Snow Day: At Home Workouts

Living in the Northeast is rough during the winter. Freezing temperatures, black ice, and mounds of snow – it isn’t a fairytale “winter wonderland”, and makes it tougher to trek it to the gym. Yesterday, we were clobbered with 12 inches of snow and I knew a snow day meant a day away from the office and gym.

But that didn’t stop me from getting my workout in.

I headed to my basement and popped in a workout DVD. The one I had on hand – Jillian Michaels’ Ripped in 30. Yes, you are supposed to follow the workout for four weeks straight in order to see results, but I figured it was a great way to get in a quick workout that incorporates cardio, arms and abs.

And after 30 minutes, I was sweaty and tired – the same feeling after an hour-long gym session. Although I enjoy venturing to the gym more than working out in my house, it’s still great to know that fitness can be found in the comfort of your own home.

According to my trusty Polar FT60 watch, I burned a total of 267 calories, 22 percent of which was fat burn. Not bad for a quick workout in my basement!

Don’t have a workout DVD? (PS – you can get them super cheap. Mine was $5 at Target). Don’t fret – YouTube has some great workout videos and Pinterest also has a list of quick, yet effective, home workout circuits.

What are some of your favorite at home workouts? Do you enjoy going to the gym or getting your fitness on at home?

Just One Hour

Since it’s mid-week and a snow storm is headed our way (for those in the Northeast), I will make today’s post short and sweet.

A good workout is typically one hour long. You have 24 hours in just one day, so try your best to squeeze it in and, as a result, better your life.

Motivational Monday: Happy Martin Luther King Day

I was lucky enough to have Martin Luther King Day off – meaning I had the whole day to organize the home, meal prep, and most importantly, take my time at the gym. Normally, during my weekday morning circuits, I try not to let the workout go over an hour, since I have to make it on time for work. But today felt liberating – not looking at the clock, only the calories burned!

For starters, I completed 45 minutes of cardio on the treadmill. I ran a total of 3.5 miles at 5.5 mph, and walked .5 miles at 3.8 mph, for a grand total of 4 miles. Boy, was I sweating – and so glad I reached a new personal best distance-wise.

Then, I dedicated the rest of my gym session to my triceps. And yet another personal best was broken – I completed my usual tricep circuit (remember to switch up your usual routine every 6 weeks though!) with dumbbells varying in weight from 10 to 17.5 pounds. I’ve never lifted more than 12, so this was a huge accomplishment for me, and yet another sign of progress.

After coming home to a nice, hot shower, I also had a chocolate peanut butter protein shake. It was delicious, and filling enough to hold me until dinner later that night. Here’s a quick and easy recipe if you want to taste the same yummy-ness of the aforementioned chocolate peanut butter shake:

– 2 scoops chocolate protein powder (I use GNC Lean Shake)

– 1 tablespoon of peanut butter

– 1/3 of a frozen banana

– ½ cup skim milk

– 1 to 1 ½ cups of water

Blend until creamy. You can also add in some cold brewed coffee for a caffeine kick, or substitute milk for almond milk. I’ve also heard many of my Fitfluential friends using PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter in their shakes, which is more nutritious than standard peanut butter, but I just used what I had on hand.

It’s going to be a great week, thanks to the great start I got at the gym today. Happy Martin Luther King Day to you all, and I’ll check in again later this week!

My workout today: 4.0 miles on the treadmill, weight lifting using 10 – 17.5 lb dumbbells, and top it all of with a protein shake.

Weight Lifting: Food for Thought

A lot of women are afraid to lift weights, for several reasons. I, too, was one of those women. For one, I was intimidated by the “bodybuilders” who regularly occupied the weight station at my local gym. I also thought weight lifting would make me get manly-looking arms, and I just wanted to look good in a tank top. But perhaps one of my main reasons was I just didn’t know where to start!

So, when I first started my weight loss journey, I stuck to strictly cardio. Yes, this will help lose the pounds, but at one point you begin to plateau and need to give your body something new to work with. So, I hit the weight station, and began slowly lifting – started with 5 pounds, then 8, and today I vary between 10 and 12.5 pound dumbbells.

If you are super scared to try this out in the gym, then buy some dumbbells (they are not expensive) and test some moves at home. No dumbbells? No problem. Grab large cans of tomato sauce or a large bottle of water and get flexing!

There are awesome biceps, triceps and shoulder workouts on Pinterest, if you need some inspiration. For some added motivation, check out this image (courtesy of FromFlabbyToFit.Tumblr.com):

Sunday Fun Day: Cardio and a Trip to GNC

Happy Monday morning! This weekend, I managed to squeeze in a workout while visiting my mother – I am lucky that she has a treadmill in her basement! I walked/ran a total of three miles, at various incline levels ranging from 1 to 5.

It was a great way to get some quick cardio in, without having to hit the gym or run outside in the cold. I burnt 435 calories according to the treadmill, and 445 calories (with a 15 percent fat burn) according to my Polar watch, so the two weren’t off by much (as opposed to my last blog post).

Then, the fun really kicked off. After freshening up, I headed to GNC with my mother, as she was interested in getting some multivitamins.

After some tremendous customer service (from Charles in the Dartmouth, MA location), I brought home GNC’s “Women’s Ultra Mega Energy & Metabolism Vitapak Program” – a box of 30 supplement packs that help with energy, mental sharpness, fat burn and much more.

According to GNC’s site, each pack contains vitamin D for breast and bone health; B-vitamins for cardiovascular health and energy production; Burn 60, helping enhance metabolism and the amount of calories burned during each workout; Green Tree Complex, which supple green tea extract for metabolism and antioxidants; Carnitine 500 (again, helping with metabolism and fatty acids); and fish oil, for heart, joint, brain and eye health.

Photo courtesy of GNC

I am so excited to begin adding these supplements to my routine. Check in on my blog next month for an update of how I felt while taking it and any noticeable results! I also got a ton of free samples and CLA, which I will blog about later in the week.

Enjoy your workout and start to the week!

The Calorie Counting Exercise Machine Myth

I woke up this morning only to find the ground coated with a dusting of snow. It was unexpected, since I haven’t been monitoring any weather reports, but hey – that’s New England weather!

Needless to say, my 10 minute drive to the gym took double the time, cutting down on my scheduled workout (I have to finish by 7:00 a.m. in order to leave enough time to commute to work). So, I focused on just doing some light cardio today – and was astonished at what I found.

For starters, I did my usual stretching routine. This is important, to avoid cramping and injuries. Then, I climbed on the Cybex arc trainer for a total of 45 minutes. I used a resistance level of 17, and increased my incline up to 9, and at times, 10. It’s important to tinker with resistance and incline since, although you’re not lifting weights, this still helps with strength training and heart rate zones.

When I was done with the short workout today, the exercise machine predicted a total of 550 calories burned. Then, when I looked down at my Polar FT60 heart rate monitoring watch – which calculates using my weight, height and heart rate – it estimated 421 calories burned (with a fat burn percentage of 20, which is awesome).

The result of 45 minutes on an arc trainer. Resistance level set at 17, and incline varied from 9 to 10.

This is more than a 100 calorie difference, which should serve as a helpful reminder to all – don’t assume the exercise machine is always accurate. No, I’m not encouraging everyone out there to buy a heart rate monitor, fuel band, or any fancy gadget that works similarly to a Polar watch. But, you should be cognizant of this factor, as it can lead to altered calorie counts (if your training or diet program consists of calorie tracking).

Happy Friday to all! Enjoy the weekend, and remember to squeeze at least one workout in. 🙂

Today’s Workout: Cardio and Triceps

Thursdays are always tough – it’s midweek, you’re tired, and in the middle of winter, no one wants to go to the gym first thing in the morning. However, like anything worth fighting for, it’s all about motivation and willpower.

Let me walk you through today’s workout, which lasted about 55 minutes:

–   Stretching

–  30 minutes of cardio: I hopped on the treadmill and completed two miles of distance. Speeds varied, but I spent most of my time running 5.8 miles per hour, and some time speed walking 4.0 miles per hour with an incline of 4.0.

–  Strength training – triceps:

• 25 chair dips
• Triceps pushdown, 3 reps of 10
• Overhead triceps extension, 3 reps of 10
• Dumbbell triceps extension, 2 reps of 10
• Dumbbell kickback, 1 rep of 25 for each arm

–  Stretching

I ended my workout with a nice, hot shower and a refreshing protein shake, to help build muscle and keep me energized. According to my Polar FT60 watch, I burned nearly 475 calories, with a 17 percent fat burn – which is great for a workout lasting less than an hour.

For a guide to the workouts listed above, feel free to refer to this chart below. I always love scouring Pinterest for new arm workouts – be sure to change it up regularly. For inspiration, check out my Fitness and Running board on Pinterest.

Enjoy your Thursday! It is almost the weekend. 🙂

New Year, Same Goals

The holidays are behind us – that means no more pigging out at family parties, goodbye to having dessert after nearly every meal, and farewell to being too busy to hit the gym. And while the holidays were lovely, I am super excited to get back into my usual routine. Missing the gym for one week felt like an eternity, and I was eager to get back to keep building on my progress thus far.

With the start of the New Year also comes the dreaded New Year’s resolutions phase. Of course, the most popular resolution is always to lose weight and/or eat healthy – but how long does that really last? Yes, the gyms may be packed now, but give it a few weeks and you’ll see it start to clear.

Which is why I want to tell you, my readers, to create a goal that is easy for you to stick to! If you want to eat healthy all year round, why not try a program where each month you give up something that’s not exactly the most nutritious. For example, in January, try ridding yourself of sweets. February, omit fried foods from your diet. Here’s a good guide I pinned from Pinterest – feel free to tweak it as you wish, but it’s certainly a great start:

For me, my resolution is to continue with the hard work and dedication I’ve put in last year. This means hitting the gym 4-6 times per week, waking up early to get my regular workouts in, and continuing drinking the protein shake that worked best for me – GNC Lean Shake.

If I stick to this like I did last year, I know I will see progress and results. Here’s to you all sticking to the resolutions you’ve set for yourselves in 2014. Don’t be a statistic. Make your resolution last all year round.

Good luck, and as always, shoot me a message for anything you’d like to see on my blog.