Workout Mix-Up

This week’s article is for those who are looking to mix up their workouts, those who have hit a training or fitness plateau, those who don’t have a gym membership or can’t find time to hit the gym, and for those who think fitness has to be hour-long, grueling workouts. Below are three not-so novel ideas, but can lead to a new outlook on fitness and a newer, healthier you!

10-minute Blasts:

Find your inner kid, grab a jump rope, and incorporate 10minutes of fast jump rope three times per day to burn over 400 calories (based on 150 lb person and varies depending on conditioning level and metabolism). Another great way to throw in exercise throughout the day is adding in sets of cardio-burst exercises such as burpees, mountain climbers, or squat jumps to spike your heart rate. Try performing sets of 10reps during the commercials of your favorite TV shows or pull away from the computer throughout the day for a quick 30 second cardio-burst which will leave you feeling refreshed! If you’re looking for something less dynamic, hit some nearby stairs three times a day for 10minutes of stair walking to get the legs burning, heart pumping and burn an estimated 272 calories (based on criteria above).

Outdoor Adventure:

Hop off the treadmill or spin bike and take your running or cycling outside. Not only will you burn more calories, but you can enjoy the natural beauty of the ‘Loveliest Village on the Plains’, and meet runners and cyclists of all levels to help you stay motivated. Instead of traditional distance running, hit the track and take your body to a new level with an interval workout. For beginners try 4 sets of 400meter (1 lap) run followed by 400meter walk; more advanced runners try 6 sets of 600meter sprints, followed by 200meter walk/jog. For cyclist incorporate 30 second sprints or hill repeats into your workout. If running or cycling isn’t your thing, take advantage of local trails and spend some time hiking. An hour of hiking at Chewacla State Park can burn an estimated 400+ calories.

While you are outdoors for cardio, don’t forget you can do an amazing resistance training workout outdoors as well. Head to an area park and using only your body-weight and/or a park bench get in a full-body workout. If you don’t make it out of work before the sun goes down, body-weight workouts can easily be done at home with no equipment! Body-weight workouts can be designed for all fitness-levels, even leaving the iron-pumping gym-aholic out of breath and a little sore the next day.

Out of the Zone:

Finally, go outside your comfort-zone and try something new. Try a new class at your gym, get in the pool and start swimming laps, treading water or pool running. No worries if you don’t have a gym membership, look into area leagues for team sports or grab a friend/spouse and hit the tennis courts. Don’t worry if you don’t know the rules, running around the courts volleying the ball back and forth will provide a great workout, or take it up a notch by running suicides or doing a cardio-burst exercise between volleys.

Terrieha Romer is co-owner of RYP Performance, a company specializing in outdoor bootcamps, small group training, one-on-one personal training, program design, and athlete performance training. Terrieha has a Bachelors in Applied Physiology & Kinesiology, a Masters in Sports Medicine, and holds several nationally and internationally recognized fitness-related certifications. She is also a former Track & Field Coach and Strength & Conditioning Coach at the High School, Division I, and Division II levels, in addition to working with elite athletes as a volunteer at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

Five Fitness Myths Debunked!

MYTH: More protein = big muscles.

Increased protein does not correlate to extra strength or muscle size. In fact, just like carbohydrates, excess protein can be stored as fat. Exercise, rather than excessive protein intake, is the key ingredient to increasing muscle size. While our bodies do require protein to repair and build lean body tissue, the quantity required is much lower than most think. The general recommendation is 0.8 – 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight. Thus, a180pound male would need 65-98 grams of protein per day.

MYTH: Women who lift weights will get bulky.

Women do not have enough testosterone to develop bulky muscles. On average, women produce at least 10 times less testosterone than men. If it were easy to “bulk-up” every male at the gym would look like a body builder!

MYTH: Longer low-intensity exercise burns more fat than high intensity.

Weight-loss is a simple equation: calories in versus calories out. While it is true only a small amount of fat is utilized when exercising at higher intensities, it is also true the rate of caloric expenditure and the total number of calories burned are much higher compared to exercising at lower intensities. Therefore, the total amount of fat utilized (‘burned’) during higher intensity exercise is greater than the fat burned during lower intensity exercise.

MYTH: Abdominal exercises lead to a flat stomach.

Despite the late-night infomercial propaganda and the countless gym-goers who devote 20 minutes a day to crunches, a flat stomach is not achieved from abdominal exercises.  For most people, the key component to getting that desired 6-pack, or greater definition of the abdominals, is a reduction in body fat. Everyone has a 6-pack, it’s just a matter of it being covered by a layer of fat, as unfortunately the human body finds the midsection an ideal spot for fat storage. Numerous studies have shown that when enough calories are being burned to lose weight, fat is reduced from the entire body, not just in the area being exercised.

MYTH: Late-night eating causes weight-gain.

Weight-gain is only achieved through consuming more calories than you burn. Studies have shown there is no correlation between weight-gain and the time of day we eat. If your daily intake of food results in a caloric surplus, you will gain weight. Whether you eat your final meal at 5pm or midnight, it all goes back to a simple equation: calories in versus calories out.

Terrieha Romer is co-owner of RYP Performance, a company specializing in outdoor bootcamps, small group training, one-on-one personal training, program design, and athlete performance training. Terrieha has a Bachelors in Applied Physiology & Kinesiology, a Masters in Sports Medicine, and holds several nationally and internationally recognized fitness-related certifications. She is also a former Track & Field Coach and Strength & Conditioning Coach at the High School, Division I, and Division II levels, in addition to working with elite athletes as a volunteer at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

Fat Burning Zone is a Myth!

This week’s article discusses the myth of the ever-so popular ‘Fat-Burning Zone’. This myth, which specifies the specific heart rate range you must exercise in to ‘burn fat’, is so prevalent manufacturers of cardio equipment proudly display these age-based ranges on their machines.  However, the fact is, during exercise your body uses both fat and carbohydrates as fuel, thus both fat and carbohydrates are ‘burned’.

Exercising at a very low intensity, such as walking, results in fat being utilized (‘burned’) as the primary source of fuel. As exercise intensity increases the contribution of fat being utilized decreases, and the carbohydrate contribution increases. Because fat is the primary source of fuel utilized during low-intensity exercise, it is often assumed that low-intensity exercise is best for burning fat, thus resulting in the ‘fat-burning zone’ myth. However, while it is true only a small amount of fat is utilized when exercising at higher intensities, it is also true the rate of caloric expenditure and the total number of calories burned are much higher compared to exercising at lower intensities. Therefore, the total amount of fat utilized (‘burned’) during higher intensity exercise is greater than the fat burned during lower intensity exercise.

The key point for weight loss is: ‘Calories In versus Calories Out’. The calories consumed must be less than the calories burned. Also, when looking at fuel sources from a weight loss perspective, it matters very little whether the calories burned are from fat or carbohydrates.

            A great way to perform high intensity exercise and decrease your body fat percentage is to incorporate interval training into your cardio training program. Not only does interval training allow you to improve your fitness quickly; it is also more effective than continuous exercise for burning lots of calories during exercise and increasing your post-workout metabolic rate.  For your next cardio workout, try incorporating 8-12 reps of 30 seconds max effort (increasing speed, resistance, or incline), followed by 2-3 minutes at your moderate pace.

Terrieha Romer is co-owner of RYP Performance, a company specializing in outdoor bootcamps, small group training, one-on-one personal training, program design, and athlete performance training. Terrieha has a Bachelors in Applied Physiology & Kinesiology, a Masters in Sports Medicine, and holds several nationally and internationally recognized fitness-related certifications. She is also a former Track & Field Coach and Strength & Conditioning Coach at the High School, Division I, and Division II levels, in addition to working with elite athletes as a volunteer at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Please email any questions and all correspondence to : getstarted@rypperformance.com

Cross-Training makes for a more Complete Workout

One key feature of this blog is a weekly informational fitness-related column. This column will be posted towards the beginning of the week. Some weeks may have a more research focus, while other weeks will be loaded with practical applications. Either way, all columns are based on scientific facts and sound fitness/ training principles. I would love to hear your opinion and am open to dialog on the articles!

This week’s column, which focuses on incorporating Cross-Training into your workout routine, is geared primarily for the recreational athlete, but can be applied across all levels of fitness. Cross-training, which is simply the addition of a new form of exercise to your workout routine, is a great way to mix up your training, decrease your risk of injury, overcome training or physical plateaus, and avoid burnout, all while helping to improve your overall performance and physical fitness. While there are a number of activities you can do to reap the benefits of cross-training, some of the most popular are: Cycling, Trail Running, Swimming, Yoga, Pilates, and Weight Training