Walk Off the Weight This Fall

Filed under: Fitness , Walking Getty Images Give your workout routine a fresh start this fall. These four power walks will melt away fat while toning your entire body in less than 30 minutes. You can choose to do them indoors or out, and try a different walk each time you work out to beat exercise boredom. “Athletic striding smokes hundreds of calories when you boost the pace, duration and intensity,” said fitness expert Petra Kolber, creator of the ” Step by Step Strength Training ” DVD. “Exercisers underestimate how fast or how far they can walk, but you’ve got to push it to maximize fat-burning and muscle-toning benefits.” When you perform these walks, track your rate of perceived exertion , a scale that indicates when to bump up or decrease walking pace for faster results. Aim to walk four to five times per week. You’ll burn hundreds of calories and kick-start energy with each workout. WALK 1: SUPER-SCULPT BUTT AND THIGHS This cardio-sculpting program uses uphill walking on a treadmill to zero in on thighs, glutes and hips. “Do the workout on a treadmill first, so you’ll be more accustomed to the pacing and RPE, and then take it outside to natural hills in your hood,” said Reed. Minute 0:00-3:00 Warm up at 3 mph on a 3 percent incline. “If you feel like the intensity is too much at any point, decrease speed on the treadmill but maintain the incline,” he said. Try walking on your toes for 30 seconds and on your heels for another 30 seconds to prep lower-body muscles for hills . (RPE 3) Minute 3:00-6:00 Increase speed to 4 mph and gradually increase incline to 6 percent. “Increase the incline every 30 to 60 seconds so your body can adapt,” Reed said. Consciously contract your butt muscles as you stride at steeper grades. (RPE 4, 5) Minute 6:00-9:00 Increase speed to 4.5 mph (a brisk 13-minute mile) and gradually increase incline to 9 percent. “Lean into the hill to target butt and hips,” said Reed. (RPE 6, 7) Minute 9:00-15:00 Over the next seven minutes, maintain 4.5 mph and incrementally increase incline to the maximum. “Avoid holding onto the handrails. If you feel like you have to hold on, decrease speed until you can walk at this incline for several minutes,” said Reed. For 30 to 60 seconds, try walking with your hands on your hips to make legs work harder. (RPE 8, 9) Minute 15:00-20:00 Begin cooling down by lowering the percent of incline every 30 seconds or so. “Spend the last two minutes at a warm-up pace to allow heart rate to recover,” Reed says. Stretch on your own after every walk. (RPE 4, 3) WALK 2: DO-ANYWHERE YOGA - CORE WALK Strengthen your body, increase flexibility and flatten your abs with Petra Kolber’s yoga-walk routine. You’ll finish a speedy 15-minute walk with five minutes of core moves, and you’ll focus on contracting abdominals during the walk itself. “If you want more yoga and less walking, warm up with sun salutations,” Kolber said. “They key to yoga walking is breathing deeply through the nose to cultivate calmness,” said Kolber, creator of the “Breathe” DVDs. Instead of counting reps during core exercises, use eight full breaths per move. Minute 0:00-5:00 Walk briskly to warm the heart and muscles. Begin inhaling and exhaling only through the nose and allow your belly to expand fully during inhales. Start consciously focusing on pulling your navel into your spine and contracting all your belly muscles. (RPE 3, 4) Minute 5:00-15:00 Pump up the walking pace to 5 miles per hour (about a 12-minute mile). “As you breathe deeply, do an internal body scan and send your breath to areas of your body that seem tight or sore,” Kolber said. (RPE 5, 6) Minute 15:00-20:00 Do eight breaths (or one minute) per move. Standing side reach: Place left hand on left outer thigh and reach right hand overhead to reach up and out. Switch sides after four slow breaths. Boat pose: Sit on tailbone and grasp shins with your hands. Slowly extend both arms and legs in a V position and balance here. Yoga bicycle: Lie back into crunch position with knees bent and slowly cross right elbow to left knee and alternate sides using one movement per inhale/exhale. (Inhale, touch right elbow to left knee, exhale touch left elbow to right knee and vice versa). Side plank : From plank pose, keep right palm flat on the floor and shift body weight over to right side so left arm can reach up to the ceiling. Stack ankles and knees on top of each other and look up to left fingertips and hold for four breaths, then switch sides. Elbow plank: Press forearms and palms into mat, lift body into a straight line, hold for eight breaths. (RPE 7 for all). Stretch thoroughly. WALK 3: TREADMILL FAT BLASTER Breaking into a slow run or jog burns more overall calories on the treadmill, said Reed. To maximize caloric expenditure, keep your body guessing at what comes next. “To budge frustrating fat, try going faster than you’re used to and add new moves to prevent boredom and tap more muscle groups,” said Reed. Minute 0:00-3:00 Warm-up walk on a flat treadmill at 3.5 mph. (RPE 3) Minute 3:00-6:00 Pick up the pace to walk briskly at 4.5 mph. Take more steps (rather than longer steps) to pick up speed. (RPE 4) Minute 6:00-9:00 Reduce speed to 3.5 mph and intermittently lower hips into a half squat, or what Reed calls a “tunnel walk,” pretending you have to stoop to get through a tunnel. Don’t lean too far forward, which places undue stress on the lower back. (RPE 5) Minute 9:00-12:00 Bump up your speed to 4.5 mph and walk with arms raised overhead about shoulder width apart. “This will increase heart rate by 10-20 beats per minute. Reed calls this the “field goal walk” and said it places great demands on the cardiovascular system. (RPE 6, 7) Minute 12:00-15:00 Lower your arms and walk briskly for the next three minutes at 4.5 mph. (RPE 5) Minute 15:00-18:00 Break into a slow jog, gradually increasing speed on a flat treadmill until you’re running 6 mph. “Keep arms pumping naturally at your sides and be aware of foot placement on the treadmill,” said Reed. (RPE 7, Minute 18:00-21:00 Gradually decrease pace to walk 4 mph and begin cooling down. (RPE 6) Minute 21:00-24:00 Finish with a slower warm-up pace, then stretch. (RPE 3) WALK 4: OUTDOOR ENERGY BOOSTER This 20-minute “soul walk” pumps up your calorie burn and lifts your spirits. The focus is on connecting your mind to your movements and on stretching tight muscles. “On this steady-state walk, focus on objects you’re passing, the way your body feels and on your own deep breathing,” said Kolber. Minute 0:00-4:00 Find a quiet place to take in your surroundings and sit cross-legged. Close your eyes and place your hands on your lower abdomen. Breathe in deeply, allow belly to expand and pause at the end of your inhales as you breathe calmly for several minutes. Blink open your eyes, inhale deeply and shake everything out. (RPE 2) Minute 4:00-8:00 Slowly increase walking pace with arms pumping at your sides until you feel slightly out of breath. Listen to the birds and anything you hear in your surroundings. (RPE 3, 4) Minute 8:00-12:00 Bring your attention to the scents around you as you pick up your walking pace. Notice the different flowers or foliage that you pass. Match your breath to your pace, inhaling for four strides and exhaling for four strides. (RPE 5) Minute 12:00-16:00 Bump up walking pace again so you are breathless but not quite panting. Notice any negative thoughts that may enter your mind and simply exhale them away. Can you hear the call of different birds? Can you hear the sound of children laughing nearby? (RPE 7, Minute 16:00-20:00 Walk and observe nature as you gradually wind down. Check in to see how you are breathing. Can you slow your breath even more? Now shift your focus to the sounds around you. Lastly come back to the sights that you see and prepare to stretch. (RPE 5) Hold the following stretches, in any order, for 60 seconds immediately after walking (RPE 3). Seated hamstring stretch: Sit with legs extended in front of you, feet flexed up, and elongate from the waist. Fold over shins to grab ankles, shins or calves. Side-lying quadriceps stretch: Lie on right side with head in bent right arm and pull left heel to buttocks. Press knees together and hold left foot to buttocks with left hand for 60 seconds, then switch sides. Supine hip stretch: Lie back and cross right ankle over left knee. Reach through to grasp left shin and pull it closer into chest. Elongate from the tailbone and switch sides after 60 seconds. Trying to lose weight this fall? Our Fresh Start weight loss guide will help you reach your goals with meal plans , tips and more . Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Walk Off the Weight This Fall

Surfing: Good for Body, Great for Your Mood

Filed under: Fitness Mike Baird on Flickr The fact that summer is almost over is enough to put a big, fat damper on your positive outlook. But while the days are still hot and the water is relatively warm, here’s a surefire way to boost your mood: Go surfing. Recent studies from the University of Iowa have found that just 30 minutes of hanging ten can increase your positive energy while blasting negative feelings and fatigue. “If you ask any surfer, he or she guaranteed will tell you, ‘Oh, man, I feel a lot better after I get out,’” study researcher Ryan Pittsinger told Live Science . To test this, he and his colleagues asked 107 surfers on Manhattan Beach in California to answer a questionnaire before and after surfing. The results were overwhelmingly positive: Not only did the participants report an increase in positive feelings after 30 minutes of surfing, but they also said they felt calmer and more tranquil. “Because you are out there alone — it’s just you — it’s really an activity where it allows you to clear your head,” Pittsinger added. But maneuvering a heavy surfboard through open water can be a bit daunting for beginners, so we asked Larry Scharmota of the Chicago Surf Shop for his top tips: Learn from the pros. “Learn from your mistakes and take advice from others to shorten your learning curve and get beyond the early frustration to actually catching your first wave and riding it,” he said. Lessons are a great way to get started because not only do they include hands-on training and water safety pointers, but equipment rentals are usually included so you can give it a try before investing in a surfboard. Master the basics. Learning to position yourself is the first step to surfing. After that, there are a few moves you’ll need to practice: “Paddling, the duck dive, the pop-up and the pivot turn are the basics to surfing,” Scharmota said. Paddle properly. “Paddling is the hardest part of surfing,” said Scharmota. “Instead of using a butterfly stroke to assist in going straight, use a crawl stroke to provide smoother acceleration and a more proficient application of power. Your back will thank you.” Stay low. Once you master standing up, maintaining a low center of gravity is crucial. “Your core strength and thigh strength are key,” he said. “Feel the wave with your feet and manage your board position and your balance with slight movements.” Turn with your feet . “Don’t lean with your upper body — that only works at places where the waves are big enough to carry the speed,” he said. “Instead use your heels and toes like a skateboarder and make those slight shifts to ease your line of travel into another direction. Keep your eye on the prize. One of the hardest things to master is your gaze. Keep your eyes looking in your direction of travel and up toward the horizon — do not look down at your feet,” Scharmota said. Still not convinced? You might want to give stand-up paddleboarding a try. “The learning curve is very short, and it’s great exercise,” he said. It’s also popular with celebs like Jennifer Aniston and Kate Hudson . Above all, “the spirit of surfing is to have fun,” Scharmota said. It may take a while to get proficient at it, but the verdict is in: Becoming a surfer will have amazing benefits for both your body and your mind. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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This Streaker Needs a Break, Not an Outfit

When I say that Jennifer Aniston is somewhat of a streaker, it’s not what you think. Although also used to describe a person who runs naked in public (I can’t help but think of Will Ferrell in Old School ), the word streaker is also used to describe a certain type of runner: one who runs seven days of the week, without missing a single day. Jennifer recently declared, “[I] run, work out every day. I do a lot of running - exercise is so important.” It’s unclear though if she runs every day, but if she does, Jen is a streaker. As of today, Mark Covert of Lancaster, CA, holds the longest running streak, running at least one mile every day since July 23, 1968. He explained to the Washington Post , “I’ve trained through illness and injury, run plenty of times when I shouldn’t have. I ran on the days my parents passed away and I’ve run when every one of my four kids was born. I still look forward to running every day, although the trees go by more slowly now.” I’m by no means advocating that you become a streaker of either sort. While I agree that moderate physical activity every day is good for your body and your mind, doing the same type of activity, whether it be running, biking, swimming, or whatever, isn’t a good idea for your muscles or joints. Constantly using the same parts of your body in the same way could be your first class ticket to a repetitive stress injury. Not only will that end your streak, but it could put exercise on hold completely. If working out every single day feels good to you, go for it. Just be sure to incorporate different types of exercise that work all the parts of your body. You’ll not only prevent injury, but you’ll also become stronger overall.

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This Streaker Needs a Break, Not an Outfit

What Kind of Workout Avoider Are You?

There are times when even the most diligent exerciser just does not want to work out. Whether it’s yucky weather, sore muscles, or just a bad attitude, there are some days when we’ll stop at nothing to avoid a workout. What kind of avoider are you? Take this quiz to find out. You went to bed with big plans for a 6 a.m. outdoor workout. You wake up and a gross, misty rain is falling. You: Forget it. It’s gross outside, you’ll get blisters from running in the rain, or sick from the cold. Tell yourself you’ll work out after work; the weather will surely get better before the afternoon. Hit the snooze button, only to wake up an hour later feeling like a failure. The mister took your car and you have no way to drive to your spinning class. You: Hit the road on your bike. Missing class will just make you feel awful for the rest of the evening. Sign up online for a class that starts three hours later. He’ll be back by then . . . right? Stay home. You can’t get to class, there’s no use getting upset about it. It’s 5:30 p.m. and every single treadmill at the gym is taken. You have exactly 45 minutes until you have to leave. What do you do? Sweet talk one of the runners into finishing her workout 15 minutes early. You’ll trade your stationary bike for her treadmill. Lift some weights and call it a day. No use waiting around. Realize you should have gotten to work 30 minutes earlier so you could have left 30 minutes sooner and gotten a treadmill. Your usual yoga class has a substitute teacher you just don’t like. You: Suffer through it anyhow. Unhappy yoga is better than no yoga. Skip. There is no way you’re dealing with the sub. Complain that the studio should have notified you of the switch before you hauled it to yoga class. You made plans with a friend to work out together, but you’re just not feeling it and decide to cancel. What’s your excuse? You’re sick/have a migraine/have too much work to finish. You’re so sorry. No, really, you’re terribly sorry. And you hope it doesn’t put her out. You’d rather do it another day. Is that OK? Impromptu afterwork happy hour with co-workers - woohoo! Except you had plans to hit the gym. You tell yourself: One drink - two, max - and you’re in bed early and up early the next day to hit the gym. You have to go to the work event. Your boss will be there. Her boss will be there. You’ll look lame if you don’t show after work, even if it does mean missing class.

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What Kind of Workout Avoider Are You?

Horrible Body Issues: Don’t Know What To Do [Forum]

Hi..my names Anna,and im 16 years old. I play soccer, and about 2 years ago i injured my knee which caused me to quit soccer. Luckily, i just started back up again. However, while i was on my break, i gained a lot of weight. I have kids telling me that im a “beast” and im fat and ugly. I weight 143 pounds, and im about 5”6. I have tried numerous times to run and go on diets..but i just can’t seem to stick with them. Never once in my life have I ever felt skinny. Once I look back at my pictures when I was skinnier, i now realize that i wasn’t fat. But at that time, I hated my body. And it’s been like this ever since. I look at myself in the mirror day after day evaluating myself and thinking of ways to make me look skinnier. It’s come to the point where if I feel fat, i won’t leave the house. And yes, not eating has crossed my mind also. I just don’t know what to do.. I need a good diet plan that will get me results fast. Or i need to see a specialist about this..but I have no idea how im supposed to tell my mom.. Please, someone..help..

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Horrible Body Issues: Don’t Know What To Do [Forum]

Sports Bra Science: Inventors Wanted!

Until now, the best science we had on sports bras was the bouncing breast video created by sports bra manufacturer Shock Absorber. A video that quickly went viral, mostly by 13-year-old boys. But, thanks to several new studies, researchers believe they may have finally discovered the secret to the perfect sports bra. That’s the good news, now here’s the bad: no one has even attempted to create it yet. Continue reading…

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Sports Bra Science: Inventors Wanted!

Strike a Yoga Pose: Down Dog Dancer

Balancing poses challenge our muscles as well as our minds. Some are harder than others, and if your back and hamstrings are flexible, you’ll love this one, which is a combination of Downward Facing Dog and Dancer . Sanskrit Name: Adho Mukha Svana Natarajasana English Translation: Downward Facing Dog Dancer Pose To learn how to do this pose read more. Begin in Downward Facing Dog with equal weight on your hands and feet. Raise your right leg up in the air and bend your knee. Then lift your right arm up and reach for your right foot. Arching your spine and kicking your foot away from you will help you stay balanced. After five breaths, release your hand and foot to the floor, coming back into Down Dog. Then repeat this pose on the left side. This is one of my favorite balancing poses because it’s so challenging, but once I can hold my body in a stable position, it really calms my mind. Head on over to the Yoga Stretch and Tell community group and tell me, what’s your favorite yoga pose?

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Strike a Yoga Pose: Down Dog Dancer

Losing Weight: It’s All in My Head

Filed under: Motivation , Tipping the Scales Getty Wow. Writing a blog means that people actually read it. Since my first post, I’ve gotten a lot of comments here, on Facebook and in person. Most, if not all, of them have been positive. Everyone’s been supportive and wishing me well on my journey. Some people have busted me. These actually make me laugh a little bit. “Hi! I read your blog. You’re, uh, not going to eat that; are you?” “Hey! I saw you at the pizza place the other day. Pizza? Really?” It makes me realize what I’m really getting myself into here. And then there are the helpers. I know you mean well. I get it. “You should try this pill! It worked for me!” “You should only eat peanuts! It worked for me!” “You should wear mittens when you eat! It worked for me!” Here’s the deal. Here’s what I’ve figured out. I’m going to throw down my knowledge on you. Are you ready? Losing weight is all in your head. By that I mean that I have to decide to lose weight. Otherwise, I’ll fail. I know. I’ve done it. I’m doing it now. I wrote my last post more than a month ago. At the time, I was in a serious eating and exercising slump . Weeks went by before I heard I was a finalist for That’s Fit’s new blogger position — and the editors requested a photo and some more information from me. By then I was in a full-blown nose dive. Even then I didn’t take this seriously. They want my picture? Ha! That oughta put me out of the running quick. I make Wilford Brimley look good. But they picked me anyway. And while I’m excited to be writing this blog, it’s nerve-wracking. It’s been a few months, and now I’m writing my first new post. And I’m still on that slippery slope. I’m doing better, but it’s even harder to build back those good habits. So now I’m back to deciding to lose weight. Deciding to eat healthy . Deciding to exercise . That’s why I say that this is all in your head. I know what I should be eating, but I don’t want to eat it. Making that decision is the hardest thing I have to do. It never gets easy trying to find those tricks that keep you going. What worked for you may not necessarily work for someone else. Like, if smearing bacon grease under your nose makes you so sick of bacon that you never want to eat it again, that’s awesome for you! It wouldn’t work for me because bacon is an incredible and beautiful thing. But everybody has his thing, and you gotta find what works for you. That’s part of why I wanted to write this blog, to keep this decision fresh on my mind. The other part is that there’s not much out there on the Internet about weight loss for men. Well, there is, but it’s all “do this exercise and get gigantic pecs!” or “six minutes a day for six-pack abs !” or that other stuff that gets bounced by your spam filter. I’m trying to provide a humorous but realistic look at weight loss for guys. If you’re wanting to know how to choose the perfect sports bra or why you feel bloated at 3 a.m., I’m afraid I can’t help you. So writing this is my new motivation — now that I know people are actually reading it. The people at my gym asked if they could post my entries on their bulletin board, which makes this even more real. Also, our work wellness program has asked for volunteers to be wellness ambassadors. I signed up, since ambassadors get to wear sashes, top hats and monocles, and get to drive in limos with the little flags on them. I’ll let you know if I get chosen. With this added motivation, I’m setting some goals for the next two weeks. Exercise every day (I already slept in today, so that one’s shot). No more late-night eating . Drink more water . Rub some bacon grease under my nose. Because who wouldn’t want to be able to smell bacon all day long? Lee isn’t the only one struggling; find out why Ashley is having trouble embracing running . Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Losing Weight: It’s All in My Head

David Kirsch: Maximize Your Training Sessions!

Filed under: Fitness David Kirsch In this economy, if you’re lucky enough to be able to afford a personal trainer , you want every moment of that hour to count. But even the most committed sweat vets can unknowingly waste precious toning and burning time. That’s Fit spoke with celebrity trainer David Kirsch to learn how he advises clients like Heidi Klum , Liv Tyler and Faith Hill . That’s Fit: What if I feel intimidated by my trainer? David Kirsch: At your initial meeting with a potential trainer, you need to feel like you can establish a relationship with this person. If not, then she’s not right for you. You may be paying a trainer to push you, but there has to be a comfortable line of communication and trust so you can talk openly about what you may be feeling both physically or emotionally on any given day. Once a trainer gets to know you, she should be able to know whether you’re just dogging it or not. That’s Fit : What do you see as the most common form of self-sabotage? DK: This might seem obvious, but first you have to want to be there, and not all clients do. Just because you show up at a gym doesn’t mean you’ll see results. It takes hard work, and you need to be mentally focused and motivated. When a client is constantly asking how much time is left, I know they really aren’t into it and then neither am I. If you’re not motivated, your trainer’s not motivated. Before heading to the gym, take a good hard look at yourself in the bathroom mirror, preferably without clothes on. Do you like what you see? That should serve as a pretty good motivator. That’s Fit: What are some preparation tips? DK : Show up 30 minutes early and leave phones and PDAs in the locker. I don’t allow either in my gym. Before you arrive, tidy up loose ends with work and family so you’re not distracted. While you’re training, that’s all your mind and body are meant to be doing. If you’re multitasking, you won’t accomplish as much. That’s Fit: What’s a widespread client trip-up a personal trainer might not catch? DK : Often a client will leave the gym after an effective workout and then they’ll have a couple of doughnuts when they get to the office. Being healthy and reaching your goals — whatever they are — takes commitment 24/7, not just during that one hour. So your trainer should be talking to you about a comprehensive plan that includes an entire wellness strategy . Want more? David Kirsch shows you how to correct workout mistakes. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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David Kirsch: Maximize Your Training Sessions!

Do Posted Calorie Amounts Affect Your Food Choices?

While traveling last weekend, I found myself hungry for breakfast and came upon a Panera Bread . I thought it’d be a great place to pick up some fruit and a bagel, but when I walked in, my taste buds had a different agenda. Yummy baked muffins stared at me from behind the glass display and I was tempted to order a carrot walnut muffin instead, until I noticed that the calorie amounts were posted right next to it. 440 calories! For one muffin?! I was psyched to see that Panera has the calories posted for all their menu items, but I quickly changed my mind. Tell me . . . Do Posted Calorie Amounts Affect Your Food Choices? Yes, it’s shocking how high in calories some foods are. No way, I eat whatever I want. Sometimes, it depends on the food and my mood.

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