Burn Off Holiday Indulgence

Advanced Fitness Newsletter
Information for a Healthy Life
http://www.advancedfitness.com

January 6, 2000 1999 Issue 6

IN THIS ISSUE:

- Burn Off Holiday Indulgence
- The Walking Workout

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BURN OFF HOLIDAY INDULGENCE WITH AEROBIC VARIETY
By Garrett J. Braunreiter, CSCS, The Energy Coach

No doubt many of us did our share of holiday eating this last weekend. That is why this article is devoted to getting you back on track toward your fitness goals IMMEDIATELY.

But first, let's get back to the basics of effective aerobic conditioning.

* Move continuously
* Use large muscle groups
* Get your heart rate up
* Strengthen your heart and lungs
* Burn more calories in conjunction with your strength-training program
* Speed the weight loss/fat loss process

However, not all aerobic activities are the same. Some programs are better than others, especially for weight control. The general recommendation for aerobic fitness (NOT weight loss) is 20-40 minutes of moderate activity 3-5 times a week.

If you're talking weight loss, you're looking at a different picture. People who have lost weight - and kept it off - exercise more than that. To burn off one pound of fat, you need to have a 3500 calorie deficit between exercise and diet (MOST of the calories are to come from exercise) during the course of a week. So you're looking at reducing your calories by a little over a hundred calories a day, and the rest from exercise.

Whoa!!!

"That's a lot of calories burned from exercise, Gar. That means I'm going to have to practically LIVE in the gym! Who has time for that?"

Effective, calorie-burning aerobic programs blend a variety of intensity levels with a variety of activities. Not only do they burn extra calories, but the variety helps you to stick with it.

So you're going to divide your aerobic workout into 15 minutes spent on 3-4 different exercises for a great alternative to doing the same darn thing on ONE machine every time you work out.

I've taken the four most popular machines and mixed and matched them and created 45-60 minute, no-boredom-allowed, serious-calorie-burning workouts. BUT, you'll be the creative person you are and mix and match to come up with YOUR favorite combinations.

* How To Mix And Match *

Each time your work out you should change the kind of workout you do with each exercise. In other words, if you are doing intervals one day, the next day see how much distance you can cover in the same 15 minutes. Also, start each workout with a different activity, like treadmill one day, stair stepper the next.

Choose 3 activities and intensities for a great 45-minute workout, or do all four for a real calorie-busting aerobic session.

* Activities *

1. Stair stepper (or climbing your own stairs)
2. Treadmill
3. Recumbent/Upright Stationary Bike
4. Elliptical Trainer (or X-Country Skier)

* Intensity Types *

1. Up and Down the Ladder
Do a moderate pace for 1 minute, then 15 seconds hard/15 seconds moderate. Increase each hard segment by 15 seconds with 15 seconds of moderate in between until you are working hard for 60 seconds. Then start working your way back down until you're back at 15 seconds of hard work. Go up-and-down 3 times total.

2. Intervals
You can either walk at different speeds or combine walking with running. Enter a 15 minute manual program on your treadmill's display panel. You're going to walk easy for 1 minute, then fast walk/run for 1 minute, and alternate for the whole 15 minutes.

3. Same Pace
This intensity emphasizes endurance. Warm up first, then during the workout, keep your pace CONSTANT, even when you're climbing hills, elevating inclines, or increasing resistance levels. If you have the capability on your machine, program a 15-minute "Hill" workout. The point here is to never break your pace.

4. More Distance, Same Time
If you can, program a 15-minute manual workout on the machine set at a moderate to low-intensity level - one that you can stay at for the majority of the 15 minutes. How much distance did you walk/run, bike, or climb? Record the miles you ran/walked/biked and the stairs you climbed for each workout. Check back on your notes to see how much you're improving for each activity.

* Sample Combos *

*Day One

1. Treadmill - Up And Down The Ladder
2. Bike - Interval
3. Elliptical Trainer - Same Pace
4. Stair Stepper - More Distance, Same Time

*Day Two

1. Stair Stepper - Interval
2. Treadmill - More Distance, Same Time
3. Bike - Same Pace
4. Elliptical - Up And Down The Ladder

Again, use your creativity to come up with your own combinations to design your calorie-blasting workout.

Intense workouts like these should be limited to 3 times a week, supplemented with your normal aerobic activity on the other days. DON'T FORGET ABOUT METABOLISM-BOOSTING STRENGTH TRAINING!

Just to give you some numbers, you could burn over 2500 calories a week just from exercise alone, and, when combined with reducing your calorie intake by about 800 calories a week, that's a PERMANENT weight loss of 1 lb. a week.

(This workout not only will get you back on track this week, but it will also SAVE you from this New Year's week.)

Build a leaner, energized, fit body and get what you want out of life with valuable, use-it-now health, fitness, and self-improvement tips delivered to you every day! Get your FREE subscription to The Peak Performance Life newsletter by going to http://www.worldpeakperformance.com now!

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The Walking Workout

Recent research results could hardly be clearer: Taking a walk is one of the best ways to take charge of your health. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (February 11, 1998) showed that walking briskly for half an hour just six times a month cut the risk of premature death in men and women by 44 percent. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine (January 8, 1997) reported that men 61 to 81 years old sharply reduced their risk of death from all causes, including cancer and heart disease, by walking two miles a day. Other research has shown similar results for women.

Besides the well-documented health benefits, the beauty of walking is you can go at your own pace. If you are new to exercise or recovering from injury or childbirth, you can aim to walk for 20 to 45 minutes four or five days a week at the good fitness walking speed of three miles an hour. When (and if) you want to power up, you can take longer walks and work up to walking each mile in 15 minutes or less.

Once you're ready to hit the road (or the trail, track, treadmill or mall), how do you make the most of your walking workout? Minneapolis, Minnesota, walking instructor Kate Larsen, who has developed the LifeWalkTM Easy Audio Coach tape (888-LIF-WALK), offers these 10 practical tips for getting maximum aerobic, strength, postural and conditioning benefits from your walking program:

1. Warm Up First, Then Stretch. Start by walking for just seven to 10 minutes (wear a watch) and then do a few gentle stretches. Your muscles will stretch better if you've warmed them up first. Ask a fitness professional which stretches are best for you.

2. Take Short, Quick Steps. By taking short, quick steps, rather than long strides, you will work your glute muscles (in your buttocks) as you log miles.

3. Practice the Heel-Toe Roll. Push off from your heel, roll through the outside of the foot, then push through the big toe. Think of the big toe as the Ago button and push off with propulsion. Keep the other toes relaxed. (This takes practice.)

4. Squeeze Your Glutes. Imagine squeezing and lifting your glutes up and back, as if you were holding a $50 bill between them! This will strengthen your low-back muscles. Developing the ability to maintain this deep contraction throughout your walk will take a while.

5. Zip Up Your Abs. During your walk, imagine you're zipping up a tight pair of jeans. Stand tall and pull your abdominal muscles up and in. You can practice this even when you're not walking.

6. Pump Your Arms. Imagine you are holding the rubber grips of ski poles in your hands. Stand straight, drop your shoulders, squeeze your shoulder blades behind you and push back your elbows with each step. Keep your arm movements smooth and strong.

7. Keep Your Chest Up, Shoulders Back. Use your walk as an opportunity to practice perfect posture. Imagine someone dumped ice down your back. That's the feeling you want to have as you hold your chest up and shoulders back.

8. Keep Your Head Up. Look about 10 feet ahead of you. Imagine you're wearing a baseball cap and have to look up just enough to see the road. This keeps your neck aligned properly.

9. Smile and Have Fun. Learning these techniques takes time and concentration. Be patient and enjoy your workout. Dress comfortably, find a partner or wear a headset and listen to music you love and, if you're walking outdoors, vary your route.

10. Practice Mental Fitness. Don't replay the problems of the day while you walk. Try to maintain a state of relaxed awareness by paying attention to your breathing and noticing how your body feels. Visualize yourself getting healthier, stronger and leaner.

A Habit You Can Live With

Consistency is probably the most important part of your walking workout. The more committed you are to walking all or most days of the week, the healthier you'll be. Remember that short walks are better then none at all. As Larsen says, Health, like life, is a journey. All you have to do is take the first step.

Reproduced with permission of IDEA, The Health and Fitness Source, (800) 999-IDEA or (619) 535-8979. Thank you for your interest in IDEA and please do not hesitate to call if you have any questions.

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