Looking for a quick home exercise routine? Here is a workout that is sure to make you sweat! It can be done with very little equipment. All you need is a jump rope and your body.
Warm-Up: 5 minutes of Jumping Jacks/Marching In Place
A1) Jump Rope – 100 repetitions
A2) Mountain Climbers – 100 repetitions
A3) Squat Thrusts – 15 repetitions
I enjoy fitness challenges. They put me in a different state of mind and allow me to push myself harder, especially when other people are involved and you are putting your times out there for comparison. This is the aspect of The Quest: Ultimate Fitness Challenge that appeals to me the most. The goal of The Quest is, of course, to complete all 10 levels of the challenge. But the competitiveness between the users is what I believe will really drive individuals and enable them to complete the challenge.
The following exercise challenge is part of The Quest: Ultimate Fitness Challenge. It’s a combination of strength endurance and cardiovascular conditioning. (more…)
As part of my boot camp program, I recommend all my clients track their nutrition intake using an online tracker or mobile app. Aside from the obvious benefits of knowing how many calories you’re consuming etc., the knowledge and understanding of nutrition you gain from doing so is invaluable. It’s a tedious thing to do, no doubt. But it is well worth the effort.
So what about tracking caloric expenditure of exercise? (more…)
For the longest time I have seen trainers, RDs etc. recommend absolute changes in caloric intake. The most popular recommendation by far being to increase/decrease calories by 250 per day. However, 250 calories means different things for different people and I think it’s the wrong approach to take.
Suppose you have someone who weighs 250lbs and is consuming 2500 calories/day in order to lose weight. Reducing intake by 250 calories per day represents a 10% decrease in daily calories. What if the person weighs only 150lbs and is consuming 1500 calories per day in order to lose weight? Reducing calories by 250 per day would equal a 17% decrease in daily calories. This is a pretty sharp drop in intake at once and could have counterproductive results.
A better way to go about it would be to adjust caloric intake by percentage instead of absolute numbers. This way adjustments are relative to the individual and you avoid making adjustments that are too high for some or too low for others. Personally, I always start with a 10% change in calories, regardless of whether someone is looking to lose weight or gain muscle. It’s typically enough to get the person rolling again without any adverse effects that could result from too big a change.
Here is a simple interval workout that will improve your running performance. It can be performed on a treadmill or track. It can be performed on an incline, decline, or on flat ground.
Warm-up 5-10 minutes light jog
Interval 1: 3 minutes | Max Effort
Recover: 3 minutes | 65% max
Interval 2: 3 minutes | Max Effort
Recover: 3 minutes | 65% max
Interval 3: 3 minutes | Max Effort
Recover: 2 minutes 30 seconds | 65% max
Interval 4: 3 minutes | Max Effort
Recover: 2 minutes 30 seconds | 65% max
Interval 5: 3 minutes | Max Effort
Recover: 2 minutes | 65% max
Interval 6: 3 minutes | Max Effort
Cool down: 5 minutes
This is one of my all-time favorite smoothie recipes. It’s super simple and delicious!
12oz skim milk
6 strawberries (frozen or fresh)
1 whole banana (frozen or fresh)
1 scoop of whey protein powder
5 ice cubes
Blend to your desired consistency. Makes for a great post-workout shake!
