Quicker Workouts, Better Results!

It's May now and most people are well into their new workout routines and healthy eating habits, right? If you had getting into shape as one of your New Year's Resolution, hopefully you haven't given up on it, but have instead established a new lifestyle that incorporates healthy foods and regular exercise.

You're probably also realizing the importance of having an effective workout so you can exercise in LESS time and still receive GREAT results. I'm finishing up that last editing of my second book Lose Weight, Feel Great! (Even After Kids) and as I was reading through it again, I felt compelled to blog some of the tips that can help you maximize your workout. Whether you've been working out regularly or not at all, you'll benefit from these time saving tips.

Maximum Results in Minimal Time:

1. Interval Train:

This is the technique of performing a cardio workout at a moderate pace and then increasing the intensity for a given period of time, before returning to your original pace. Interval training has been proved to be an excellent way to burn calories and fat while also strengthening your heart. In fact, you can work out incorporating interval training for 20 minutes and reap the same benefits as maintaining a consistent moderate pace for 40 minutes. That is a great way to cut your workout in half and still get the same results!

An example of interval training for 20 minutes is:
Fast walk for 5 minutes, run for 2 minutes, fast walk for 5, then run for 2, etc.
It's that simple! If you don't like run or can't run due to physical limitations, try walking on a steep incline on a treadmill. I mix up my interval training by walking backwards on a steep incline to get my heart pumping and to give me a great leg workout. If you don't have access to a treadmill, just increase your walking speed as fast as you can and then return to your normal fast walk. This concept will work whether you like to ride a bike, swim, or Rollerblade. Any cardio activity will work for this.

2. Strength Train, Strength Train, Strength Train!

If you aren't incorporating lifting weights into your workout, you're doing yourself an injustice. This simple activity is what changed my life for good! I always struggled with my weight but once I discovered the benefits of weight training, my constant battle with those extra pounds ended.

I can't say enough good things about weight training. One of the biggest benefits is that it increases your metabolism allowing you to burn more calories on a daily basis. In fact, pound for pound, muscle burns up to 5 times the amount of calories of fat. You don't have to be a mathematician to know that adds up to weight loss. Muscles simply need more calories than fat. It also makes you look leaner because it gives your body definition. Woman's old train of thought was that lifting weights would make them "bulk up". You can dismiss that theory because it's just not in our makeup. You would have to really do some intense weight lifting for that to be a problem.

In my book I list all the many health benefits that will convince you strength training IS an important part of an exercise program. You don't even need a gym membership. You can purchase inexpensive dumbbells and do simple exercises in your home. My book shows you different moves you can do with and without dumbbells to achieve the muscle tone you desire. (I wish I could say the book was ready to order today, but it will be in a few more weeks or so.)

3. Work Your Muscles to Fatigue:

You don't have to spend a lot of time strength training if you work out smart. Some people spend a lot of time completing multiple sets of the same exercise, but you can actually cut that time in half by working to fatigue. This simply means that you should complete each strength training move to exhaustion. Your last rep should be very difficult to finish. This should be accomplished after about 15 reps or so. If you can complete 15-20 reps with ease, it's time to increase the weight. The goal is to have the last few reps VERY difficult to complete. That will allow you to complete just one set of each exercise, shortening the amount of time you have to workout, while still getting great results!

If you incorporate these three concepts, you'll lose weight faster and look better in almost HALF the time! Who couldn't benefit from that?