate.  Soreness occurs when waste like lactic acid, etc, settle in the vessles.  So, instead of hopping into a nice hot bath after your workout, hop into something that is a bit colder and reduce your soreness.