A Generic Schedule with Exceptional Results

I think that the reason most people fail in their exercise endeavors is because they are not aware of what they need to be doing. Throughout my years of personal training, I have developed a general weekly exercise program which I have found to be effective for most fitness levels.

This program combines cardiovascular activity with strength exercises. You will be sore. And you will like it.

Cardio

Cardiovascular exercises significantly accelerate your heart rate for a consistent period of time. Typical examples of cardio include walking, running, the elliptical machine, and the spinning bike. My personal recommendation would be the elliptical machine. Multiple studies have proven that exercising on the elliptical machine burns as many calories as running on a treadmill, but results in little negative impact on your joints. Another good option could be group fitness classes, especially if you are a social butterfly and enjoy working out with others.


I recommend trying to work 45 minutes of cardio into your schedule 3-5 times each week. You can choose to either do consistent cardio, where you are exercising at a steady rate throughout, or you can utilize interval training. Interval training has been found to be more effective at burning fat than steady cardio.


Interval training essentially works by shocking and confusing your body. This is achieved through varying your rate of perceived exertion (RPE) and heart rate throughout the workout. Here is a sample 50-minute interval training routine for the elliptical machine:


Warm-up: 5 minutes at Level 3
Interval A: 8 minutes at Level 6 (carrying on a conversation should be difficult)
Interval B: 2 minutes at Level 9 (you should be out of breath, and operating at almost 100%)
Repeat Intervals A and B three more times
Cool-down: 5 minutes at Level 3

Strength Training

Strength training is important to any fitness routine because it increases your muscle mass (which increases your basal metabolic rate) along with your endurance and strength. While muscle weighs more than fat, it actually takes up less volume, which means that your jeans will fit differently based on your body fat percentage even if you weigh the same amount. When done correctly, strength training routines also accelerate your heart rate and provide some of the same benefits as cardio. 


Here is a sample full-body strength training routine, which should take about 45 minutes to complete. If you don't know what some of these exercises are supposed to look like, try searching for images online before going to the gym. Each set is intended to be repeated three times before moving on to the next set. To get the most out of strength training, you should try to do these exercises twice a week. 


Set 1
Bicep Curls (15, using 10-lb dumbbells)
Squats (15, using 10-lb dumbbells)
Tricep Kickbacks (15, using 10-lb dumbbells)


Set 2
Lunges (12 each side, using 10-lb dumbbells)
Calf Raises (100, using 10-lb dumbbells)
Shoulder Side Raises (15, using 8-lb dumbbells)

Set 3
Bent-Over Row (15, using 8-lb dumbbells)
Deadlift (15, using 10-lb dumbbells)
Leg Lifts (25 full)
Crunches (25)


I hope that this schedule helps you plan your next trip to the gym, but remember, all of your exercise does not need to be planned in such a rigid fashion. Sometimes on a beautiful day, taking your puppy on an impromptu hike is much more enjoyable than jogging nowhere on the treadmill. 

And we are meant to enjoy those beautiful days.

Picking Your Poison

I will be the first person to admit that the only reason I ever became interested in fitness was because I was so interested in chocolate. 

Some people get cravings to drink or to go fishing. I get cravings to bake.

Brownies, cupcakes, layer cakes, cookies, even chocolate-covered marshmallows; I make at least one batch of something each week. I usually try to pawn off these creations at school presentations or in the back room of my office, but sometimes these treats never make it out of my kitchen before they make it into my stomach. I have eaten an entire batch of chocolate-chip cookies in one night. By myself. Recently.

I'm not necessarily proud of this, but I also don't harbor any intense feelings of guilt for these sweet, sticky nights. That is an integral part of my approach to life, love, and health: I don't regret doing things that make me happy. I just need to be dedicated enough to make up for them in other areas of my life.

This is what I mean by "Save it for Dessert." I eat healthily for most of my meals and try to stay consistently active throughout the day. However, dessert is a daily occurrence for me. Sometimes an obscene amount of dessert. This indulgence keeps me sane and happy, and makes eating my vegetables and taking the stairs worthwhile. 

My chocolate might be someone else's spaghetti and meatballs or Cuban cigar; we all have our individual vices, and with some restrictions I would argue that we should allow ourselves these vices (in moderation, of course). All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy; all veggies and no sugar makes Karina a grumpy girl! 

I don't see the point in living a healthy life if you're not happy enough to enjoy it. So I implore you to spend some time thinking about what parts of your life you really look forward to, what really makes you happy. Is it a positive behavior, like watching the sunset with your daughter? Or is it a negative behavior, like a few too many drinks after a long day? You don't need to completely deprive yourself either way; remember, moderation in all things is essential. 


That being said...of the two, you should probably focus more on positive behaviors.

Making Time

I think that whenever we are making resolutions, we are tempted to imagine our lives the way we wish they were, instead of the way they really are. My personal favorite is pretending like I'm a morning person.

I have this wonderful fantasy where I wake up refreshed at six in the morning and leap from bed into my running shoes. I run three miles, come home, shower and start making an egg white omelet. I walk out of the house, right on time for work, peppy and energized...

...and then I wake up. To my fourth alarm. My dog is licking my face and I'm late. I brush my teeth, throw my hair in a ponytail and put on the first outfit I see. The only exercise I get is racing against the clock.

Monday through Friday, I go to school full-time and work part-time at a Marketing Research company. On the weekends, I usually try to catch up on either homework or sleep, and I've recently started meeting up with personal training clients for an extra source of income. My life seems like a hectic compilation of appointments and obligations (which I'm usually running late for), with very little unscheduled time left for me to breathe.

I understand how difficult it is to schedule one-to-two-hour blocks of time for the gym, especially when you're balancing half a million other critical items on your to-do list. Some days I can spare two hours, and when I get back from those workouts I feel on top of the world. Most days, however, getting to the gym is not even a remote possibility.

Twenty years of experience tells me that waking up at 5:30 AM is not an option either.


Fortunately, the 45 minutes of exercise recommended by the Attorney General does not need to be consecutive. This recommendation can easily be divided into three 15-minute intervals spaced throughout the day at your convenience. I find that taking a quick walk after meals is often the best way to stay active on days when it feels like the world is caving in around me.


Another thing to consider is the activity you incorporate into your daily life. I've always had to laugh at the people who circle the parking lot to find the closest spot to the gym doors. Small choices like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or parking farther from your destination, really do add up over the course of a month and take little extra energy. 


So give up your favorite fantasies and throw out your favorite excuses. Your life is exactly the way it is right now, and that isn't likely to change anytime soon. You know your personality, your body and your schedule better than anybody else.


So make time.


A 15-minute walk after dinner. 25 crunches during the next commercial break. Stretch while you watch your favorite show.


The possibilities are endless.


Make time.

Configuring Calorie Counts

Calories. You always hear about calories.


This discourse can be confusing to people who don't fully understand how calories will affect a body, so I'm going to take a moment here to describe this important nutritional element in laymen's terms.


A calorie is essentially a unit of energy. Our bodies take in calories through foods and beverages and we use these calories to keep our organs working and our muscles moving. Calories are essential to living. However, when we take in more calories than necessary, our bodies hold onto these calories and store them as extra mass in case we need them for an energy source in the future.

In the beautiful engine of our bodies, 3,500 calories = one pound of fat. What this means is that if we eat 3,500 extra calories, we will gain one pound. If we exercise off or restrict our diet by 3,500 calories, we will lose one pound. This part is simple mathematics.


The math gets a little more complicated considering each individual's basal metabolic rate (BMR). This metabolic rate refers to how many calories someone expels simply by being alive for 24 hours. You can easily find your DMR by clicking here. These online calculators are not as accurate as tests that a personal trainer can conduct, but I've found them to be pretty accurate. If you can find one that takes your activity level into account, it will probably be more accurate than ones that don't. 


Knowing your BMR makes maintaining your weight, or losing weight, easier. My BMR is around 1,600 calories, so I am aware that if I consistently eat 2,000 calories throughout the day, I will gain one pound in about nine days. I can easily reverse this 400-calorie gain by working out for 45 minutes.


Knowledge is power. Arm yourself!

Take It or Leave It: An Idiot's Guide to Smart and Satisfying Choices

Did you know that a plain bagel has more calories than a chocolate glazed doughnut?

About twice as many, in fact. And its 53 grams of refined carbohydrates are not much better for your body than the doughnut's 12 grams of fat.

That does not even include cream cheese. While every brand's calorie count is different, you can easily validate this information by searching for "calorie count bagel" in the internet search engine of your choice. Compare this information with the results from "calorie count chocolate doughnut." I encourage you to do this. I DARE YOU. The proof will probably surprise you.

Do you usually choose the bagel or the doughnut? Why? If you absolutely love the taste of a bagel in the morning with your coffee, if it's one of your favorite parts of the day, by all means, enjoy that delicious bagel. Personally, I know many people who have chosen the bagel (when they wanted the doughnut) because they believed it was the "healthy" choice.

I think this is sad! I remember how angry I was when I found out that the average restaurant Caesar salad has close to 1,000 calories; that's practically two BigMacs. There are a lot of foods that seem like they should be healthy, when in reality are far from nutritious. This is why it is so important to take the time to learn what's lurking in your favorite beverages, snacks and entrees.

When I sign on with a client, my first assignment for them is always to start using a food journal. I have found that most people are unaware of the nutrition information in their daily diet, and this mistake will significantly detriment any exercise program. Fortunately, there are plenty of websites, books and phone applications that serve this exact function. My favorite is Myfitnesspal, which is an amazing website that also has one of the best iPhone apps I've ever used. The app is free, and it takes about thirty seconds to search for the calorie counts for a wide variety of foods, both homemade and restaurant recipes.You can even add these foods into your application's food journal. It will subtract this number from your allotted calorie count for that day, as well as its fat content, sodium content, and fiber content.

Take advantage of this wealth of information at your fingertips. There is no need for expensive nutritionists or even personal trainers (although they definitely do help). I found that after a few months of detective work, I got more comfortable with estimating calorie counts and also became more creative with my meal plans. Websites that contain calorie counts also often share low-calorie recipes as well.

I don't think it's necessary to count calories every day for the rest of your life. That sort of food-obsessive behavior is actually the opposite of what I'm endorsing. You will find that you will quickly get to a point where you can easily estimate your calorie count for the day. You know how many calories your sandwich had, because you remember the calorie counts for wheat bread, turkey, and mayonnaise. It's really pretty easy; you just have to roll up your sleeves and do some research.


As my father explained to me years ago, it's goes-inta's vs. goes-outa's.
If you ingest more calories than you expel, you will gain weight.
If you expel more calories than you ingest, you will lose weight.

Therefore, if you are hoping to be successful in any kind of wellness program, you need to learn what you are really eating. I promise, it's not as hard as you think it's going to be.

Once you've figured out this information, you are better-equipped to make the truly important choices in life: Do you want the extra piece of bread with dinner, or the extra piece of chocolate cake?

Or should you walk another thirty minutes...and eat both?

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Decadence

I fell in love with two men when I was six years old. 

Their names were Ben, and Jerry. 

I have loved them ever since.

Quality chocolate rates among good music and close friends in its ability to positively affect my mood. I have been the designated dessert maker in my family for as long as I can remember, and to this day my nightly indulgence is one of the few consistencies in my life. When I think of youthful bliss, I imagine children slowly licking ice cream cones as pink liquid cascades down their fingertips. Things seemed so much simpler back then.

Today's media-driven society is fueled by images of flawless female bodies marketing quick and painless weight-loss pills. The prevalence of anorexia and bulimia in Western countries has been steadily rising for decades, and it is estimated that 8 million Americans currently struggle with some form of an eating disorder. In a society where both mothers and their 12-year-old daughters are dieting, sugar and carbohydrates have become the designated "evil" food groups which should be avoided at all costs.


I beg to differ. 


I have come to the conclusion the secret to happiness is finding a true balance between the competing forces of life. This is especially true when it comes to delicious food.

We all want to have our cake and eat it, too; we also want to fit into our skinny jeans. This blog is dedicated to everyone who cares about their health...but only as much as their happiness. 


My friends, the secret is moderation: in all things good and bad. And a little bit of knowledge never hurts.