Benefits of Interval Training

We all know that exercise is essential for controlling blood sugar, normalizing insulin levels, and getting or staying in shape. There are different techniques that can help you exercise, and Interval Training is one of them.

What is Interval Training?

Rather than just doing cardiovascular exercise, Interval Training is a type of physical training which involves bursts of high intensity work and then followed by periods of lower intense workouts.

Interval Training can be used with different types of exercise methods, such as running, stair climbing or cycling.

Most adults should be able to handle this type of exercise, but if you have a known heart condition, you should see a doctor (cardiologist) first to give you the clear to start incorporating Interval Training into your exercise routine.

How to Incorporate Interval Training

During your Exercise:

1)  Choose an exercise  such as the treadmill, stationary bike, elliptical machine.

2) Warm up.

3) Exercise: Workout at an intense pace for 30 seconds, then recover with a lower intensity for 90 seconds.

4) Rinse and repeat for 8 sets, for a total of 16 minutes.

5) Cool down.

Important: You can do Interval Training one or two times per week in replacement of your regular exercises during the week. You shouldn’t do Interval Training more than two times per week, due to the extreme intensity and strain that is placed on the body. As Interval Training can be very healthy for you, you don’t want to over train, since this increases your risk of injury.

Before/After  your Exercise:

Sleep! You need to be well rested to maximize the benefits of your workout.

Drink plenty of Water . Don’t drink soda (especially diet), sugary juices, or vitamin water.

Eat a well-balanced diet, and be sure that you are consuming a proper amount of calories. It’s very important that you stop eating Junk Food and Candy! Proper nutrition is vital for exercise, especially when you perform an intense workout such as Interval Training. Sugar and grease are the last things your body needs.

What sets Interval Training Apart

Improves Aerobic Capacity – Helps to increase the length of workouts and at varying intensities.

Boosts Fat Burning – With the intense workouts mixed in with regular paced exercises, most people will notice a decrease in body fat.

Increases HGH – Interval Training helps to increase the Human Growth Hormone (HGH), which is a natural growth hormone which aides muscle strength.

Boosts Metabolism – Interval Training helps with burning fat throughout the day by increasing your metabolism.

Start seeing the results of a healthier lifestyle with Interval Training! Who’s ready to start?

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Healthy Tips for Thanksgiving

Here are some healthy tips to help you survive on Thanksgiving Day…

Exercise

A great way to start your Thanksgiving day is to exercise. If you plan on consuming more calories because of this traditional high calorie meal, a hearty workout will be very beneficial for you, including your waistline.

Exercise is a great way to start your day, which can also help you maintain healthy choices throughout the day.

You may want to focus on an cardiovascular workout, such as swimming, jogging, or using an elliptical machine. All would be great ways to burn a lot of calories for the day.

Drink Water

Just like any other day, it is important to drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated. A benefit to drinking enough water is that you eat less than you would if you were dehydrated, which helps keep you full so you don’t overeat.

Healthy Snacks

Snacking throughout the day is great – only if you munch on healthy foods like fruits and vegetables. Remember that Pumpkin pie is a dessert, not a healthy snack to curb your appetite.

Portion Control

Did you know that the average Thanksgiving meal can be 2,000 calories or more? The reason for this isn’t necessarily for what is being eaten, but how much of it is eaten. Be sure to eat a healthy breakfast and snacks before your Thanksgiving Lunch or Dinner. This way, it won’t feel like this is the first and only meal you have had all week.

Healthy Thanksgiving Meal…Mostly!

Be sure to fill your plate with mostly healthy foods rather than piling it with high calorie, fattening, or sugary foods. This way you still get to enjoy some of your favorite traditional food without over indulging.

Remember that treats like candied yams should remain a treat and not become the main course.

Satisfied, not Full

Thanksgiving meal isn’t a race to see who can eat the most in the shortest amount of time. Like any other meal, you shouldn’t continue eating after you are satisfied.

To avoid this painful scenario, be sure to follow these tips:

• Start with just a small amount of food on your plate. If you put a lot of food on your plate from the start, you are more likely to finish your plate, even if you are completely satisfied or full. If you finish your small plate of food and you are still hungry, go ahead and add more food to your plate. It’s easier to add food to your plate later than to test your self control.

• Eat slowly!  It takes about 15 to 20 minutes before your stomach realizes that it is “full”.  At that point, the sick feeling of overeating is unavoidable. It’s Thanksgiving, and it’s OK to eat slowly and enjoy your family and friends.

• Stop eating once you are “Satisfied”. This is a signal that your body gives you letting you know that you have enough food.

Enjoy your family and friends, and have a Healthy Thanksgiving!

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Tags: cardiovascular, drink water, elliptical machine, exercise, Healthy, healthy meal, Healthy Snacks, holiday, jogging, low calorie, portion control, satisfied, small plate, snacks, swimming, Thanksgiving, water, workout

Elliptical Machine

I first started using the Elliptical Machine after I was recovering from hurting my knees while running (soft and uneven ground- don’t recommend it). As you might have guessed, the Elliptical Machine is low impact, and easy on your knees. I thought of this machine as a temporary step while my knees were recovering, and found that I loved this machine and the workout I was getting.

Purpose

If you are looking for a great cardio workout, this is the machine for you. Within 3 minutes of using this machine, you can get up to your cardiovascular heart rate level and stay there for the duration of your workout. This machine will get your heart rate pumping, so it’s best if you slowly work your way up to either a more intense level and/or a longer workout. when I first went on this machine, I focused on doing short, but intesnse workouts. Once I finally got a heart rate monitor, I realized I was allowing myself to let my heart rate going higher than I should have. Not good. Be sure when you exercise you have a good heart rate monitor, and know your limits. Exercising is very healthy and good for you, but if you aren’t careful, you can hurt yourself too. Always consult with your doctor before starting an exercise program.

Benefits

Your lower body is mostly what gets worked out, but since your arms are on the handle bars, you get an upper body work out (think cross country skiing). With this full body workout, it gets your heart rate going, and calories are in turn getting burned. It burns quite a bit of calories actually. Be sure to increase your levels of intensity so that your body doesn’t get used to it, and still gives your body a workout. Start slowly, and depending on how your body is feeling, start increasing the intensity.

I have found success with this machine, but I would like to hear other people’s reviews and what they think about the ever so popular Elliptical Machine.

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Tags: burn calories, cardio, elliptical machine, exercise, good for your body, gym, Healthy, Lose Weight, low impact, review, success, toned muscle, Weight Loss