Anyone who knows me also knows I love and enjoy the time I spend at the gym.  Of course its part of my lifestyle and something that I have to do, but I truly look forward to my hour of pumping iron and working up an intense sweat.  However, I want to make sure my time spent is not only enjoyable, but that I’m getting as much benefit from my meathead session as possible!  In previous posts, Ghada and Miss Murder have given you great facts on different things you can do to maximize your workouts.  In case you have forgotten or missed them, I’m going to lay out seven actions to perform to make sure you are getting the “most bang for your buck” when it comes to your time in the gym!

Consume your exercise energy

I think we are all aware of the importance of having something in your belly before a workout.  However, when and what you eat are key elements to how long your gym session will last.  It is extremely important to prepare your body for the lifting and cardio battlefield!  (Ok, a little dramatic I know, but think of yourself as a workout warrior!)  During an intense exercise your body burns stored up energy.  Once the energy is completely burned, your body turns to glycolysis, which comes from carbs, as a secondary source of energy.  If you do not consume some form of complex carb in your pre-workout feeding, you are making yourself extremely susceptible to running on empty before your routine is complete.  In short, carbohydrates are a pre-workout must to keep your engine revved.  Complex carbs digest quickly and become readily available fuel.  Also, any workout warrior knows protein is a necessity in building and rebuilding strong, lean muscle, so as a rule of thumb I always incorporate some form of lean protein to every meal.  Now, keep in mind that you have a 60 to 90 minute window to consume your pre-workout cuisine.  Always include a carbohydrate and protein.  Some suggestions are a protein shake, turkey sandwich, or my favorite, oatmeal and peanut butter.  Delicious! 

Warm up your already hot body!

During and for a short time after your workout your muscles are warm and your blood is flowing.  But for the rest of the time your muscles can be cold with very little blood pumping to them.  Get your heart pumping before hitting the weights by hopping on the treadmill or elliptical for three to five minutes.  This will get more blood circulating through your system and give you more power and energy in your workouts.

Challenge yourself

I will keep this short and sweet, if the weight you are lifting feels to  easy, increase the amount.  If you have been doing the same routine for longer than six weeks and are not seeing any results, switch it up.  Your muscles need to be challenged and torn in order for them to rebuild and become stronger.  If you feel like you can perform never ending reps with a certain weight, it’s a good sign its time for an adjustment. If you would like an elaboration on this topic, please read Miss Murder’s ultra informative post from November 19th. 

Mix it up to maximize cardio

There are two theories to how to burn fat the fastest.  The first is cardio at a moderate pace or intensity for and extended amount of time (30+ minutes).  For this approach to be effective your heart rate has to be at a certain level to hit ideal intensity.  Getting your heart rate to this level could take up to 10 minutes, therefore, the first 10 minutes of your work is not spent burning fat.

The second theory is high intensity cardio for a lesser amount of time (15 to 20 min).

High intensity cardio is much more challenging on the body and gets your heart rate above typical moderate intensity, therefore burning many more calories.  

I love working up a sweat, but to be perfectly honest, cardio is my least favorite part of my warrior routine.  I don’t like spending more than 30 minutes on cardio, but I definitely want all of my minutes to count.  To maximize my 30 minutes, I spend the first 10 doing something high intensity, like running at an alternating six and seven on the treadmill or pushing it really hard on the elliptical, and the remaining 20 minutes I work at moderate intensity on a stair climber or stationary bike.  This way I’m getting the best of both cardio worlds!

Cool down your hot body!

During vigorous workouts your muscles become full of a toxin called lactic  acid.  Walking on the treadmill at a level three or doing any other low intensity cardio as a five minute cool down helps to remove this waste in your muscles.  Cooling down also will help bring your heart rate and breathing back to normal gradually.

Stretch those limbs

Take a little time to give your muscles a little TLC.  Stretching will decrease your level of muscle soreness and also rid them of amino acids that have built up in your cells.  This means less time waddling around like a ducky!

Refuel your machine

Now that you have done an amazing job making sure you are getting the best results for the time you put into your workout, give your body something to work with.  At this point the tears you have created to your muscle fibers will attempt to rebuild themselves.  They need more protein!  You have 90 minutes to consume lean protein and complex carbs to replenish energy and get the building process rockin’ and rollin’.  You have worked so hard the past hour, finish strong with Ghada’s yummy Red Bean and Spinach smoothie or a protein packed grilled chicken breast with brown rice. 

I hope that these simple tips will help you maximize your workouts and aid in achieving your fitness goals faster.  Getting to the gym is half the battle, making sure you are having fun while achieving results and feeling better about yourself is the reward. 

 

Be proud of yourself and enjoy it!

Jennifer, AKA Miss Divine

 

In a world where people are forever trying to look perfect and be perfect in every way there is something to be said for the one time it may be absolutely acceptable to be a little sweaty and untamed, and that time is when you are in the gym.

 

Sure you might set out each morning for the gym color coordinated, hair done looking fierce and ready to concur the world. You look your best your feeling energized and fully intend to work up a good sweat all in name of getting your body into shape.

 

 Unlike any other public place, the gym is probably one of the few places where there is nothing sexier then seeing that handsome hunk wipe the sweat from his brow after bench pressing an impressive 300 lbs or catching a glimpse of that super confident beauty after exiting her intense 6:45am spin class.

 

 

One can’t deny that there is something to be said about a person who doesn’t mind looking a little untamed and working up a good sweat while working out. Truth be told!

 

It is during those times that your body releases large amounts of pheromones which make you even more attractive to the opposite sex.

 

I am not saying you should be completely drenched in sweat or stinking it up after each workout because you have sported the same gym clothes all week long, but there is something to be said for those of us that give 100 percent during our sessions and get a little sweaty doing it! It is perfectly acceptable and oh so sexy!

 

 

Shaneek AKA

The Perez Hilton of the gym world: Miss Murder

 I used to avoid any snacks before my morning workouts in fear that I may gain weight from the excess calories.

 

As my workouts became more intense, I found it hard to keep the energy up but I still refused to fill up before heading to the gym until one day a trainer noticed.

 

He explained the importance of proper pre-workout nutrition and how the perfect snack could help boost my workouts. My snack should contain  complex carbs like fruits and whole grains.

 

Complex carbs are slowly digested and provide energy for a longer period of time comparing to just eating a sugary snack that could cause my blood sugar to elevate then crash. Mixing your complex carb with a little bit of fat and protein will also help slow down the digestion and give you more energy.

 

It all made sense to me, so I decided to give it a go and he was absolutely right. I felt more energized and was able to workout harder and longer than before.

Here are a few examples of energy boosting pre-workout snacks that can help maximize your program:

 

 

OATMEAL. This low-glycemic snack will deliver energy consistently throughout your workout. Great for both cardio and lifting sessions. Sprinkle some flaxseed or almonds on top with some skim milk.

 

 

 

 

HONEY! If you haven’t read my honey article then click here

This anti-oxidant, amino acid rich food is nature’s energy booster. In a study, it showed to compare to the leading carb gels. Drizzle it on to some cottage cheese and go bust a move.

 

 

 

 

PROTEIN SHAKE. This is an easy ready-to-go drink that contains protein, carbs and fat.

 

 

 

 

 

FRUITS. Apples are great digestible carbs that can boost energy without elevating blood sugar. Dip your apple slices in a tablespoon of peanut butter to add more fat and protein.

 

YOGURT. Filled with magnesium, calcium, protein and carbs, yogurt is excellent for any workout.

 

 

 

 

PROTEIN BARS. Cliff Builder’s bar were voted number 1 among other protein bars. Packed with 20 g of protein, this bar is excellent for a heavy lifting day.

 

 

There are so many other great pre-workout snacks, so listen to your body and figure out what works best for you and your workout.

 

What’s YOUR preferred pre-workout snack?

 

Love,

Ghada

 

A frequent and often ignored misconception about your abs is that it is

divided into 2 parts upper and lower. Well anatomically speaking that is just not true!

 

You see your Rectus Abdominis actually consists of one long muscle that travels from the lower part of your chest down to your pelvis so any exercise you do really, works the entire muscle!

 

Now that isn’t to say that exercise such as leg lifts and reverse crunches which claim to target your lower abs are completely useless because these types of exercises not only work the abs but they also work your lower back, pelvis, hips and your Gluteus Maximus!

 

You should remember to incorporate a variety of ab exercises in your routine so that your abs like any other muscle group you train do not adapt.

 

Strengthening your core will also aid in everyday activities such as walking and standing.

 

But remember that no amount of crunches are going to give you the coveted six pack abs unless you also work on reducing your body fat. The less body fat on top of your abdominal muscles, the more visible they will appear. 

 

Refer back to The Love Your Life Program for a simplified approach to losing your belly fat. So easy, it can be maintained for life!

 Shaneek AKA Miss Murder