This blog has moved to www.foxfitness.com.
30
Jun
09
Blog has moved!
A friend of mine, Rebecca Cagle, is a life coach and although she deals with every angle of your life she can also narrow in on obstacles to reaching health and fitness. Exercise is not just about weights and cardio training, but about the obstacles to reaching your goals and setting aside the time to actually squeeze those workouts in. All too often we start on a program and never complete. Here are som suggestions to those common quetions below:
I would like to exercise but my schedule is packed. Would should I do? It sounds like you are overcommitted. Take the time to go over your schedule. Look at you calendar and make a list of activities in which you are involved. Do a cost-benefit analysis on each activity. You may be surprised at which ones you can do without. Remove as many as possible that you can live without and schedule time for exercise. Not only will you find time to exercise, you will also find free time to relax and decompress from the daily stresses of life.
Exercising alone is not fun and I cannot stick with it. Where do I turn for help? For accountability and making it a social experience, get a personal trainer like Becky Fox, owner of Fox Fitness. You can work out with her one to one or in a Boot Camp where several people exercise together Either way you will have the fun of sharing exercise with at least one other person. And you will have more incentive to keep your commitment to yourself to stay fit. It is a more rewarding energetic experience.
If you have a question for Professional Life Coach Rebecca Cagle, BS, PLC email her at beccacagle@juno.com Answers to questions are general in nature and may not apply to your specific circumstances. Rebecca is based in Knoxville, TN and her web sites are: www.empowermentlifecoach.com and www.equestrianlifecoach.net
23
Jun
09
Q & A: Interval Training
Becky,
Would you mind to explain something to me? How exactly do you do interval training? If you do 2 minutes at a level 5, then increase your intensity for 2 min at a level 6 and so on. If you walk, do an elliptical, treadmill etc. what exactly does that mean. I guess what I am trying to ask is when it says increase your intensity, that does not mean increase your resistance, like on a elliptical or treadmill you can increase from 1 being the lowest resistance all the way up to ten being the highest, of course it gets harder as you increase. I read that interval training is the best way to burn fat, I have never been really sure how to do this. I am the one with the knee replacement so I don’t jog anymore except maybe a little on the treadmill, also, do you know if jogging a little only on the treadmill where you get some padding would be hard in the long run on your knee replacement? Thanks for your time.
Gail
Thank you for your question Gail. Interval training is mixing high intensity bursts of exercise with moderate bursts of exercise (recovery periods). It is designed to get your heart rate soaring and thus is something that is generally done for a shorter period of time. So your cardio session may only last 20 minutes. It’s great though because it burns a lot of fat and boosts your metabolism.
Intervals can be completed for any type of exercise or equipment: treadmill, elliptical, bike, etc…What you want to do is mix in intervals of a higher intensity with intervals of a lower intensity. Intervals are short and can be a structured in a variety of ways and all depends on your fitness level.
The best way to look at is on a scale of 1-10. A level 1 is easy, not difficult at all and 10 is really difficult. This is your perception of how hard you are working based on how you feel and your heart rate, not a level on the machine. So first determine what your general intensity level is when you exercise. Let’s say it’s a 5. So level 5 is a comfortable exertion for you and is a level you could maintain for 30-45 minutes. During your high intensity burst of interval training you should be working harder than this, say at level 6 or 7. During your moderate burst you will work at your normal level or slightly lower (4 or 5) depending on how you feel. The idea here is to recover so you can continue to work hard through that next high interval burst.
The amount of time for intervals can vary slightly. Starting out you will want to have a longer recovery period. You may start with 2 minute on and 2-3 minutes off. Or you can shoot for shorter intervals of a minute each or even longer up to 3 minutes. Just play around with it and change it up from time to time to get variety out of your workouts.
Also, to increase the intensity you can either increase your speed or increase the resistance or incline. So this means picking up the speed (treadmill: increase speed, bike/elliptical: pedal faster) or adding an incline or increasing the resistance. Or you can combine the two. Often on an elliptical I will bump up the resistance and make an effort to pedal a little bit faster during that high intensity phase.
Also, make sure to always warm-up for about 5 minutes at a slow pace to get your blood flowing and the body ready for exercise. Here is an example I found online at http://exercise.about.com/cs/cardioworkouts/l/blbeginterval.htm
Warm up 5 Minutes: RPE 3-4: Warm Up at an easy pace Rest Set
3 Minutes: RPE 5: Increase speed from warm up and increase incline 1%. Keep a moderate pace. Work Set
1 Minute: RPE 6 – Increase incline 1-3% to raise the intensity level. You should be working harder! Rest Set
3 Minutes: RPE 5 – Decrease speed and incline to lower your heart rate back to a comfortable level Work Set
1 Minute: RPE 6 – Increase speed 3-5 increments and increase incline 1-2% to raise intensity. Rest Set
3 Minutes: RPE 5 – Decrease speed and incline to lower your heart rate back to a comfortable level Cool down
5 Minutes: RPE 3-5 – Decrease speed/incline to lower your heart rate back to a comfortable level and cool down.
So Gail, this should give you an idea how to start your interval training. Best of luck with your program!
Make sure to check out the article on Knoxville boot camps from Thursday’s business section! Click here to read.
Summer is finally here: Warm weather, sunny days, and lots of anxiety about putting on your bathing suit. On New Year’s day, you committed to working out every day and eating only healthy and nutrient rich foods, so what happened? Why weren’t you able to reach your goals? There are many reasons.
First, look back at your goals. Were the specific of vague? Without a specific goal in mind you really don’t have a clear path as to where you are going, so you are bound to get lost. A goal of “just wanting to lose weight” is not going to get you too far. So be specific: “I want to lose 25 lbs by summer and once again fit into those smaller pants!” or rather than “Wanting to eat more fruits and veggies” you vow to “Eat at least 6 fruits and veggies a day!”
Next determine if your goals were realistic. Trying to lose 30 lbs in 30 days or becoming a bodybuilder overnight are not realistic goals. You’re not going to lose that much FAT in 30 days or gain massive muscle overnight. So avoid setting yourself up for frustration and failure. Be realistic. Make an achievable goal such as losing 1-2 lbs each week.
Lastly, lay out your path to reach your goals. What are you going to do? Take a fitness class 3 days a week? Log your food and to be more aware of what you are eating? Whatever it is start doing it and write down what you plan to do to accomplish your goals. Start following these tips, and you should be on your way to a beach body in no time!
Often, clients will ask me “How hard am I supposed to work when performing cardio?” Essentially this is referring to intensity of the workout. The harder you work the more calories you are going to burn. There are a few ways to determine how hard to work:
Follow the Borg RPE scale. This is a scale that runs from 0-10 based on how hard or easy you are working out. Zero equates to sitting in a chair, while ten is something that is very difficult and can only be sustained for a brief period of time such a few minutes. Generally you should fall somewhere between a 4 and a 6 to get maximum benefit out of your workout.
0 - Nothing at all
0.5 - Just noticeable
1 - Very light
2 - Light
3 - Moderate
4 - Somewhat heavy
5 - Heavy
6
7 - Very heavy
8
9
10 - Very, very heavy
Take your heart rate. Whether you count it yourself or use a heart rate monitor, heart rate can be a great measure of intensity. You want to keep you heart rate between 65-85% of your maximum heart rate.
To determine your maximum heart rate use this formula: 220 – Your Age
Once you have that number multiply it by .65 and by .85 to get your target heart rate range. This number gives you the beats per minute you should expect to reach a fat, burning intensity. Keep in mind this is an estimate and some medications can affect your heart rate.
Try the talk test. You want to get to a point where talking is a bit difficult while you are exercising, yet it can still be done. If talking is a breeze, then pick up the pace or if you’re wheezing and couldn’t talk if you tried, then you need to slow down the pace until you can.
01
Jun
09
2 Minute Workout DVD’s
2 Minute Workouts I know it can be difficult to fit in a workout. So many things to do and never enough time. How can you possibly squeeze in a workout? How can you get fit when there is so little time?
I always suggest quick, time efficient workouts. Intervals and circuit training are great ways to accomplish a killer workout. My mentor, Michael Seril, out in California has come up with a solution to get your heart rate pumping and get you sweating in only 2 minutes. He is now promoting his 2 Minute Workout DVD’s. The DVD includes 10 different 2-minute workouts.
I tried them personally and trust me they work! They are great for beginners to advanced levels of fitness. So if you are tired of going to the gym or not getting the results you desire, I would suggest trying out the DVD. The cost is less than a gym membership and you will definitely get your heart rate up and sweat dripping down your forehead.
So try it today! There is a free video when you log on to the site, so you have nothing to lose.
30
May
09
Fattest states in America
Are you living in one of the fattest states in America? I know my state of TN ranks in at number 6 and my home state of Michigan ranks in at a number 10, so while neither are the worst, they are both high up on that list. And according to statistics, nearly 1 in 3 people around me are obese! This is shocking especially since this number does not include overweight individuals. So can you image the numbers if that group were included as well?!
And even more shocking, is the fact that not a single state reversed their numbers from the last time this was measured. So every state either got fatter or stayed the same. So there is an obvious trend here that we need to pay attention to.
Well that strikes me as my passion is to help individuals, especially women, here in Knoxville to lose that weight and look better and feel better about themselves.
So follow this link from The Calorie Lab to see where your state falls. And I challenge you to find ways to get reverse this growing trend of obesity, whether it’s starting with yourself or encouraging someone else.
27
May
09
World’s Fair Park Boot Camp
World’s Fair Park Boot Camp is off to a great start! With a great terrain to work with: lots of benches, stairs, a big grassy lawn, and more we have a lot of fun working out! However it’s been a bit warm these past few days, but we always do a great job of pushing through.
Get ready! Get Foxy Fitness Bootcamp is coming June 2009.
With locations in West Knoxville, Fountain City, and World’s Fair Park you can finally lose weight, tone up, and increase your energy levels with this fun, challenging, interval class. And don’t worry, we encourage you to work at your own pace, so fitness level and age doesn’t matter. Most of are clients are in their 30′s, 40′s, and 50′s and are looking to lose those extra pounds!
Not only do you get a great butt kicking workout but also:
- Free 4 week nutrition e-course
- 4 passes to a grocery store tour with owner Becky Fox
- Unlimited support from a certified personal trainer
- Free gifts such as: water bottles, T-shirst, mats, and more
- RESULTS!
- A healthier, foxier new you!
We encourage guests and reward referrals! Classes are ongoing so start anytime.
Contact Becky at becky@foxfitness.com to sign up for a free class!
