High Energy Playlist

I was talking to one of my favorite instructors at the gym this weekend to get tips on how to shake up my workout routine and get out of the rut that has been leading to me skipping the gym. One of his suggestions was to get some music that really pumps me up, and I liked that because I could put together a new playlist with very little effort and have something to be excited to get to the gym and use.

I went through my existing song library and spent some time looking for new stuff online and put together a mix that I’m really pumped about. It’s high energy all the way through with a big push at the end. Here are the songs:

1. DJ Got Us Fallin In Love – Usher
2. Firework – Katy Perry
3. We R Who We R – Ke$ha
4. We Got It Goin’ On – Bon Jovi with Big & Rich
5. Paralyzer – Finger Eleven
6. Hot n Cold – Katy Perry
7. Don’t Cha – Pussycat Dolls
8. How Far We’ve Come – Matchbox 20

Those who know me in real life will know this isn’t reflective of my typical taste in music (I’m more of a rock girl – hence the rock interlude in the middle!) but I find that pop music has a better tempo for a cardio workout and keeps me more pumped up over the course of the workout. This song list has the added benefit of being 30.3 minutes long, exactly the right time for a short but intense cardio blast.

I  may work on a strength training playlist next to mimic my BodyPump class next. Those songs would be slower but vary in tempo more to work the muscles with both fast and slow movements. So stay tuned (pun totally intended!) for that soon.

Suggestions are welcome for cardio, strength, and any others since I’ll probably get sick of these songs in a month or so. What are your favorite songs to work out to?

Workout DVD Review: Jillian Michael’s “Burn Fat, Boost Metabolism”

I mentioned in a post yesterday that I bought the Jillian Michaels “Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism” DVD  . Well, I tried it this morning and figured I’d share my thoughts with you.

To be honest, it wasn’t quite the cardio blast I was expecting. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not easy. But because the entire workout is 6 minute circuits (7 of them total) you never do any one exercise for more than a minute. Many of them got my heart pumping, but then the next exercise would be less intense or there’d be a brief rest in between and it would calm down. I still felt every move – lots of plyogenics and core work. And I think I’ll be sore tomorrow. But the jury is out on how much of a “fat blaster” this will be vs. an intense spin class or elliptical session.

Regardless, I’m going to keep doing it. It’s a good workout, builds muscles I need to build, and gives me something different to do when I’m sick of my regular classes and/or can’t get to the trainer. And if I need a more intense cardio session I can always do two levels of her butt-kicking “30 Day Shred” DVD instead.

So all in all, I’d say 4 stars (out of 5) and worth the $9.69 I paid for it at Tar-jay. The best part is, I got my workout in for the day and don’t have to worry about finding the energy after work. Hooray for being done!

Exercise Plan: 7/5 – 7/11

After talking to my trainer tonight, the consensus is that I need to do more cardio, with greater intensity, to really burn fat and get lean.  I won’t abandon strength training as that’s also key. But I’m going to look for classes and activities that combine the two. Using multiple muscle groups at once drives maximum calorie burn, so it’s win-win. Plus, it’s shorter.  

Since I started this challenge on a Tuesday, I’m going to track my weeks starting on Tuesdays. That’s also symbolic because my first WW meetings were on Tuesdays so I’m back on my original schedule. Here’s my exercise plan for the week:

Tuesday 7/5: Workout w/ trainer (incline treadmill walking, drills, circuts, stair running, boxing – we do it all!)
Wednesday 7/6: Yoga DVD for flexibility
Thursday 7/7: Jillian Michaels “Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism” DVD   (just bought this – I’m scared, but excited!!)
Friday 7/8: Spin or Bootcamp class
Saturday 7/9: Body Pump and Cardio Kickboxing classes (I’m going to try to pull a double!)
Sunday 7/10: Cardio Kickboxing
Monday 7/11: Day of rest (Monday stink anyway, so I give myself a break from working out)

I’m going light with yoga today because I need time to hit the grocery store and make a meal plan (and some meals!) for the rest of this week. So stay tuned for new recipes and ideas to jazz things up in the kitchen. I was really inspired by the friends I went to the lake with over the 4th, both of whom are great healthy/natural cooks, so I expect my “clean eating” plan to be easier than ever. Yum!!

Exercise = Energy

It’s always hard to know when to start back with exercise after being sick, but this morning I just couldn’t take it any more. I didn’t want to push it and make myself worse, but I needed to move. So I went to the gym at my apartment complex and just walked on the treadmill at a moderate pace of 2.5 mph. My original plan was to walk for 15 minutes and see how I feel with a goal of 30. I actually did 40 minutes because at 30 min I wasn’t done with the magazine I was reading, and I felt really good.

I have to say, that walk has made me feel better than any cold medicine I took today. I feel energized enough that I cleaned up the mess that had become my apartment, did the dishes, and am about to jump in the shower and do some work. I don’t want to push it, but I really do feel energized.

So if you’re feeling a little down or low energy during these snowy, winter months – get moving. It makes all the difference!

I’ve been a bad blogger

We just wrapped up Yom Kippur, and I must atone for not posting to the blog since September 3rd. That’s 17 days! In my defense it’s been a crazy busy month with travel or something going on here every weekend. I haven’t been eating or planning as well as I’d like, but I have started stepping up my exercise. I have been starting a new plan in Self Magazine for exercise that gives you simple “routines” to push your cardio further. So far my favorite is an elliptical interval workout that goes something like this:

5 min @ level 6
5 min @ level 7
2 min @ level  8
1 min @ level 11
2 min @ level 7
1 min @ level 12
2 min @ level 6
1 min @ level 13
2 min @ level 5
1 min @ level 14
2 min @ level 4
1 min @ level 15
2 min @ level 3
1 min @ level 16
2 min @ level 2

Total = 30 min

This workout has been really kicking my tush, and getting me to pay closer attention because I have to move the level up and down manually. There are also two strength training workouts that go with it. I have yet to do one of those, but plan to start tomorrow. The Web site said that they take more than the alloted 20 min (more like 30) but that’s OK. A 30 min standard time per day actually helps make a more predictable schedule.

I’m also planning on a marathon cooking session soon, so stay tuned for some great new fall recipes! I promise I won’t take so long a break next time. I need to blog as much as you like (I hope!) to read it!

Focusing on fitness

I write alot about food on this blog, but exercise is an important part of any effort to maintain a healthy weight. So starting this week I’m going to try to post a Weekly Fitness Plan in addition to my daily meal plans. My WW week runs Saturday – Friday so I’ll use that as a “week” for the purpose of these posts.  Here is my fitness plan for the week of 8/28/10 – 9/3/10

Sun: Kickboxing (6 APs – done!)
Tues: 30 min elliptical trainer (3 APs – done!)
Wed: Kickball (1 AP)
Thur: 60 min power walk (3 APs)
Fri: Spin class (5 APs)

Total APs to be earned this week: 18

This week is missing my normal strength training – BodyPump class on Saturday – but that’s because I was away last Saturday. I’ll pick that back up this coming Saturday because muscle-building is really important to long-term weight management. Muscle burns more calories, so staying lean is important.

What’s your fitness plan for this week?

The hardest part is walking through the door

Tuesday night I (re)learned a lesson that many people already know, and yet somehow need to be reminded of over and over again.  I learned that the hardest part is walking through the door.

For some, this applies to their first Weight Watchers meeting. (Or their second, third, or fourth “first” meeting!).  For me, it was the gym. I had been on vacation, and had been so involved with a fun decorating project at home that I hadn’t made it to the gym all week. Then I got a cold, so another few days passed when I didn’t exercise.  And I’ll be honest – I really, really, really didn’t want to go back. I like exercise. I like how it makes me feel. But for some reason I was afraid of going back and having lost so much strength, endurance, etc. It’s silly because it had only been like 8 days. But I was in such a place of low energy that it was physically daunting to think about a workout.

But I knew that exercise would help the low energy, so I forced myself to take that first step – driving to the gym. I used the season premier of The Biggest Loser as motivation (I find it wrong to watch BL sitting on the couch, so I usually hit the gym and watch it on the elliptical or treadmill). I told myself I would just walk at a leisurely pace on the treadmill to ease myself back into it. That’s all. Nothing strenuous. Just a little light walking.

A funny thing happened when I got to the gym, though. I looked at the treadmill and said “I can do better. I can do the elliptical. I won’t push myself hard, but I’ll do the elliptical for 30 min.” I got on and set it to resistance 8, which is two notches below my normal level 10. 

I don’t know if it was the endorphins, the motivating stories of the Biggest Loser, or a combination of the two, but I suddenly felt a surge of energy. I upped the resistance to level 10, and did the full 30 min! It wasn’t my most strenuous workout, but I felt great afterward.

There was just one problem…the season premier was 2 hours!  It was only about 9:10 at this point, and I didn’t want to miss part of the show driving home from the gym. So I hopped over to the treadmill and did that leisurely walk I had planned, for another 45 minutes!  It was such a boost, I was really proud of myself.

And tonight, I went back. Again, nothing too strenuous. I hopped on the recumbent bike for 45 minutes so I could read a book that I have to return to the library in 7 days. (Wouldn’t want a late fee!) But it was so much easier to go tonight than last night.  And Friday morning’s spin class will be a little easier. Slowly but surely (and maybe even not that slowly) I’ll remember how great it feels to exercise, how much I love the classes that I do, and I’ll be back into my normal routine.

So if you want to start something but feel a little overwhelmed or daunted, just ask yourself this – what’s the very first, next thing I need to do to get started? Is it making an appointment with a trainer? Picking a date and time for your first WW meeting? Whatever it is, promise yourself that you’ll just show up. You’ll walk through the door. I promise that if you do that one thing – hard as it is – the rest will fall into place.

My favorite running songs

I usually post about food, but exercise is a key part of weight management so I figure why not spend some time talking about that. Today was the first sunny day in FOREVER here in the Northeast, so I took advantage of the weather to get in a run outside. I am by no means an avid runner – I can barely eek out 2 miles – but I keep trying because I know it makes me stronger. But I cannot, under any circumstances, run without music.  So I thought I’d share my favorite running songs with you. Keep in mind I’m a slow runner so these may be too slow for you. But they really get/keep my adrenaline going!

Let’s Get This Party Started (Pink)
How Far We’ve Come (Rob Thomas)
Come Baby Come (K7 – gross lyrics, great beat!)
Don’t Cha (Pussycat Dolls)
Miami (Will Smith)
Candyman (Christina Aguilera)
Any Way You Want It (Journey)
Blame It On The Love Of Rock & Roll (Bon Jovi)
Last Man Standing (Bon Jovi)
I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead (Bon Jovi)
Into The Night (Chad Kroger & Santana)
Let’s Get It Started (Blackeyed Peas)
Let’s Get Loud (J. Lo)
We Got It Goin’ On (Bon Jovi)
When I Grow Up (Pussycat Dolls)

Yes, I have weird, diverse taste in music. And I get bored of songs easily, so the list rotates. But these are just a few of my favorites.  Feel free to use these, or your own favorites, but whatever you do – get moving!

Activity Points Jackpot: Cross-Country Skiing

I’ve always said I wanted to try cross-country skiing, and this past weekend I finally did it.  Despite the fact that it was 9 degrees when we started and a balmy 29 when we finished, it was an absolute blast!  And when I returned home after 2.5 hours of skiing, I checked online to learn that I had earned 14 Activity Points.  Yes, you heard me right – 14.  It boggles my mind that I could earn 14 APs and actually have FUN doing it!

If you’re interested in trying this great winter activity, here’s a link to the place I went: Great Brook Ski Touring Center

And here are a few recommendations based on my experience:

- Dress in layers.  Despite the cold I ended up sweating very quickly.

- Downhill ski clothing works well, if you have it. I wore the underlayer, ski pants, fleece, socks, and ski coat that I got to try downhill skiing  last year (a whole nother experience, not as enjoyable!).  It was the perfect gear, although in warmer weather I don’t think I would have needed all of it.

- Bring a face-mask, if you have it. The wind was blowing off and on, and having a breathable face mask helped keep me warm.

- Stretch afterward. You don’t realize how much you work your arms and legs, and I am still sore 2 days later because I didn’t break up the lactic acid in my muscles (esp. my quads).  I won’t make that mistake again!

- Stay in the tracks.  At least when you first start, it’s easier to follow the tracks of other skiiers than trek over freshly groomed terrain. Even though you’re not going downhill (except for a few small hills in the natural terrain) it’s easy to lose your balance on bumpy snow.

- Go early. It was a sunny day, despite the cold, and by noon when we finished (started at 9:30) the snow had started to ice over, making things much more slippery. I was glad that we got there before the big crowds.

I hope you’ll consider this very fun activity if you live in an appropriate climate. I generally hate winter and all things snow-related, but – much to my surprise – cross-country skiing is an outdoor winter activity that I look forward to doing again.  (That’s not to say I want the snow to say longer than it has to, but while it’s here at least now I can enjoy it!)

Awesome Workout: Jillian Michael’s 30-Day Shred

So far most of my posts have had to do with food and eating, but today I wanted to post about my favorite new workout video. It’s called “Jillian Michael’s 30-Day Shred“.  For those of you who don’t watch TV, Jillian is one of the trainers on NBC’s show “The Biggest Loser“. 

I had heard good things about this DVD, so I asked for it for the holidays.  One of the most appealing aspects was the length – each workout is only 20 minutes, but combines cardio, strength training, and abs for maximum calorie burn.  I wasn’t too sure how much of a workout I could get in 20 minutes, especially since I’m relatively fit.  Well, let me tell you!  The Level 1 workout had me sweating within 5 minutes!!! Here’s how it works:

3 workouts on the DVD, each of which is progressively harder
Each one is 20 minutes long, with a short warm-up, 3 circuits that are 6 minutes each, then a cool-down
Each circuit follows the same pattern: 3 min strength, 2 min cardio, 1 min abs

I’ve only done Level 1 so far, but man is it is tough! Here’s the basic program:

• Warm up: Arm circles and jumping jacks (it really gets the blood flowing!) 
• Circuit 1: push ups then squats with shoulder presses at the same time, jumping jacks and tush kicks for cardio, then crunches (upper and lower). 
• Circuit 2: lat pulls then lunges with bicep curls, punches and jumprope for cardio, then oblique crunches.
• Circuit 3 : side lunges with front raises then chest flies, all 4 cardio moves repeated, then bicycle for abs.
• Cooldown: Basic stretching, nothing too complex 

Let me tell you, by the time you’re done you are sweating!  I was sore the next day after my first time “shredding”.

I really like this DVD because I can do it on days when I don’t have a ton of time, but still get a great workout in.  At my current weight it’s 2 APs, although that will vary depending on your weight.  But I’m in the < 150 category so typically 20 min of anything doesn’t earn even 1 AP.  But this is definitely a high intensity workout, without a doubt!

If you’re looking for a kick-a** workout that doesn’t take a lot of time, and one that anyone can do regardless of weight, definitely pick this one up. I included the Amazon link above but it’s also available at most book and DVD stores, and I know I saw it at Target last week.  Happy Shredding!