Full Body Blast!

For those of you who don't know me, we recently got a puppy!

Now getting a puppy isn't all fluff and rainbows, it is exhausting. Our darling Kendal, sleeps through the night but other than that, she takes all of our energy.

She wants to play constantly and she needs lots of walkies as she is a labrador. Where the walking is a fantastic way for us to keep active and enjoy being outside (unless its snowing and 7am!) we are finding that it is more difficult than ever to get to the gym.

As we both work full time, evenings are her time with us and we would be guilt ridden if we left her for another hour to go and work out, especially as we can do it at home. That's for another blog at a later date. But the rare opportunity came yesterday and I was able to enjoy a strong hour and therefore, I wanted to share with you my workout.

This is for anyone who struggles to find time to go to the gym. This full body work out is a great one for hitting all the tough spots and to continue the burn throughout the next day. It is broken down into three parts.

Do this a couple of times a week and you're golden.

15 minute cardio Hiit
I did it on the cross trainer by following this format but you can do it using the treadmill / bike / rower, or whatever cardio machine you want really. Just get sweaty, get your heart rate up and feel the heat.

Lots of weighted exercises (I do between 12 and 15 reps depending on the weight. If I want to move up a weight I reduce it to 8-10 so I get comfortable and keep good form and slowly work up to 15 reps over the course of the next few weeks)

Rest for about 30 seconds between each action

15 clean and jerk x 3 (beginners use a very light weight for this, it's brutal) I used 15kg

15 deadlift x 3

15 chest press x 3

12 shoulder press x 3

15 seated row x 3

15 squats x 3

20 bicep curl x 3

15 tricep dip x 3

Abs!
25 crunches straight into 25 leg raises
rest
repeat.

Feel the burn!

High Intensity Low Impact Workout

Sore knees? Or just low on time?

Let me tell you about the new grueling routine Matt and I have been going through a couple of times a week.


20 Minute Cross Trainer Intervals

Disclosure....
1. I hate the cross trainer
2. Anyone who thinks 30 seconds isn't a long time, has never done a Hiit session
3. You will feel great afterwards, so persevere


We both tend to go through phases when we get sore knees for some reason or another. So this cross trainer work out is easier our joints (I know we sound like pensioners, not twenty somethings).

If you do it for 20 minutes, each round should be between 2-2 1/2 minutes. Train at a medium intensity for 2 minutes and then push your feet forward as fast as possible for the next 30 seconds. Then repeat the whole process.

If you really feel like burning some cals, make the regime 1 1/2 mins medium and 30 seconds intense.

It is worth noticing your RPM when you are pushing yourself to see what you can get up to and then aim to keep it at that each time you go at full throttle.

You will definitely appreciate the next 2 minutes as a  slower pace and you will get off nice and sweaty.

I find doing intervals makes the tedious job of using cardio machines go much faster.

Of course you can apply this to any of the machines, I love doing it on the treadmill but I don't have as much recovery time.


Here is a rough guide (based on my abilities so adapt to suit eg, Matt's RPM is much higher than mine, some people's may be lower)

0 - 2 mins 70 RPM
2 - 2.30 mins 103 RPM
2.30 - 4.30 mins 70 RPM
4.30 - 5 mins 103 RPM
5 - 7 mins 70 RPM
7 - 7.30 mins 103 RPM
7.30 - 9.30 mins 70 RPM
9.30 - 10 mins 103 RPM
10 - 12 mins 70 RPM
12 - 12.30 mins 103 RPM
12.30 - 14.30 mins 70 RPM
14.30 - 15 mins 103 RPM
15 - 17 mins 70 RPM
17 - 17.30 103 RPM
17.30 - 19.30 mins 70 RPM
19.30 - 20 mins 103 RPM

Cool down... or keep going to 30 if you're brave enough.


Let me know if you try it and how you get on.

K x

Holiday Work Outs

I know, I know, I have done it again and left it far too long in between blogs. I had a good excuse though, I had two holidays :)

Two holidays is a lot for one month and the extra eating combined with a lack of exercise can sometimes leave you feeling a tad podgy. This year I took steps to ensure I could minimise the excessive bloat.

The first thing I did, and it sounds very simple and straight forward, but I am sure a good chunk of you will agree, is easier said than done, I wasn't greedy. I went with the mindset that I would have one naughty thing a day. While this wasn't always the case, I did make sure to not have a dessert if I had an ice cream that day, and I tended to have one naughty meal and then tried to eat as best as I could for the other meals.

Generally, breakfast and lunches were healthy, but if a naughty lunch slipped in (cheese toasty I am looking at you) I kept the portions small.

In Sweden we spent all day walking around, so even if there was time for a workout, we certainly did not need it. Our best was 26,000 steps in one day. But in Cyprus, where we lounged and lazed, we had to work out but of course, being on holiday, we didn't want to waste precious tanning time so it had to be quick and effective.

The key was to do it first thing in the morning before it got too hot. I developed a quick (roughly 16 minute) HIIT routine designed to burn fat. I did it when I woke up before I ate to put my body into fat burning mode. Even though I did it at 9am most days while the back garden was still in the shade, it was brutal. The temperature was HOT HOT HOT and I was doing this in 32-35 degrees. Please bare in mind that you should only do what you can in this weather as you don't want to overheat and make yourself ill.

Matt and I also did a couple of 1.5mile runs. Sounds short, but you try running with the sun that hot pounding on your back. The extra sweat made up for the extra miles trust me.

So here is my HIIT Routine: It worked in 30 second stints and followed the same pattern of 30 second cardio burst, 30 second body weight exercise and 30 second rest. At the end of the routine, I rested for a minute and then repeated this two more times totaling 3 sets.

Mountain Climbers: Get on all fours into plank position. Bring your right knee up to your left elbow and then back. Repeat on the other side. Continue this pattern as fast as possible for 30 seconds.

Squats: We all know how to squat! Make sure your knees don't go over your toes and work and getting your bum lower to the ground each time.

Rest 30 seconds.

Burpees: My nemesis. Stand up straight, drop to the floor with your hands flat on the ground and jump your feet backwards. Jump your feet back towards your hands and then come back up and jump. (I did a knee tuck jump here sometimes - jump variation is up to you) And repeat the whole process. Sounds easy enough right? See if you still think that after 10 burpees.

Push Ups: Harder than you think. If you're a beginner, try the easier variation and put your knees on the floor.
Get into plank position and slowly lower your chest to the ground and come back again. Go as slow as you need to, it's better to do a proper push up then 20 half assed ones.

Rest 30 seconds.

Jumping Jacks: These are the fun ones. We all know how to do these. BTW, does anyone know if there is a difference between jumping jacks and star jumps?

Walking Lunges: (Walking part is optional) Lunge your right leg forward bending your left leg until the knee almost touches the floor. Each leg should come to a nice 90 degree angle. Now repeat on the other side. Do this on the spot or get some momentum going forward  to walk.

Rest 30 seconds.

High Knees (or run on the spot if you're tired): Simply run on the spot but try and bring your knee up as high as it will go. If you really push yourself, your heart rate should soar.

Plank: Depending on the floor (I had a hard tiled floor) Put your hands or your elbows flat on the floor, toes balancing out behind you and hold your core tight. 30 Seconds is a piece of cake ;)

If you're not sweating, you're not working hard enough!
Rest for One minute and repeat the whole process at least two more times. Hardcore folk can do 5 sets!

This is made easier with an interval timer. There are plenty of good apps available, the one I use sounds a great load noise every 30 seconds and is literally called IntervalTimer on the Apple App Store.

Of course, this doesn't have to just be a holiday work out. Try it at home when you're short on time. Let me know how you get on!

Hiit That!

I know I haven't been around again, I haven't been frequenting the gym too much either.

So what is the best way to get fitness levels up after a lazy stint? By punishing yourself with Hiit.

There are so many different ways and methods to do High Intensity Interval Training, like my 12 minute workout. So Matt and I decided to do some hill sprints. (Ouch).

We brutally sprinted up these very steep and long steps. By pushing ourselves for a short few seconds we were rewarded by getting our heart rate right up.

We would then walk down the steps to lower our heart rate before doing it all over again.

The main goal in Hiit is to make sure you push yourself to the maximum for 20-30 second (increase as you get stronger) and then recover for the same amount of time (decrease as you get stronger).

This is a very effective way to get your blood pumping and to burn fat.

Hiit is proven to keep your metabolism revving for between 24 and 48 hours after the exercise is finished.

That is because oxygen can't get to the muscles as easily during periods of intense exercise. So once the exercise is over your muscles work to make up for the loss.

Don't worry it sounds scary but it is all very safe - however if you start to feel dizzy then stop. It is the same as with all exercise, you must be careful not to push your body too far.

Combining this interval training with strength/weight/body weight training is highly effective at helping reduce your waist size.

Another bonus of Hiit, is the time it takes to complete. Unlike a long run where you have to go for an hour to burn 500-800 calories (depending on weight and speed) this is effective at burning hundreds of calories in half an hour and it continues to do so for hours after.

So rather than spending your evening at the gym, do a 30 minute intense work out - even less depending on the work out and the exercises incorporated.

Yes it is hard, yes I did moan, but yes, I felt great for it.

As mentioned before, this is only one example of Hiit. I have previously given another example and you can always do a minute of burpees, sprints, jumping jacks, etc, in between weight sessions.

Hot Holiday Bods

When I say hot bods, I mean temperature, because wow was it hot when we tried to keep on top of our fitness levels when we holidayed in Cyprus last week.

It was tough! But, I just wanted to write a post to show how easy it is to tie in a workout without the gym or any equipment.

Myself and my partner Matt, did a couple of shorts run. They were short because it didn't matter what time of day it was, it was sweltering running or not running, especially as we were not accustomed to 30 degree heat.

But, I highly recommend even a short run along the sea front. I personally hate running on the beach but most places have paths along the top of the beach which are ideal to run on. It is so serene and beautiful running alongside the sea. It would make even the most dubious of runners enjoy themselves.

Alternatively - a routine such as my 12 minute workout is perfect for a quick and effective way to get your heart rate up. It can be done anywhere and adapted slightly if needs be.

Incline push ups

That is exactly what we did about half way though our holiday when we had a slightly overcast morning.

The 12 minute workout was our cardio and then we continued to do some body weight exercises. We used what we had to create a good routine. As it was the only day with a bit of cloud we used the opportunity to push ourselves and have a bigger session to feed our craving for the holiday.

We have been looking into a lot of doubles exercises lately and these push up taps were something new. We both loved them. It looks like a simple exercise but it isn't, you can really feel it working your core and balance. It is a great upper body work out.

Push up

Touch

This exercise, in which you both do a standard push up (keeping your body in a straight line) and when you come up, clap your right hands together, return to push up position and repeat but using the left hands.

It targets the chest, triceps and core whilst also testing your balance.

So, as you can see, even for a wannabee slob like myself, there is no excuse to fit in the odd workout here and there while you are on holiday - but please make sure it isn't your soul focus and you do relax. That is what holidays are for after all.

12 Minute Work Out

There have been a few occasions lately where like many of you - I have been too busy to get a full work out in. I usually have a routine and that has gone to pot over the past few months.

So I put together a quick work out with a range of all the exercises that I know are the most effective and target the whole body.

It takes approximately 12 minutes so if you have a little more spare time try doing it twice or even three times. I have to warn you though! If you do it properly it is hard and you will sweat!

Let me know how you get on!

Metafit

This week I took the week off work and went back to my home county, the glorious Yorkshire.
I have spoken before about the temptations that present themselves at home. The dreaded "goody cupboard" as expected has not been avoided and I haven't been able to resist my mums delicious home baking (lemon and coconut cakes) my hips worst enemy.
So this means I have to make sure I keep my exercise regime tip top. Luckily the beautiful Yorkshire countryside makes this easy. I love running the old rail tracks at the back of my house and the weather at the moment is perfect for running, sun shining with a slight breeze and not too hot. Ohh how I enjoy myself.
However, I can't run every day and shouldn't really be running at all right now as I have hurt my ankle. I don't know what I have done but after a run it swells up and I am in agony. I have limped and squealed all day today.
So to break it up I tagged along with my step mum to her metafit class. For those who don't know, metafit is a new type of interval training that uses body weight and short bursts of intense activity to target the largest muscle groups. The classes vary from 16 minutes to 30 minutes and participants are expected to put in maximum effort but for shorter periods of time.
It is proven to raise your heart rate much faster then a standard cardio workout, raises the metabolism and keeps you burning calories for much longer.
Now don't be mistaken, 16 minutes does not sound like much, and trust me I am quite fit so I thought, yeah I can do this. I did do it and it didn't kill me but my god I could really feel it working. It felt like I was getting more toned and fit as I was doing it.
In the class I went to, we did four exercises for 30 seconds with a 10 second rest between each one. Then did all four one after another, no rest. We then moved on to four different exercises and followed the same pattern. And finally the third round, we did the same again with four new exercises. Then to finish just for good measure, we did all 12 exercises one after another, no rest.
Needless to say my step mum and I stood up at the end, looked at each other, no words were needed, we just gasped.
Red faced and sweaty we walked out feeling like we had done a good hour in the gym. That was last night, today I have felt a little tender and stiff. I have a funny feeling tomorrow I am really going to feel it and my long walk is going to be torture.
But whatever the weather, I could not recommend trying this class enough. It takes no time out of your day at all and really works. What more do you want?

Great work outs

In the last couple of months I have really upped my game when it comes to working out.
Don't get me wrong, before I was exercising five/six times a week but I guess I wasn't pushing myself properly.
Ever since I got my backside into gear I have really started to feel good. I would almost say I am fit now.
One work out I try to incorporate every week is the Fat-Blasting Treadmill Workout. I tell you what, when I first started this I thought I was going to die while doing it. At first glance it looks easy but I promise you it isn't. It uses muscles I didn't use before. On the treadmill I would either just run flat or do a bit of a steep hill climb.
I would call this interval training but I don't know completely what I am talking about so correct me if I am wrong. But here is what I follow.

This 30 minute workout really works!

Whether I am adding it into my workout or only have time for 30 minutes this always makes me feel like I have worked hard. I can always feel it the next day too which I always see as a good sign. I cannot recommend it enough, and I promise, it does get easier, I can manage it now without feeling like I am about to shoot off the treadmill. It is just a great way to break my workouts up so it isn't the same monotonous routine. The rise and decline in incline and speed really keeps your body guessing, so give it a go.

Weights

I have also started doing a lot more weight training. I used to do a little bit after an hour of cardio. When I started putting in a decent effort with cardio I noticed a difference and felt great but after a while I became a little bored and stopped noticing any more change in my body.

After a lot of research I learned that building muscle burns even more calories as the more muscle you have the more calories your body continues to burn. So I got on the internet and spoke to the instructors at the gym and now I try to do a good 40 minute weight session three times a week. Weight wise I haven't seen a drop but when I look at myself in a mirror I cannot believe the difference. I have always had big hips and a tiny waist and hated how uneven I looked. Now the proportions look great, I can see a positive change in my shape and have noticed more tone and definition everywhere, especially my shoulders. Now I am addicted and love building up the weights. Don't be fooled, women don't get muscly like men because they are not designed to, so your body will treat you right and start to look the way you want if you treat it right. 

Get on the weights, I am glad I did.