Health Challenge Tips Part II - Exercise

Ok, so I promised I'd share with you what I'm learning from my Health Challenge classes. By the way, I'm not doing too well after last week. I spent the entire week on a camp with my teens with nothing but tempting junk food and fatty camp food. I think I gained back a couple of pounds. I'm starting to wonder if even doing this challenge fits with my everyday lifestyle... especially in the teen world of pizza and sour patch kids. Yes, this is totally me trying to wiggle my way out of this commitment. Ugh, did you miss from the genesis of this blog that I am just not a disciplined person (marathon memories)?

Hope you have fun with these...

• Alcohol slows the metabolism and takes almost 3 days for it to return to normal. I guess I've gotta kiss those martinis goodbye - sad day.
• 1 glass of wine a night actually increases your risk for breast cancer (if you're a woman) :)
• If you're going to snack, never snack less than 2 hours before bedtime.
• Always opt for sucralose, not aspertame if you need some sweet. Try and ween yourself off of sweet. (Yeah right). I actually have loved using Propel packets for my water.
• The best way to tone muscles is to tighten them... so squeeze whenever, wherever.
• Follow the example of our ancestors. It's not necessary to run fast the entire time. The ancients walked everywhere, sped up to catch someone, and carried heavy loads. Interval train by walking and then taking off for 30 seconds, then back to walking.
• Always do weight training before cardio - you'll have longer afterburn. If you need to warm up, do about 2 min on the treadmill then head to the weights. Then finish up with cardio.
• Do more weight training than cardio. When your muscles are healthy and strong, you burn more fat.
• For the first 25 min you are working out, you hit a peak where your body no longer burns your carbs but goes straight into fat burning. The longer you work after the first 25 min, the more fat you burn. He suggests a 45 min minimum workout.
• Eating right alone will help your muscles be healthier, which equals more calories burned. So yeah, give up all of that delicious, sinful food. lol
• The healthier your muscles are, the less your joints will take a beating. Joints take all of your impact when your muscles aren't strong.
• Always work your largest muscles first, like legs. You'll burn more calories.
• There is a growth hormone your body produces in your sleep that helps repair your muscles from the day before. You can do 20 min of cardio in the morning on an empty stomach and burn pure fat without needing to eat breakfast because of this growth hormone. He does not recommend doing more than 20 min. Be careful not to get light headed trying this out. And... you need to replenish with protein or a banana right when you get back so your body doesn't go into store mode.
• Always think about squeezing your muscles as you are working. Squeeze and tighten muscles as much as possible during your workout.
• Eat right after you workout and get hydrated.
• Incorporate a core muscle everyday. This is for injury prevention and proprioception.
• There is no need to stretch before working out. There is no clinical evidence that this will help lessen the risk of injury. The best way to warm up your muscles is to do a light warm up of the same motion (a few reps with little to no weight) to get keep from injury.
• Stretch after you are done working out.
• The best time to exercise is the morning. Your afterburn goes all day long. At night you're robbing yourself of more time for afterburn. (I hate mornings... especially when it's dark.)
• There are micro-tears in your muscles after working out. You need to eat to start repairing that protein. Again, healthy muscles = burning fat. Do not go over a 1/2 hour after working out without eating. He recommends a protein shake because it is already broken down protein that will go straight to repair. You'll also want to get a little sugar - add a banana or honey for natural sugar.
• The key to workout success is... consistency!
• He recommends doing a full body workout 3 times a week with a rest/cardio day inbetween. A full body workout is... 3 legs, 2 chest (pushing, triceps, shoulders, chest), 2 back (pulling), 1 shoulders, 1 biceps (curls), 1 triceps (pushdowns). For beginners, just start with the first week of 2 full body workouts (1 monday, 1 thursday). For the second week, Monday work on all lower body, Wednesday work on all upper body, Friday work on a full body workout (stated above). On Tuesday and Thursday run for 20 min. For the following weeks do 3 full bodies (MWF) and cardio the rest of the days.
• Upper body workout = 2 chest, 2 back, 2 shoulders, 1 bicep, 1 tricep.
• Lower body workout = Do as many exercises as you can standing up. Squats, step ups (up and down on a bench), lunges, leg extensions, leg curls, calf raises.
• Try and make your full body workout at least 45 minutes of movement - 1 hour is best. Always skip a day of weight training so your body can repair.
• He does not believe there needs to be a specific set of reps... it doesn't have to be 15 times. Focus on feeling a burn and working until your muscles get exhausted. FUN!
• Do different ab workouts each day so you don't affect your lower back. Do an exercise at least once a week on a balance ball. It tightens your transverse abdominals (1st layer of abs).
• Body Fat Target Areas - 1. Bra Fat (chest), 2. Under Arm, 3. Tricep, 4. Back Fat (make sure to push your shoulder blades back on these exercises, 5. Belly, 6. Obliques, 7. Thighs.
• Drink lots and lots of water! Especially in AZ. :) If you drink with a straw you'll drink more. The more hydrated you are, the less you'll retain water because your body won't store it, which means a lighter read on the scale.
• The BEST way to get rid of love handles --- Get a broomstick. Have your feet even length as your shoulders. Hold broom parallel to the ground with both hands. Raise above head and push as far as you can bend to the side (stretch as far as you can/lengthen your body). Don't bend your arms. Do 10x on each side for 3 weeks everyday and you'll lose those love handles. He promised!
• Losing weight is 75% nutrition (what you put in your body).

Ok friends, well, that's it! Fun times, right? :) Hope you feel informed. Remember, knowing is half the battle. JK