Best Fitness Tips

How many times have you started a diet or swore that you would drop 10lbs, and it never happened? I know that's many of us. Sometimes it's just because we're full of excuses, and other times it's because we're training completely wrong. If you run for an hour on the treadmill several times a week, or find yourself doing the same machines at the gym, read on because yes, you are doing it wrong.

Unfortunately there are about a bazillion different theories out there about fitness. Sure, nutrition is 85% of having a smokin' body, but the other 15% counts too. Here are some simple, reliable fitness tips to get you on your way to a better body.

1) Cardio is great, but really you don't need more than 30min at a time, 2-4x weekly. Did you know that too much cardio can actually put your body in a catabolic state and will start burning your muscle? If you're a cardio junkie, cut back. 

2) Intervals are the best bang for your buck (aka HIIT). This type of workout depletes the body of blood glycogen which allows you to burn fat, and in addition, revs up your metabolism and keeps you burning fat long after your workout. Interval training can be done on a treadmill, cycling, and even with weights. A simple example would be 1min medium effort, 1min extreme effort, 30sec easy effort, and repeating through your workout. (*photo courtesy of ACE fitness)

3) Lifting weights will help you lose fat and tone you at the same time. Many of my female friends are scared to lift weights. I think they see pictures in magazines of weight lifters (aghhh they sorta scare me too!) and are immediately under the assumption that lifting weights will turn them into female Arnold Schwarzeneggers. Wrong. Similar to HIIT training, lifting weights will allow you to continue burning fat throughout the day, and ultimately will leave you with curves, not scary muscles. You should be lifting 3-5x weekly. Just make sure you are lifting heavy enough. An easy rule of thumb- you should reach failure anywhere between 6-10reps. Anything more and you are lifting too light.

4) Switch it up. If you are doing the same routine during the week, you will plateau and not see any results. Our bodies like change. Switching up your cardio and weight routines will create muscle confusion which will give you faster results.

5) Schedule a time to workout, and follow it. Working out should be like eating, or going to work, etc. It is a MANDATORY part of your day for your wellness. Figure out a time that works for you and make that your workout time. If you schedule it in like an appointment, you will be more likely to do it.

My favorite moves?

*Planks- they are great for building endurance in your abs, back, and overall core.
*Deadlifts (stiff-legged and one-legged)- they give you sexy hamstrings and strengthen your back.
 *Squats- they target your quads, hamstrings and glutes. Lift heavy for these, and switch it up. I do traditional squats, sumo squats, plie squats, wall squats, BOSU ball squats...pretty sure I could keep going.
*Pushups- a simple way to work your chest. By slightly moving your hands (wide, close, one far one close) you can attack different muscles within the chest
*Barbell pullover- this move works your lats, shoulders and triceps (great for summer tank tops!)

Meal Planning

I frequently get questions about my meal planning and how I manage to cook every night of the week. Really it's quite easy to make healthy, delicious meals for dinner, and ultimately it will save you time and money (who's guilty of standing in front of the fridge at dinner time, unsure of what to eat??)  It's ALL about the planning and it will only take you a whopping 20-30 minutes once a week.

Here's what I suggest:

1) Set aside a specific time each week to plan (schedule it in). Don't think of it as a chore- make it fun. Typically I meal plan on Friday afternoon after work, and sit down with 3-4 cookbooks, a pen, a shopping list and sometimes even a small glass of wine. I turn the tv on, lounge on the couch, and browse my cookbooks.

2) Find some good cookbooks. This is essential. I'm a picky cookbook reader...if it doesn't have pretty pictures, I'm not interested. My favorites are The Best of Clean Eating, "Clean Eating Magazine," and Make it Paleo. If you don't currently own any good cookbooks, get online and invest in a few. Also, Pinterest is another great resource.

3) Choose recipes that seem simple and doable. If you're like me, working a full time job (and a part time job, and in school), you don't want to spend an hour each evening cooking. I want something that is quick, healthy, and tastes good. I also don't want to buy a million ingredients for one dish, or go on the hunt for something I've never even heard of (kombu anyone?). If it seems to complicated, I don't even attempt it.

4) Don't be afraid to experiment. It's the only way to find new dishes. I've made several dishes that were AWFUL (ahem...leek and curry soup) and I will NEVER be making them again. However, I've also tried dozens of dishes that I was unsure about, and they have turned out to be our favorites. I just don't recommend trying out these dishes for the first time with company (sorry mom!) :)

5) Keep a running list of your favorite recipes as you discover them. This will make future meal planning even easier. I several go-to recipes that I repeat, so typically I only have to find 4 recipes for the week, and the others are just 'repeats.'

6) Do a double duty. As you write down your meals for the week, jot down the ingredients you will need as well. I keep one list where I write down my groceries, and at the bottom, I just quickly jot down the meals and the pages I found them on. Writing everything down will save you money in the long run, because you won't be buying items at the grocery store that you don't need, and nothing in your fridge will go bad because you'll be using it up by the end of the week :)

So...what's for dinner next week?