Well, here in New Hampshire the snow is sure piling up. It's halfway up our front door right now, and I hear there's more on the way. It's cold. Darn cold. So cold that I want to layer up in fleece and long johns and sweaters and wool socks and hide out under my big, fuzzy blanket. All. Day. Long. I also feel like eating baked goods - lots of them - which is the last thing that my body needs. (The banana bread in a previous post was easily devoured within 24 hours, and I'd love to blame it on the men in my home, but I did my fair share of damage.) There is certainly a place for hunkering down with warm stuff and baked goods, here and there, but every day? Not a great plan. So I've been coming up with ways to stay active, get fresh air, and keep building strength despite the cabin fever. Things I can do that are close to home, and not an all-day excursion, but sustainable, daily activities that can be done in an hour or two. I find that I need the following: -A good, moisture-wicking base layer. If you don't have one already, it's worth the investment. I have two sets, but they wash and dry really quickly for daily use. -Warm, squishy hiking socks (mine are a merino wool blend) -Snow pants -A warm fleece and a waterproof shell -Warm hat and neck gaiter, and good gloves and liners -Sometimes goggles, though I don't like them because they leave unflattering lines on my face and, I swear, accentuate my under-eye bags for at least 24 hours. Yes, I'm that vain. Sunglasses often do the trick. To motivate myself to get out in the cold on a weekend day or day off, I will actually put my base layer on in the morning instead of clothes as a way of declaring my intention to be active outdoors. I also do a lot of bribing myself with the thought of the hot shower I'm going to take when I get home, and that amazing post-exercise endorphin high. Good workout, warm shower, endorphin release = my personal trifecta. Oh - and a pot of ginger tea. Any of the following activities are fantastic. I usually end up pulling off drenched base layers afterwards, even though I didn't sense myself sweating during the exercise. Moving through the snow adds a challenging and fun twist to any workout. We live near rail trails which are perfect for walking/skiing/snowshoeing, but last winter, in the absence of rail trails close to home, I went to the golf course in town and made my own tracks there. It was beautiful at sunset. When the boys were little, I actually made a x-c ski track around my back yard and would ski "laps" while they built forts and played in the middle of the yard. Conservation trails work well, or any open field or area that is traffic-free. Breaking your own trail is more tiring in the absence of grooming or snowmobiles, but adds to the quality of the workout. Snow Walking - bare boots - I love snowshoeing and winter hiking. On days that don't allow for a longer excursion, even just a 30-minute walk in the snow will get your heart beating fast and get you a great workout. You don't need any gear outside of some waterproof boots. It's hard to walk in snow - kind of like walking in sand - and is pleasantly exhausting. Snow shoes open up the terrain you can cover, of course, and crampons are important for certain conditions when climbing hills/mountains. But neither is required for a winter walk. Go across a field, or your yard, or venture into the woods. Snowshoeing - So easy - just strap them on and walk out the door. I find that I am more tired and sweaty after a snowshoe than a cross country ski. Thirty minutes is enough to get a very effective workout. The route I've been walking takes me down the rail trail then out onto a property, around a pond, over a stream past a dam, then through a field. It takes about one-and-a-half hours. Late afternoon at sunset is beautiful, but so is early morning. Or try a full moon hike at night. We went out for a 2-hour snowshoe under the full moon a few weeks ago and it was incredible. You can rent snow shoes to try them out - I know that many of the EMS locations in New Hampshire will rent them for the day. If you buy, spend a little extra to get shoes with good, easy-to-use bindings. They make a huge difference. Cross Country Skiing - I bought a whole set (skis, boots, bindings, poles) for $100 at the end of the season back in 2003. I still use the same set. I just broke my pole today, actually, when I took a bit of a spill trying to get up a steep hill. But I've used them nonstop without a single problem otherwise. Probably the best hundred bucks I've ever spent. I have skiied everywhere from groomed trail networks to conservation land to my backyard. Once you have a set, you can make them work almost anywhere - you just need a few inches of snow to get a nice glide going. If you don't know how, go to a ski area and rent a set (usually around $15 for the day) and take a friend who can show you how. I have one of my long-time close friends to thank for my own ability to ski. Shoveling - Not nearly as enjoyable, but still counts as a good workout. Switch arms to get equivalent muscle burn - and to save some strain on your dominant arm. Enough said. Hanging Crunches and Pull Ups - Soon after we moved into our new house, I bought one of those pull up bars that can be put up in a doorway. It's become a family tradition to do a few pulls ups at random times throughout the day. I have also been doing hanging crunches and oblique twists in between other activities - throw in a load of laundry, do 20 hanging crunches. This is keeping my upper body and core strength up, even though I am less active than I would be in warmer weather. Yoga/Deep Stretching - All of the movements in the snow really work the hips, quads, and knees. Stretching out after is so important to avoid injury. I have pretty much eradicated my left knee and hip pain by doing long, deep stretches of my hips, legs, and lower back. My favorite way to do this is through a variety of yoga poses. Sometimes I make it to a class, but more often I just flow through poses that I am familiar with. I have always considered stretching secondary to getting the more intense aspect of my workouts, but, particularly as I get older, I am recognizing that it's actually the stretching that is important, and the rest of it is just the icing on the cake.
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It is important to move our bodies. We are bipedal critters, made/designed/evolved/adapted to move. Movement produces a variety of desirable side effects, including lowered blood pressure, better mood, better blood sugar control, and a stronger body. But who has the time, right? An hour or two at the gym or out on the road running or doing crazy yoga moves on a daily basis is just not feasible for most folks. What to do, what to do? It's important not to get frustrated and give up altogether. I've learned that exercise doesn't have to mean special clothes and shoes and breaking a big ol' sweat. There's a lot you can just do while you go about your business for the day.
In Turkey, I learned about the ease with which exercise can be built into a day out of necessity. Walking to the stores and markets to get groceries and run errands meant that I was probably walking 1 or 2 miles a day, without ever putting on workout clothes and sneakers. I was having to carry bags of groceries for some of that distance, climb stairs, avoid tripping over sidewalks...great cross training! I learned to dress in a way that was presentable, but comfortable, and wear shoes that were flat and good for my feet, but not sneakers. I stopped "working out" so much, and started to go about my daily tasks. This was a great way to increase fitness, though not always enjoyable. Rain, heat, and humidity can all make running errands a lot more daunting, and pulled shoulder muscles from trying to carry home too many groceries were fairly common. But it did keep me moving! It's harder in suburbia. There are no stores to walk to - everything is 2-3 miles away from my house, so that means jumping in the car anytime there are errands to be done. Very irritating. I hate sitting in cars when my body is so good at walking. I have developed some tactics to stay fit and stay on my feet despite this change in lifestyle. I thought I'd share some below. If you have other ideas, feel free to comment. I do participate in some intentional exercise, but not much anymore. The backbone of my fitness routine, at this point, is all done at home or on the streets around my home. Two days a week, I do a bodyweight-based strength routine that takes 20-30 minutes. Easy. Once a week, I try to do some sprints and interval training on the treadmill or with a jump rope (not a pretty sight due to my remarkable lack of coordination, but a really hard workout), or outside when the weather permits. This is usually limited to 30 minutes. I might do yoga or pilates once a week, go hiking in the mountains, or take a swim at the Y, but lots of weeks it just doesn't happen. The rest of the exercise I get is just built into my day. People who work on their feet all day (teachers, nurses, doctors, construction workers, etc.) have some great built-in activity. But for many people, a desk job or other sedentary work makes it difficult to stay active. Living in the suburbs makes it challenging, as well, as there is nowhere to walk. Here are some ideas for keeping active: 1. A standing workstation. I first read about this idea on Mark's Daily Apple, and I have grown to love this adaptation to my working time. Last year, I set up a standing work station area in the back of my classroom at a lab bench. When I want to sit down, I just move my laptop to a table or desk. Of course, they make real, honest-to-goodness adjustable work stations, but this works just fine for me. Why stand more? Standing uses more energy than sitting. It allows you to do a number of fun stretches, exercises, and maneuvers while you type or surf or read or grade papers...toe raises, lunges, squats, standing tree pose...you get the idea. Sure, you'll look funny to your workmates, but who cares. You should feel more alert and engaged in your work than if you were sitting all day, so you'll be more productive. OSHA has published guidelines for setting up an ergonomic standing work stations. You can see them here: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/computerworkstations/positions.html 2. If you don't live in a big city, pretend like you do. Park far away from stores or other destinations when shopping or running errands. Carry your bags back to the car instead of using a cart. (I know, I know, this doesn't work well for moms with young kids. Sorry. You get enough exercise chasing toddlers.) Walk to the end of your street and back once or twice a day, just because you can. 3. Work some bodyweight, strength-building activities into your daily routine, especially easy if you have kids to play with. When you walk down the hall, mix in some lunges. Get in a plank position, call yourself a bridge, and let your kids crawl all over you. Crab-walked or bear-walked lately? It's a great full body exercise, and your kids will gladly race you. Do 40 squats or 60-second plank hold during a commercial break. Run up and down the stairs 10 times. Again, you might get some strange looks from those around you, but that's okay. You're getting fitter. 4. Housework like cooking, cleaning, laundry, and vacuuming requires moving, lifting, standing and provides some great activity in the day. Don't underestimate the contribution of these activities to your overall fitness level. 5. I tend to want to sit when I get on the phone. I have no idea why. Try standing. Waiting somewhere? Stand. And so on. All of these small efforts through the day will add up to make big changes without setting aside time to "work out". Any other ideas? The season of darkness is upon us here in New England. By the time I get home from work at 4:30 or 5, it is too dark to walk or run on the trails or the streets around our house. The one night I did head out with a head lamp, I got yowled at by a fisher cat, which prompted a fairly brisk run home. I'm just not wired for that level of adventure. So the workouts on workdays have moved indoors for the winter. This morning I wanted to squeeze in a quick workout before getting ready for the day. I love working out at home for a number of reasons: it's free, it's private, and I can be done with a workout in the time I would have spent driving to and from the gym. Many people I talk to about working out at home say that they are more motivated by going to the gym - which I totally get. But I also think it's just a matter of establishing habits. Get your workout gear in one place. Have a room or an area that you always work out in. Let the family/cats/dogs/roommates know that you are working out and they should go away. Get it done, and get on with the day. I usually limit my workday workouts to 20-30 minutes. I like to do longer, more strenuous activities on the weekends and days off: hiking, cross-country skiing, and (soon) downhill skiing. The exercises I incorporate throughout the week focus on large muscle groups and strengthening and conditioning the muscles that I need for the more "authentic" pursuits that I really enjoy. The weekday workouts are maintenance for the fun stuff. One of the challenges of working out at home is that it can feel isolating. Also, some days after a day of work, it's nice to have someone telling you what to do, or inspiring you with ideas that will keep you moving. I hope that these posts will offer that to someone out there. I will be posting some of my weekday workouts here in order to offer ideas to make working out at home more accessible and enjoyable. If you've tried working out at home and don't like it, I encourage you to try one of my workouts. You do NOT need to do a 90-minute workout to get results. Working out smart = working out less for the same (or better) benefits. This is a spin-off of my prison cell workout and Tabata protocol posts. There you can read more about the benefits of HIIT (high intensity interval training) and the logic behind working out this way. I can tell you, it works. I'm going on 6 or so years of working out this way, and it hasn't failed me yet. I can do a 15-mile hike on a weekend or cross country ski for 3 hours without needing a break. I'm stronger and fitter than I've ever been, even as I (gulp) approach 40 in a few months. Try it. You'll like it. Today, I used my trusty box. You don't need a box to do HIIT at home - not at all - but I like to have one for the variety it provides. (The post about the prison cell workout offers exercises that require no equipment.) It also gives me a platform to try to build up to doing pull ups from. Ken built it for me for Mother's day last year, along with installing a pull-up bar (my request). It's a beautiful box, as you can see. He made it from scraps of lumber we had lying around the basement. Mine is 8 inches high. If you don't have a box, or an old step aerobics step in lying around in the basement, you can use the bottom stair on a flight of stairs or some other box-shaped object. Maximum starting height should be 6-8 inches, and it should be sturdy and slip-resistant. So the idea is this: do each of the exercises below for 45 seconds. (Use a stop watch or clock, or just estimate.) While you are doing the exercise, be mindful. Focus on the muscle groups you are working. Keep your core muscles engaged. And work as hard as you possibly can. Then rest for 15 seconds, and move onto the next exercise. I will try describing exercises...I know videos would be better, but this is a start. (I would appreciate feedback on what would make the descriptions better or easier to follow.) There are 16 ideas below - go through the list once, then choose 4 to do one more interval with. After you've gone through all of your exercises, you will have worked out for 20 minutes and you're done. I try to get a full-body workout in these 20 minutes, so the exercises will alternate between muscle groups. It's that easy. Want a shorter workout? Do 10 of the exercises. Or run through them twice for a longer workout. This is infinitely adaptable. Good music helps. There are links to videos and explanations of many of the exercises below - just click on highlighted terms and instructions will open in a new window. Jumping Jacks - basic, old school, effective Box step ups - Step up and down onto the box with alternating legs. Jump rope - if you don't have a rope, just make the same motion you would if you did have one. Box lunges - straight back - Stand on top of the box. Step one foot back into a low lunge position. Step back onto the box, then step the alternating foot back into a low lunge position. Repeat. High knees - run in place, or around the room if you have space, getting your knees up as high as possible. Box jump-ups - stand on the floor in front of the box, then jump with both legs and land with your feet close together on top of the box. Step or hop down and repeat. (Be careful. This is the move that I am most likely to trip/fall while doing.) Plank with up and downs - get into plank position on your elbows. Place your right hand on the floor and push up to straighten your arm. Repeat with your left arm. Lower back down to your right elbow, then your left elbow. Repeat, alternating movement between starting on the right and left. Box-top running - step onto the box using a running motion. Alternate your stepping leg between left and right. Walking lunges - You don't have to carry dumbbells. Also, you shouldn't touch your back knee to the floor like the guy in the video is doing. Your front knee should never bend beyond 90 degrees, and should not go past the plane of your toes. Box Chinese jump rope - Remember this from grade school? (in, out, side, side) Stand on top of the box length wise. Jump down so that both feet are on the outside of the box. Jump up so feet are together on top of the box. Step right foot down to the side into a low side lunge. Come back up to the top of the box and step the left foot down into a low lunge. Come back to the top and start over. Box march - low Box side lunges - Stand on top of box, lengthwise. Keeping left foot on the box, lunge out to the side with your right foot, then come into a low squat. Leap back to the top of the box and repeat on the right side. Side Shuffle Box jump ups - wide stance - do jumps as above, but keep your feet a little more than hip width apart. Plyometric squat leaps - Come into a low squat, hold for five, then leap up to standing. Repeat. Box triceps dips - Place your palms on the box, or a bench or couch. Lower to the floor as shown in the video. For easier dips, bring your feet closer to your core, and for a challenge, move your heels farther away from your core. Enjoy. Contact me or comment with other ideas or your own experiences with this type of workout. It was over 4 years ago now that I really started to cut weight and get to the point I'm at now. There were a few key paradigm shifts that had to occur in order for that weight loss to happen, one regarding what I ate, and the other regarding how I moved. Having grown up in the eat-less-fat and do-cardio-until-you-hate-it years of the 80's and 90's, my mind set was, well, pretty well set. Eat less fat, more whole grains and carbs, and move more, and you'll lose weight and be fit. I started to read current research in exercise about the efficacy of eating more fat and protein and less carbs, and doing less cardio and more resistance training. Even after much reading, I was still "afraid" to try one of these changes - cutting out a step workout in favor of weight lifting? Crazy. Buy full-fat yogurt instead of nonfat? I'll gain weight! But finally, finally after doing all the right things for so many years (according to standard American dietary recommendations) and finding myself steadily gaining weight, I decided something different was worth a try.
Unfortunately, at the time, we were living in Istanbul, and I couldn't afford to pay for a gym, nor did I have the energy to navigate the gym experience in a foreign language on a regular basis. After extensive research online, I discovered the concept of bodyweight exercises - using your own body for resistance, instead of using weights. This fit well with my lifestyle, as I needed a workout that was portable, didn't require equipment, and could be done quickly and easily in a small space. I read a few different workout plans for this, and finally picked and chose the exercises that I felt offered the most bang for the buck. I created a program that I could do while watching the news or listening to music, in my bedroom or the living room, in a very small space (maximum I needed is 4' x 6'). This allowed me to stay relatively fit at no cost. I took many of the ideas for this workout from one I read online entitled the prison cell workout, as apparently many prisoners employ similar methods for staying fit. The nickname stuck, and now my whole family knows exactly what I mean when I say "I'm gonna go do my prison cell workout now." Wouldn't you know, as I substituted this simple, 20-30 minute workout for my hours of walking/running/step 2-3 times a week, I started to not only lose weight, but the shape of my body started to change. My waist got smaller and my stomach flatter. I felt stronger. My knees hurt less. I found my levels of fitness were improving. When walking/running, I had more endurance. And the numbers on the scale continued to drop. Since adding this in to my routine, I have lost a total of 30 pounds and maintained this loss fairly effortlessly. I still do this workout 2-3 times a week, though I did add dumbbells in about 2 years ago. Sometimes I do it at the gym (despite the funny looks), but usually I sneak it in at home, in the mornings, when I find myself with a 20-30 minute window of time. I love the simplicity - yet the effectiveness - of this workout. I love that it can be done in a hotel room when traveling, a bedroom, living room, basement...it's so adaptable. Below is an outline of my standard workout. Sometimes it looks different, but this is the "backbone" of what I do. Ideally, I would have video clips demonstrating the moves, but I have found a website that offers images of nearly all of my favorite exercises. There are links after each exercise. Basic Explanation: Do the following exercises in order, not resting in between exercises. After you’ve gone through the whole list, rest for 3 minutes, then start again. Work up to being able to repeat it 3 times in about 20 minutes. As you build up endurance, you can incorporate handweights into most of these. Start with 5 pounds. I have worked up to 12 pound dumbbells at this point. - Squats (40) – Keeping your weight on your heels, sit back as if you are going to sit in a chair. Go as low as you can, keeping your knees behindthe line of your toes, and not bending deeper than 90 degrees at the knees. Toes should be pointing straight forward, with feet hip width apart. Knees should be in line with 2nd and 3rd toes. (To add weights, hold one handweight behind your back, and place the other handweight on the floor in front of you. When you squat down, pick up the weight on the floor, and as you stand, raise it up above your head. Do 20 with one arm, then 20 with the other arm.) - Mountain climbers (40) - http://www.exrx.net/Aerobic/Exercises/MountainClimber.html - Lunges (15 each leg) -http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/BWLunge.html (To add weights, hold handweight in both hands and do biceps curls as you step into a lunge.) - Squat thrusts or "Burpees" (15) -http://www.exrx.net/Aerobic/Exercises/Burpee.html (To add a challenge, jump up at the end of each one instead of just coming to a stand.) - Triceps dips (20) -http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Triceps/BWBenchDipFloor.html (To make more challenging, step your feet further away from your body, or lift a leg off the floor.) - V ups (10 to start, work up to 20) -http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/RectusAbdominis/WtVUp.html (You could strap on ankle weights if you have them.) - Renegade rows, 8 on each arm. - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSgzs5P2XIc&feature=related (Sorry for the poor youtube quality, but it is a good demonstration of the exercise.) You might want to start these with no weights at all, then slowly add weight. There are many other great body weight exercises that you can mix in. Push ups, pull ups, planks with all sorts of variations - there are lots of great ideas out there. This workout hasn't failed me in over 3 years. Have fun!! I appreciate the gym, the dependable asphalt of the roads around my home, and my handweights and yoga mat for the daily, maintenance-style exercise I need to do to stay strong, flexible, and fit. But it does get tedious and boring some weeks, and sometimes one just needs to get out of town. Yesterday, upon seeing a bit of sunshine after a loooonngg week of rain, we made a spontaneous decision to head to the White Mountains for a hike. We have woods all around us and certainly could have hiked somewhere closer to home. (For those of you who are local to southern New Hampshire, Wason Pond in Chester, Pawtuckaway in Nottingham, and the fire roads around Lake Massabesic all offer great, woodsy walking, biking, and riding.) But it's hard to beat the White Mountains. There is something magical that happens once we get north of Plymouth. The landscape continues to change, the air feels cleaner, and I relax. Maybe it's a conditioned response: the only time I head that far north is for recreational purposes. But it feels great, and amazingly, in about 1 hour and 15 minutes, we can be in Franconia Notch, Mt. Lafayette and its neighbors towering above us to the right, and Canon Mountain and Profile Lake on the left. It's gorgeous. Yesterday we opted to hike Lonesome Lake, highly family friendly, with rewarding views at the top. It's only 2.4 miles round trip, making it non-torturous for small children, especially a certain 9-year-old, and therefore for us. It's a moderate climb, with an elevation gain of maybe 800-1000 feet. At the top is a beautiful lake and an AMC hut. There are great picnic spots, and, on a clear day like yesterday, a breathtaking view of the Lafayette Ridge. We hiked the loop around the lake, adding about a mile to our total distance. The loop trail is mostly boardwalk made of hewn logs, and it takes you through a beautiful ecosystem comprised of wetlands and lush, mossy forest. There were many nerdy family moments as we discussed the biology behind everything we were taking in. A huge pile of moose scat was one of the highlights. :) Hiking uphill is a highly beneficial activity. It utilizes some of the largest muscle groups in the body, making it a great calorie burn. It tends to be interval-like naturally - a long, straight, steep climb, stopping for 60-90 seconds to catch your breath, then climbing again - which cranks up the fat burn and keeps your metabolism elevated for hours after the activity. If you carry a pack, you add on a nice upper body workout to your activity. Going down the hill uses a whole new set of muscles, giving you a great total body workout. Another benefit to hiking? Just being in the forest. Mark Sisson wrote about a concept called forest bathing a while back - it's an intriguing concept, and worth a read. Check it out here. As it turns out, just spending time in the forest reduces stress, even long term. Think of it like sunbathing, but in a forested environment. Even just 20 minutes appears to confer benefits! And, of course, these benefits could be gleaned from a more local, woodsy environment. Tabata is the last name of a Japanese researcher (Izumi Tabata) who, along with his colleagues, discovered that athletes could make incredible gains in aerobic capacity and endurance by exercising just 4 minutes at a time. I know, it sounds too good to be true. It sounds like the introduction to an infomercial. But the research is compelling. This is a link to a Wikipedia article - well-cited Wikipedia article - and you can follow the links to the original papers if you are a skeptic, or a nerd, or both. The idea of high-intensity interval workouts is based on the same principles. All- out effort, punctuated with a recovery period, and repeat for a short period of time, results in a more effective workout than a long, body-pounding, moderate effort workout. More results in less time.
Here is the abstract from the original paper (feel free to skip): "This study consists of two training experiments using a mechanically braked cycle ergometer. First, the effect of 6 wk of moderate-intensity endurance training (intensity: 70% of maximal oxygen uptake (˙VO2max), 60 min·d-1, 5 d·wk-1) on the anaerobic capacity (the maximal accumulated oxygen deficit) and ˙VO2max was evaluated. After the training, the anaerobic capacity did not increase significantly(P > 0.10), while ˙VO2max increased from 53 ± 5 ml·kg-1·min-1 to 58 ± 3 ml·kg-1·min-1 (P < 0.01) (mean± SD). Second, to quantify the effect of high-intensity intermittent training on energy release, seven subjects performed an intermittent training exercise 5 d·wk-1 for 6 wk. The exhaustive intermittent training consisted of seven to eight sets of 20-s exercise at an intensity of about 170% of ˙VO2max with a 10-s rest between each bout. After the training period, ˙VO2max increased by 7 ml·kg-1·min-1, while the anaerobic capacity increased by 28%. In conclusion, this study showed that moderate-intensity aerobic training that improves the maximal aerobic power does not change anaerobic capacity and that adequate high-intensity intermittent training may improve both anaerobic and aerobic energy supplying systems significantly, probably through imposing intensive stimuli on both systems." I have been in a workout rut lately. I am tired of my home workouts. I like home workouts because, let's face it, the drive to and from the gym is longer than my workouts. That makes no sense. I do go to the gym on occasion, but this morning I needed a quick workout that would allow me to get on with my day. I was sitting on my butt, listening to the cold wind blowing outside, but feeling beckoned by the January sunshine. I decided to give it a go - a 4-minute workout. Eight repeats of 20 seconds of all-out sprinting, with 10 seconds of recovery in between. Thanks, Dr. Tabata. So I donned my outdoor-friendly clothes and headed out. I walked 5 minutes to the top of my street, then headed onto a relatively flat, very quiet street in the next neighborhood over. I knew I would look silly, if anyone happened to be gazing out their window, but oh well. The older I get, I guess the less I care. I did my 4 minutes of sprinting - approximately - and it was a kick-butt workout. I felt sick afterwards, but sick in a good way. Two big problems: One, the drawstring had fallen out of my running pants and I didn't take the time to put it back in. Loose pants + sprinting = pants falling down. So I had to hold onto my pants. I'll avoid this scenario next time. Two, I didn't have a watch. A second hand would have been really helpful, and much better than counting "one Mississippi...two Mississippi..." in my head. Duh. After sprinting, I had my 5 minute walk home. I did about 100 feet of walking lunges (again, looks silly, but highly effective) and came in to the warm house, did 90 seconds of planking, 2 minutes of hip flexor stretches, and I'm done. I feel great. Twenty minutes a few times a week can do wonders. This style of workout can be done on a bike, with a jump rope, or burpees, or any other exercise that you can put everything you've got into for 20 seconds. Indoors, outdoors, equipment, no equipment, at home, at the gym - it is infinitely adaptable. And effective. Try it out for yourself. |
AuthorI'm Emily. I currently work in online education management, but I also have a Masters degree in Nutritional Sciences (my true passion). In addition, I am a mom, cook, avid reader, novice gardener, and enjoy all kinds of outdoor activities. On my blog, you will find articles on food, fitness, weight management, and eating issues. ALL recipes on my blog are gluten-free. Many are low-carbohydrate. Most are grain free. Enjoy! Categories
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