It’s Spring-Get Movin’!
I have heard many people talking about the Pandemic 20 - the extra 15 to 20 pounds of goodness wrapped around their bellies and thighs from baking bread and cookies for the last year and a half. It may be hard for you to get motivated to start moving again with all the bad news around us, but I have actually felt even more empowered and driven to remain healthy and physically fit during this time. The pandemic has put into perspective that I have so much to live for and so much more I want to accomplish before I’m gone. I’ve cut my hair (so liberating!) and feel energetic about the future! Here’s my guide to getting, or staying fit, this season!
FOUR ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS EVERY EXERCISE ROUTINE SHOULD HAVE!
High Intensity: Running on a treadmill for 90 minutes is just not the most effective cardiovascular workout. Short bursts of exercise at maximum effort are more effective at burning calories and improving endurance. When performed effectively, you can workout between 30 to 35 minutes a day with great results! Remember HIIT (high intensity interval training) can be incorporated into most exercises. If you are a die harder runner, incorporate a high intensity component such as interval sprinting (40 seconds on, 20 sec off) for 15 to 20 minutes in place of traditional 1 hour long runs. Just about every exercise can be done in HIIT circuits!
Check out this P90x3 MMA workout that kicks my *ss. Its HIIT and low impact. TIP: Add ankle or wrist weights to your jog or throw on some boxing gloves for added weight while shadow boxing.
Low Impact: These exercises are my favorite because they minimize the load across your lower extremity joints and back. These include cycling, swimming, weight training, certain HIIT cardio programs, and boxing. This is a hard pill to swallow for many people especially my runners (sorry!). Running, as a singular form of exercises, puts your knees at risk for long term wear and tear. Low impact exercises keep you safe so you can continue to work out!
Want more MMA! Watch below.
Non-repetitive: Any repetitive exercise program which targets the same muscle groups or loads the same bones with each workout will make you susceptible to overuse injuries such as stress fractures and tendonitis. Incorporate different exercises and target different muscle groups daily to be safe. Many people are cycling in the home, jump roping, or running outdoors because these are fairly accessible, but performing these daily will likely lead to injury. Similarly, if you are weight training be sure to get a day or two of rest before reworking the same muscle groups in order to prevent injury. Cross training is really the best work out! Incorporate boxing, lifting, jump roping, running, core strengthening, HIIT cardio, and cycling into one exercise program.
Resistance Training: My motto in life: Lift more! Many ladies are afraid, intimidated, or misguided when it comes to lifting. This is the best part of my workout personally. Yes you can lift without bulking. Yes you can lift and burn calories. The great thing about lifting is that your body will continue to burn calories far after your workout! I incorporate weights into just about every day of my workout routine and I lift in HIIT circuits! This allows me to burn calories more effectively, without bulking.
Stretching: Finally, as we age, muscles get tighter and tighter. I’ve learned that I have to dedicate a workout day (or two) to perform dynamic (movement based) stretching. This cool down day can give you the opportunity to incorporate something different into your workout like yoga. I’ve taken up Bikram yoga which stretches me to my limit and puts me in tune with body!
I hope this helps! Check out my 7 day workout routine for more details on what I really do to try and become 40 and fit!
Take care of you,
Dr. Eva
XOXOXOXOX