Category: Fit

Runtastic Orbit Review - the activity tracker that will get you moving!

8/26/2014

This Runtastic Orbit review is sponsored by Runtastic and Sweat Pink; I received an Orbit in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

I often get asked from my Challenge Group members, class participants or readers - which fitness tracker is the best? Unfortunately, up until a few weeks ago, I never owned/used a fitness tracker, so I wasn't even sure what they did, let alone which was best. I know that when I set myself a big health and fitness goal, I have to start tracking my workouts and nutrition, but as far as my movement - I never took the plunge. I was always a little curious, especially when it came to tracking my sleep, which was why I was so excited to receive he BRAND NEW Runtastic Orbit to try out!

Runtastic Orbit Review - the activity tracker that will get you moving!

The Runtastic Orbit is a wearable activity, fitness and sleep tracker that can be worn on your wrist like a watch, or as a clip. It tracks movement, sleep and mood (double tap the button when you're happy). It also has a screen where you can view your daily progress and is waterproof up to 100 meters! It displays the time and also will tell you when you're 50% towards your goal, when you haven't been active in 60 minutes and when you've reached your goal. The first time I wore the Orbit, I wore it in the shower because - why not? - it's waterproof! I also hit 50% of my step goal, which causes the device to vibrate, right as the water turned on. For a split second I thought I was getting electrocuted, but rest assured, the Orbit is indeed waterproof! The information collected on the Orbit will sync with the new Runtastic Me app, which you can download to your smartphone.

BUT, perhaps one of the coolest features is that the activity tracker also syncs with all of the other runtastic apps (run, bike, swim, etc.), so it will combine your data into one place. Unfortunately, I am not running or biking right now and never was a swimmer, so I didn't get to use this feature, but how awesome is that?

I decided to wear the Orbit for a week on the wristband and a week on the clip. My weeks are pretty routine, so I thought it would be a good way to compare the two options. On my first day I wore the Orbit, I was happy to see that I was taking well over 10,000 steps without even trying. Just my normal Tuesday routine (walking to and from the train station, to and from the gym and teaching my Bodypump class) clocked in at just over 15,000 steps! On Thursday, when I teach step aerobics, I almost reached 20,000 steps! I think there may have been some over-counting, but it was really exciting to be able to see my daily movement over the week.

Tuesday

Thursday

When it came to looking at my sleep, there were some good days and some bad days. The green represents "deep sleep", the yellow is "light sleep" and the red is "awake". At some point while testing out the Orbit, I started sleeping with a body pillow (hello 30-week baby bump), which restricted my movement while sleeping more, but didn't really facilitate more sleeping, so I think that affected the tracking. I'm not sure exactly how it judges the "efficiency" of your sleep, but I typically fell between 95% and 98%.

When I switched over to the clip, I did notice that it seemed to be more accurately counting steps, but the problem with the clip is I would constantly forget it. I would leave it on the t-shirt I slept in or the pants I wore to work and would miss entire days of tracking. It also once fell off my clothing, hit the floor and reset the device, so I lost all of the data since the last sync. So while wearing the clip might be more accurate for measuring, it wasn't the best wear-method for me.

It was fun for me to track my movement and sleep, and while I don't have any other wearable fitness tracker to compare it to, I was satisfied with the Runtastic Orbit. I can't wait to use it once I start running again! The Runtastic Orbit is available for $120, which is comparable to most wearables on the market and includes 2 color band options (black and blue) along with an easy-to-use USB connection to charge it. Additional color options for the wristband are sold separately: orange/yellow/red and green/white/steel.

Do you currently use a wearable or track your daily fitness?

2 Comments

Why Do You Gain Weight When You Start a New Fitness Program?

7/24/2014

0 Comments

Why Do You Gain Weight When You Start a New Fitness Program?

The Short Answer

Not everyone will gain weight as a result of starting a new fitness program, but it does happen and it can be discouraging. If you do happen to gain a few pounds when starting a new program, the chances are really good that it’s not fat, but rather temporary water weight due to inflammation. Give your new program at least three weeks to really get a feel for how it's working for you.

The Long Answer

The most likely reason your scale crept up is inflammation and water retention. When you work out (especially when you're starting a new program and working muscles that you haven't worked in a while or at all), it causes little tears in your muscle fibers. This microtrauma is why you feel sore after a workout. Your body naturally heals these little tears, making the fibers tougher than they originally were - and that's how you get stronger and fitter!

To make these repairs, your body initiates its standard healing process, including the inflammation phase. This is why I usually discourage anti-inflammatory medication like Advil to help sore muscle from exercise, because you WANT your body to go through this process. This involves recruitment of white blood cells and opening up blood vessels to flush out debris and toxins. There’s so much going on that the area swells up and retains water. The fluid required for inflammatory response obviously weighs something—and that might be reflected in the number on the scale. But don't worry - this type of inflammation is healthy and temporary!

A less-likely reason you’re gaining weight is that you’re building muscle faster than you're losing fat, and muscle is denser than fat. If this happens, you'll likely notice it over a few weeks and you can tell by tracking your measurements and how your clothes fit. The trick is patience. Once you lose the fat, which you will if you keep at it, you'll love your new body!

But what if something actually is going wrong?

There are a couple situations in which you might actually be gaining weight that isn't muscle. The first one would be that you’re not following a proper diet. I'm sure this isn't the first time you've heard this, but you can't out-exercise a bad diet! Yes, exercise burns calories, but it also increases release of ghrelin, a hormone that promotes hunger, so you have to make sure you're balancing your calories burned with calories consumed properly. The best way to do this is to keep a food diary.

Furthermore, even if you are eating the right amount of calories, poor food choices can cause all kinds of issues, causing your body to hold onto fat. Check out these tips for making the most of your calories in FitYaf's "healthy eating" commandments.

Remember, it took time for you to put on the weight, so it's going to take time to lose it too. Making sure you're getting enough sleep too! Don’t give up! Give your unexpected added pounds a couple of weeks to work themselves out. If they don’t, step back and see if there’s any other aspect of your life that needs fine-tuning.

0 Comments

FitYaf's 1 Year Blogiversary

6/20/2014

2 Comments

Tomorrow marks the first day of summer, which is also my 1-year Blogiversary (check out my first blog post ever)! Although my blogging has been a little sporadic lately, I thought I'd update you all on how things are going over here at FitYaf! I first started this blog after running a "100 days till summer" Challenge Group. There were so many great things that came out of the challenge - I wanted a place to share it beyond my group.

What has my fitness been like lately?

When 2014 rolled around, I set myself some fitness goals for the year. I was very happy with everything I achieved in 2013, and was looking forward to what 2014 had in store. I also had some personal (non fitness related goals), and if you follow be on Instagram or Twitter, you might already know that my husband and I are expecting our first child in October of this year! While I planned to be (and to this day still am) very active throughout my whole pregnancy, I quickly decided that maybe this year was not the year for these goals. After talking to my doctor, I got the go ahead to continue exercising (and teaching fitness classes), but as far as pushing myself beyond my current fitness level - I just didn't feel comfortable doing that. I did manage to hit one of those goals about a week before I got pregnant, so I can check off "run a 5k in under 25 minutes".

Once I found out I was pregnant, I was a little scared to keep up with my workouts, specifically running. My running workouts were typically completed in the early hours of the morning, and while I was very lucky in the "morning sickness" department, I still didn't feel great in the mornings. At first I did try to keep up with my "1000 miles in 2014" goal, running 91 miles in January, 84 miles in February and 74 miles in March, but tracking the miles was putting a lot of pressure on me, so I decided to save this goal for 2015. As it turns out, at around 14 weeks, I developed some pelvic pain that has pretty much stopped all running for the time being. I was able to run the Philly Love Run in March, and although I didn't train to hit my "under 1 hour and 50 minutes" goal, I finished the race (came in at about 2 hours and 10 minutes) and felt AMAZING!

Not running has given me more time to try out other workouts, or spend more time doing the workouts I was already doing. I'm spending more time with Insanity (about 2 times/week) and Melissa Bender workouts (about once/week). I've also been able to continue teaching 3 classes/week (boot camp, Bodypump and step aerobics). Sometimes it takes a little extra creativity to motivate the class when my own energy is dragging, but I'm up for the challenge. I'm also BEYOND excited to start Chalene Johnson's BRAND NEW AT HOME PiYo workout program. I just ordered mine yesterday, and I think it's going to be a great way to add some variety to my fitness. PiYo is an amazing workout that previously was only available in select gyms, but now you can order your own at a HUGE discount (while supplies last). This program is a mix between Pilates and Yoga and helps build lean muscle! Think - fast hot yoga but with the air conditioning on and awesome music playing!

So for now, I'm still working out about 6 times/week and loving this whole pregnancy journey. I'm taking it day by day without any expectations. I'm trying my best not to worry about every workout or every pound gained, and I look forward to revisiting my 2014 goals next year!

What have I been blogging about?

Over the past year, my blog posts have covered topics from recipes to healthy habits to workouts and more! Below are my top 5 blog posts:

My readers come from all over the world, but here are the top 5 cities where people love FitYaf:

Philadelphia
New York
Chicago
Minneapolis
Los Angeles

And finally, here are the top 5 blog posts that people find through searching on Google:

What is coming in the future?

In the immediate future, I have two Challenge Groups starting soon: a Shaun T boot camp and a PiYo boot camp. You can email me if you have any questions or if you're interested in joining on of these.

I do have some exciting product reviews, giveaways and recipes, coming your way this summer, and I'm going to be posting some more Fitness Friday Workouts. I'm not signed up for any races, and I don't plan to race again until next year. I look forward to the second half of my pregnancy and of course meeting my baby fitness guru in October!

What do you want to see more of on FitYaf.com? Have you had experience working out through a pregnancy?

2 Comments

FitYaf's Summer Fitness Challenge with Shaun T

6/5/2014

0 Comments

With summer coming up and some AMAZING deals on Beachbody workout programs, I'm so excited to announce my upcoming Fitness Challenge Group, starting JUNE 23! This Challenge Group is specifically for anyone who wants to start a Shaun T fitness program or add Shaun T workouts to their current routine. If you already own one of Shaun's programs, you can dust that one off and use it, or if you're looking for something new, you can get a brand new program from Beachbody's June promotions or SUMMER SALE (this includes discounts on Insanity, Asylum, Hip Hop Abs and Rockin' Body).

FitYaf's Summer Fitness Challenge with Shaun T

How long is the fitness challenge?

The fitness challenge will last for 21 days, as it takes about this amount of time to form a new habit.

What will participating mean for me?

The challenge will take place in a private Facebook group, where you'll check in daily and post updates about your goals. You can participate by following one of Shaun T's exercise programs or incorporating some of his workouts into your own workout routine.

What will the workouts be like?

The workouts will be at your own pace - even if you're a beginner doing Insanity, you will approach each workout from you own fitness level. I will help anyone come up with modifications, such as low-impact options if necessary.

What sort of nutrition program will I be following?

This group will focus on cleaner eating - we will share recipes and tips for helping you meat your health and fitness goals. You will also have the chance to buy discounted Shakeology for the 21 days (purchase of Shakeology NOT necessary to participate).

How do I sign up?

You can email me with any questions or if you're interested in signing up, OR you can head on over to my Facebook page and send me a message there!

0 Comments

BondiBand Review and Giveaway

6/2/2014

12 Comments

If you've got long hair and/or you sweat a lot when you workout, you probably are constantly searching for the perfect headband to keep your face dry and hair-free during your workouts. If you're anything like me - you're convinced your going blind the moment your sweat drips into your eye.

I do have a couple brands of go-to headbands, but I'm always looking for something new. That's why I was so excited when BondiBands sent me some to try out. Not only are these headbands fun and functional with great wicking capabilities, the company also donates 10% of all profits to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts.

There are headbands of all colors and sizes, and even ones with fun sayings on them. These are the ones I was sent to try out:

I tried these bands out for both a high intensity cardio workout and a weightlifting session. The bands staying in place and were able to wick-away all of the sweat from my forehead (which can be A LOT during those high intensity cardio sessions).

Here are a few facts about BondiBand:

Their products are unisex.
They are 100% American made.
They can be worn on their own or under other hats, helmets, and visors.
They are made of stretchy, breathable material which allows them to fit virtually every head size and shape.
Their fashion lycra fabric is fun and perfect for every day.
In warm weather the "No Slip, No Drip" moisture wicking headbands are great to wick away sweat, keep hair back, and keep ear buds in ears.
In colder weather, they are great to keep your ears warm.
Bondi Band donates 10% of pretax profits to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
In addition to the headbands they offer armbands, wristbands, wicking hats, wicking ponytail hats, wicking pigtail hats, wicking neck gators, wicking sweat towels, and even items for your children and dogs!!!
They offer customized products.

But don't take my word for it - try it out on your own. Enter below to win your own FREE BondiBand!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

12 Comments

Introducing PiYo: The Workout Your Body Needs

4/1/2014

0 Comments

Q & A with Celebrity Trainer and Creator, Chalene Johnson

PiYo is NOW AVAILABLE! Follow THIS LINK for the base kit ($59.85) and THIS LINK for the Challenge Pack ($160)!

What makes celebrity trainer Chalene Johnson’s programs so effective? She answers common fitness needs by creating targeted, killer workouts.

That’s where PiYo® comes in. A few years ago, Chalene noticed people wanted a program that combined strength, flexibility and cardio. She developed and introduced PiYo to gyms around the world and now, for the first time on DVD, Beachbody is releasing this low impact workout with high intensity results to YOU.

Chalene shared with us why PiYo is the workout your body wants, what you should stop skipping during a sweat sesh and the music that powers her through a typical PiYo workout.

Why are you so excited to introduce PiYo?
PiYo is a proven program that has been so effective in gyms around the world. I’m super excited to bring it to DVD because it’s the program that will shape, strengthen and heal people’s bodies.

Sounds incredible. Who is the ideal PiYo customer, then?
PiYo is for anyone who wants a workout that will help them work on flexibility, cardio and strength—at the same time.

What are the main things you need to know about PiYo?
Studies show that a more flexible muscle has greater strength potential which leads to better results. The training you get during PiYo allows you to burn incredible amounts of calories that you wouldn’t in a static type workout.

What inspired you to create PiYo?
Whenever I create a fitness program I start with a need. I was doing yoga, but I still felt like I needed to stretch certain areas, do more cardio, and lift more weights. So, I started to think, “How can I get more flexible and develop strength and cardio?”

Did you develop PiYo in response to anything you struggled with personally in your own training?
Totally! I always found I would finish and feel like I didn’t really stretch certain areas. I felt so tight and I’m a fitness professional, it was embarrassing. So when I was developing PiYo I asked my students to show me the one muscle that was the tightest. When people did that I saw five different stretches. It made me realize the important of focusing on flexibility needs so my students could be better at running, etc. I wanted to make PiYo really functional and forget the traditional rules of stretching.

What types of results can people expect to see from PiYo?
My goal is to make everything easier for you. I want you to trust that you can use your own body weight to make yourself stronger. The transformation people will see is amazing.

For example, I have a letter from a lady who said, “Since I started PiYo six months ago, I have broken every single personal marathon pace and I’m astonishingly faster than I ever dreamed possible. I broke the four-hour mark for my marathon time and I know it’s because of Piyo. Plus, normally I’m spent for a week after a marathon, but the next day I felt great!

Would you say PiYo is accessible for all fitness levels?
Yes! PiYo is truly accessible for everyone from the brand spanking new, to the super tight, but super fit. We did some cool things with camera angles so it is very clear how to do each move.

You always have such good playlists. Do you have favorite songs for your PiYo workouts?
When I do PiYo I like moody, cool indie music. I love Marine and the Diamonds, Lady Gaga, even old school like Marvin Gaye – anything that gives me a sexy, cool, soulful mood. The music in PiYo is really important because if the right song is playing it tells you how to move and flow.

Do you have a favorite move or workout from PiYo?
It’s not a move or workout, but Beachbody granted me my wish. I had an idea to incorporate a piece of equipment that we don’t currently have in our catalog. I’m absolutely in love with it and all the workouts that feature this equipment are my favorite. It’s going to blow peoples’ minds and it’s killing me not to tell you what it is. But more details to come soon…

0 Comments

What I love about group fitness

2/27/2014

3 Comments

Recently, I was teaching a Bodypump class, and as I scan the room, checking people's form, I realized that a few people were flat out just not doing the workout the rest of the class was doing. Now sometimes in group fitness, a participant will come up to me in the beginning of class to let me know about an injury and ask for modifications, which I appreciate, but this wasn't the case in this particular class. At the end of the day, it's the participants' workout, but first and foremost is our participants' safety while engaging in group exercise, so I can't help but take it personally when participants come to my class, stand up front even, and then do their own thing. It makes me wonder why they are even coming to my class in the first place. There is so much I love about group fitness that I wouldn't get out of the experience if I was just chugging along doing my own thing. But everyone is different - and maybe you're taking a group fitness class for a completely different reason!

Which brings me to...

I feel like I'm a rockstar

Imagine you're running a race, and you all start and end at exactly the same time. Your feet hit the ground together with every foot strike. Pretty amazing, right? That's what every group fitness class is like for me. It's one thing to complete an awesome workout, but it's a completely different feeling when you're doing it with 30 other people.

It holds me accountable

Group fitness classes are at a specific time each day. Often times, you have your favorite classes and you create a schedule for yourself. The class isn't going to wait for you to finish watching that episode of House Hunters - it's going to happen whether you're there or not, which believe it or not makes it more likely you'll go. If you can do something at any hour of the day, you're more likely to procrastinate, but when you have one chance that day, you're going to be there!

It keeps variety in my workout routine

If left to do my own thing at the gym, I'm probably going to stick to the treadmill and some dumbbells - my comfort zone. Group fitness classes add so much more variety to my workout routine. I would never get on the stationary bike in the gym, but a spinning class? Absolutely!

The people I meet

I've said it before and I'll say it again - the people you meet in the group fitness setting are second to none. There is so much camaraderie and respect in one room, it's amazing the whole room doesn't explode.

What do you love (or not love) about group fitness?

3 Comments

FitYaf's Fitness Friday Workout - Winter Blues

2/21/2014

0 Comments

Depending on where you live, you might be experiencing the "winter blues" with me. I haven't had many outdoor runs this winter, but I have my group fitness classes to thank for keeping me out of a serious workout funk! On Monday nights at the Pottruck Health and Fitness Center, I teach a class called Body Blitz. It's a 1 hour class that alternates between cardio and resistance training. What types of exercises do we do in this class? It's more like what exercises aren't we doing? I love introducing new (and sometimes a bit awkward) exercises to keep things interesting and fresh, while continuing to work the same muscles in new ways.

Here are some other Body Blitz style workouts:

Notes about this workout:

Some of the moves in this workout are high-impact. Please feel free to modify the workout to make them low-impact if necessary.
If you're unsure about any of the movements, check out the videos linked to the name of the exercise or google them before you start the workout. You don't want to lose momentum, stopping after every exercise to look up how to do them.
The warmup and cardio sections of this workout are designed to do in a set amount of time. This means that you'll work at your maximum level (as hard and as fast as you can) during this part of the workout. Sometimes this might mean that you'll slow down, but as long as you're still feeling challenged, you'll benefit from the workout!
The resistance training sections of this workout are designed to complete a set amount of reps. Be sure not to rush these movements and perform them in a controlled manner. Choose your weights so that you can complete the workout, but it is still challenging for you!
Rest in between sets if needed, but no more than 1 minute!
Be sure to stretch at the end of the workout. Check out some post-workout stretches from Health.com.

Warmup

Do each for for one minute, as fast as you can:

Jumping jacks
Squat jumps (jump out into a squat, about halfway down, then jump back up to standing)
High knees
Jump rope side to side (use an imaginary rope, moving both feet together, jumping side to side about 1-2 feet)
Out & in (jump both feet out, then back in, knees slightly bent)

FitYaf's Fitness Friday Workout - Winter Blues

Resistance Training, SET 1

Sliding squats (20 each side) - use a paper plate on carpeted surfaces or a paper towel on tile/hardwood
Dumbbell around the world (20 each direction)
Lunge pulse (10 sets of 8 on each side) - step out into a lunge position and pulse up and down 8 times before switching to the other leg (challenge yourself by jumping to the opposite lunge position)
Alternating bicep curls/reverse curls (20 of each)

Cardio, SET 1

Do each for for one minute, as fast as you can:

Sprint in place
Side to side floor hops
Squat jacks
Plank half circles - from a plank position, walk your feet to one side, creating a half circle, then come back the other side (you'll have to adjust your hand placement, but keep them in the same general location)
Speed skaters

Resistance Training, SET 2

Narrow squats (40 total)
Tricep side push ups (20 on each side)
Moving lunges (4 sets of 8 alternating lunges) - with or without dumbbells
Alternating crab reach (20 on each side)

Cardio, SET 2

Do each for for one minute, as fast as you can:

Challenge

Burpee pushup challenge - 8 push-up burpees, increasing the number of push-ups with every rep

Core

Hip lifts (20) - try to lift your hips up vertically, and not back towards your head
Moving plank (8 sets of 4 'steps')
Snow angels (2 sets of 30 seconds)
Alternating leg drop (15 each side)

Stretch

0 Comments

Philadelphia Diva Dash - Team FitYaf

2/20/2014

2 Comments

Are you a runner who wants to take things to the next level? Or maybe you want to just have some fun with your girlfriends? Do you live in the Philadelphia area? Well, I have JUST THE RACE FOR YOU!

What is the SHAPE Diva Dash?

Forget barbed wire, fire pits and mud. We’re talking a women’s-only 5k course dotted with fun obstacles sure to challenge your agility, balance, strength and speed. Add in copious amounts of tutus, boas and bling, plus enthusiastic camaraderie, and you’ve got SHAPE Diva Dash.

Join the competitive wave and battle for a top finish and prize or saunter along at your own pace. We’ll time your efforts (if you want), but there’s no pressure to finish fast, so have a great time as you run, walk, jog or slog your way to the finish.
Tackle tough obstacles that challenge you or take the easy route. It’s your call. Different degrees of difficulty on some obstacles give you the chance to make the Dash as hard…or easy…as you want.
Sign up with your favorite ladies so you can be in the same starting wave. And don’t forget costumes! Tutus, boas, bling, and whatever other embellishments you can dream up are all the rage at the SHAPE Diva Dash.

What is the SHAPE Diva Dash Course Like?

The SHAPE Diva Dash course covers about 3 miles of trail, sand, and road. Each course is different. And just to keep things interesting, we throw in some crazy obstacles to test your strength, agility, balance and sense of adventure. Some obstacles will have both tough and easy options so you can choose the level of difficulty that feels right to you. And if you’re just not up for an obstacle, skip it altogether. We won’t tell! You should expect 10-12 constructed obstacles, not including obstacles from natural terrain. Whatever you fancy, there will be something for you. You’ll wish every 3 mile run was like the SHAPE Diva Dash!

The course will be different at each of the Diva Dash venues, but here’s a general idea of what to expect.

It’s not ‘World’s Strongest Woman’ – but you’ll have to flex a muscle or two. There will be options to choose from for varying degrees of difficulty.

You’re gonna run fast and we’re gonna try to slow you down. It’ll be fun!

What do you think of when you hear ‘ropes’? Maybe climbing or swinging? That sounds about right!

There will be some ‘strategy’ - you’ll have to make a choice or two… hope you choose correctly!

You know, just like they do in Cirque de Soleil…well maybe not quite like that. But you’re going have to FOCUS on this one.

How do you sign up?

Are you as excited as I am? Even better, want to get $10 off registration? Go to the Diva Dash Website and click on Sign Up. Or use THIS DIRECT LINK to get to the Philly race page! Use the coupon code AXDIVAJILLIAN to get your discount.

Don't know how to prepare? Sign up for my training plan!

In addition to $10 off your registration, you can also sign up for my 2-month training plan and virtual training group. Just email me or comment below, and details of the training plan will be emailed as we get closer to the training start date (July).

2 Comments

FitYaf answers, 1st edition - Finding Balance

2/14/2014

1 Comment

I was recently contacted by one of my readers, and I thought her question is probably one that many of you have, so I decided to answer it here.

Dear FitYaf,
How do you find the right balance between strength training and cardio? I know that most fitness advice out there tells you not to ignore the former in favor of the latter (even though cardio always seems to work better for me for weight loss, even though I know the logic is that strength training helps your metabolism). How much strength training do you need to do per week (time wise and number of days wise) to get benefits? And what do you find is a good weekly balance between strength training, cardio and rest days? Additionally, do you tend to "count" yoga as strength training?
Missy

FitYaf answers, 1st edition - Finding Balance

Thank Missy for your question! I think it's a great one and one that many people struggle with - finding that perfect balance. Like any situation in finding balance, it's a give and take. There are only so many hours in the day and so much your body has to give.

First things first - finding that balance depends on your own personal circumstances as well as your GOALS. Maybe you're training for a race? Maybe you want to fit into your skinny jeans? Maybe you are training for a figure competition? Maybe you just want to improve your health? Believe it or not, your final goal is going to dictate your training or workout schedule.

Your primary goal will give you a general starting point for figuring out exactly how to balance your training, as well as what type of cardio and weight training you should be doing. In addition to your primary goal, you will also need to take into account two other major factors:

Your body type - Are you naturally slim? Do you gain muscle easily? Do you tend to hold onto fat readily?
The type of training you're doing - Is it high intensity or low intensity? Does it fatigue you for weights? Does your weight training fatigue you for your cardio?

Training to gain muscle

You might be gaining muscle because you want a certain appearance, increase your metabolism or prevent injury. A good starting point is three strength training sessions per week, 20 to 30 minutes per session. Weight training three times per week should be sufficient to maintain and even build muscle mass.

Training to lose fat

With fat loss, your primary goal should be burning calories while sparing as much muscle as possible. Since you're most likely eating fewer calories, your body is not going to be eager to add muscle, therefore it's best to focus on keeping what you've got. Aim for 2-4 cardio sessions/week as well as maintaining proper nutrition so that you can make the most out of he fuel you give to your body. And let's not forget that proper nutrition is KEY to any training plan!

Training for a specific sport

If you are training for a specific sport, how many cardio sessions you need will depend greatly on the cardiovascular and muscle mass and strength requirements of your sport. Naturally, a long-distance runner is going to have far different requirements than a hockey or football player. The type of cardio training you do will also come into play.

Types of cardio training

The type of cardio training you do will have a tremendous impact on the frequency at which you can do it and still get the results you want.

Low-Intensity Cardio: Low-intensity cardio training, such as walking or slow cycling, can be done practically every single day (even several times a day) for longer periods of time. This type of training is very easy for your body to recover from, regardless of your body type and your goals. It will have very little negative impact on muscle gain and can help you burn calories for fat loss.

Moderate-Intensity Cardio: Moderate-intensity cardio training, such as jogging or swimming, will need to be done a little less frequently. This type of training requires more energy both to perfom and for your body to recover from. A person trying to lose fat can generally perform four to six moderate-intensity sessions per week at around 20 to 30 minutes each. A person trying to gain muscle should reduce this amount to two to three sessions per week.

High-Intensity Cardio: High intensity training is the toughest of the bunch but can actually net you the greatest and fastest results. This type of training is exemplified in activities such as sprinting and interval training. If you've ever had a coach make you run up and down hills, you've done high-intensity cardio. Basically, anything that you do as hard as you can for a short period of time could be considered high intensity training. In fact, intense weight training with short rest periods is very good for cardio capacity (the theory behind Cross Fit workouts).

High-intensity training is extremely effective for fat loss as it not only causes you to burn a lot of calories during the activity, it also raises your metabolism for a long time after the activity is done. This type of hard training should be done less frequently than the more moderate forms of cardio as it is much harder for your body to recover from. If you are training for fat loss, you should do at least two but no more than three high-intensity cardio sessions per week. If you are training for muscle gain, once or, at the most, twice per week should be the limit.

So what should YOU do?

The bottom line is that there is no perfect training plan that will fit everyone. You're likely going to have to experiment with different training plans and schedules to find something that works best for you. And just when you think you've got it all figured out, you might plateau and decide you need to switch it up again. So make sure you're doing both cardio and strength training no matter what your goals are, do workouts that you enjoy and challenge you and be sure to mix things up to avoid plateaus.

And YES, Missy! Yoga "counts" as strength training! Unless your goal is to do a pull-up, in which case, you'll probably want to work on your pull-ups instead.

1 Comment

<<Previous

The Short Answer

The Long Answer

What has my fitness been like lately?

What have I been blogging about?

What is coming in the future?

How long is the fitness challenge?

What will participating mean for me?

What will the workouts be like?

What sort of nutrition program will I be following?

How do I sign up?

Q & A with Celebrity Trainer and Creator, Chalene Johnson

Warmup

Resistance Training, SET 1

Cardio, SET 1

Resistance Training, SET 2

Cardio, SET 2

Challenge

Core

Stretch

What is the SHAPE Diva Dash?

What is the SHAPE Diva Dash Course Like?

How do you sign up?

Don't know how to prepare? Sign up for my training plan!

Training to gain muscle

Training to lose fat

Training for a specific sport

Types of cardio training

So what should YOU do?

Have a question for FitYaf? Write in!

Jillian [FitYaf]

Archives

Categories