run, Run, RUN!

Hello all!

Although it is Wednesday, it totally feels like it is a Thursday for me. For the past few weeks, we haven’t had our Monday classes due to holidays, wacky schedules, etc. So my entire brain is now one day ahead. Darn…still have to get over hump day.

This year at college I am paying special attention to my overall health by focusing on my exercise. I know that I post all sorts of articles on health and nutrition and fitness, but I never really tell you exactly what I do in terms of my workouts lately. About a month ago, I decided to sit down and write a precise schedule of what I would be doing for exercise while I was away (and hopefully for a LONG time after that!)

I stick to a schedule of working out at LEAST 5 days a week. Since I have so much going on in my day due to classes, extracurriculars, etc, I workout as soon as I wake up. I know that sounds like torture for most college-aged people because we tend to oversleep till noon or even later. But seriously, if you just get yourself awake early enough and use your willpower to get yourself out of bed, you WILL get yourself out that door and you WILL find success.

A nice little tip is to put your workout clothes and sneakers out in a lovely pile the night before. No excuses now!

For those 5 days a week that I work out, I do about 30 minutes of cardio. Doesn’t sound like a lot, right? Well, here’s an important fact: People are more likely to stick to a workout regimen if they set goals that are MAINTAINABLE for long periods of time. That way, you will achieve long-term success. If you tell yourself you are going to run on a treadmill for an hour a day and then do a total body circuit, you will burn out eventually…no question. It is more reasonable to set smaller daily goals that you can stick to and you can maintain for long periods of time so that you don’t find yourself yo-yo-ing. (A dangerous pattern that I have found myself in many a’times in my past.

My half hour cardio alternates every single day. I am a big fan on running, whether it is outside, on the treadmill, interval training, whatever. I call that my main workout. Meaning, I do this the majority of my 5 days (Monday, Wednesday, Friday). However, if you are doing high-intensity, high-impact cardio like running, you should space it out by cross training. Basically, cross training is when you workout on any other machine other than your main workout. For me, I use the elliptical because it doesn’t have as harsh of an impact on my joints. So on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I stick to cross training.

Then comes my resistance training. I typically like to do one of 2 different routines that I also alternate in order to get the best results. On my running days, I stick to an ab circuit and on my cross-training days, I do a leg circuit. I normally do not use weights when doing these, because I am a fan of using your own body weight as your resistance for your workouts. The moves I use for both routines are from a program I did starting the summer after my freshman year called P90X. I don’t want to go into too much detail about P90X, but if you are interested in seeing the moves I do, you can see theab workout here and the leg workout here.

It is crucial that you create a good balance between resistance training and cardio. You cannot just do one and expect good results. It’s like working out and eating, right? You cannot workout like a fiend and slack in your nutrition and expect quality results.

My 5 days a week, as you have probably noticed, pertains to Monday-Friday. However, I am a huge fan of adding additional activity to the weekend if you want to. Just don’t do anything too strenuous. For example, at school a group of friends and I have created a running club where we run routes around the campus on Sunday mornings. Also, I participate in Club Tennis at my college on Wednesday and Sunday nights. So that is DOUBLE the cardio in one day. And since tennis is too strenuous a workout, it makes the activity more fun.

Well, that’s pretty much the gist of it for now. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading up on my routines and get inspired to create your own workout plan you can commit to. Trust me, you won’t regret it. 😉

As always, have a lovely day!

Fab Finds! Abs-olutely amazing!

Hello all! Time for some more Fab Finds…but this time I am discussing a Fab Find that belongs in my Health/Fitness category. Below is a list of ab exercises I found on SuperSkinnyMe.com that has 200 different exercises with added video instruction on how to perform them. Cool, right? When it comes to working out, I always make myself do at least 2 things: cardio and an ab circuit. Your abs are part of your core, and are very important in supporting the rest of your body while it completes everyday tasks and workouts. I try to create different combinations of these moves (one for lower and upper abs, and obliques) every day in order to keep my body guessing and to achieve the results I want. Try them out for yourself! Just click the picture below of the screenshot and it should take you to the website.

As always, have a lovely day!

HIIT and Interval Training…Reap the Benefits!

Hello everyone! I’ve been exploring Pinterest recently and have discovered quite a lot of interesting content. In particular, there is this chart that I found describing two types of cardio training. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and Interval Training. Both training methods are extremely beneficial and help to add some variety to your workouts when you hit a plateau.

Are you ready to try? I’m whipping out my running sneaks!

As always, have a lovely day!

4 Reasons You Should Start Running This Summer

Living with a family whose lifestyle is all about healthy eating and exercise, I have definitely experimented will all sorts of fantastic cardio options for my daily routine. However, one form of cardio that I think is one of the most effective when reaching your fitness goals is running. Now I know that when I mention running, most people don’t respond as enthusiastically about the idea. But there are some serious benefits that you should consider:

1. It’s a stress reliever

This is probably my number one reason why I have taken up running as my main form of cardio this summer. Working at my summer camp, I am constantly faced with stressful situations and by the end of a long work day my brain has completely marinated itself in stress hormones. Since my camp is at a fitness club, I can just walk across the hallway to the gym and start running. As you exercise, your brain releases endorphins, which are the same hormones released when you eat really yummy food or experience love. It makes you feel good! You’d be surprised at how effective exercise is at relieving stress.

2. It can become a fun part of your everyday life

I definitely have some friends who would never consider running fun. But after you get into it, you recognize how great you feel afterwards and the physical benefits you receive from doing it. It becomes more of an activity that you enjoy rather than you feel you have to suffer through. Plus…have you looked at the adorable running sneaker options there are?

I personally own a pair of Nike running shoes that include the Nike ID chip. If you have an iPhone like me you can buy an app that will connect to your chip and act as a GPS and it tells you how fast you run, how far you run, how many calories you burn in a run, and it allows you to connect with other runners in your area. Plus…they come in so many AMAZING COLORS!

3. Running is great to do alone or with a friend

Running is an activity that can be fun and enjoyable to do with a friend, a group, or even just by yourself. For me, running is a great chance for me to have some well-deserved me-time when I am constantly surrounded by people every day. In the midst of being surrounded by my family, my friends, and people at my job, it’s nice to know that at the end of the day I will have an hour or so to myself. This way, running not only benefits your body, but also your mind.

4. Running makes you a better you

By creating a running schedule or even just incorporating running into your fitness regimen a little bit can offer you so many benefits and helps to create a better you. It combines elements of self-discipline, responsibility and commitment, and health consciousness, which, as I said above, benefits you not only physically, but also mentally. I certainly feel a lot more confident in myself and more in control of my body and mind with my 5-day a week running schedule. My dad and I have even signed up for our town’s annual 4th of July 5k.

So I hope you enjoyed this post, and maybe…just maaaaaybe I have convinced you to try some running. Even if you can only go for 10 minutes, do it. Just do it. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.

As always, have a lovely day!