Fit Tips

  • Weights before cardio! And, carbohydrates are good! Carbohydrates, stored as glycogen in the muscles, are a necessary fuel for strenuous exercise. When lifting weights, you need these glycogen stores to build muscle. If you do your cardio first and deplete your glycogen stores, you run the risk of losing muscle instead of gaining it.
  • Whether you are weight training for endurance (12-15 reps) or weight training for strength (6-8 reps), by the last rep you should feel as though you have to put the weight down.  
  • Running around your neighborhood again? Run your regular route in the opposite direction so your body doesn't know when the hills are coming.
  • Staying hydrated helps to:
    • Regulate your appetite
    • Increase your metabolism
    • Boost your energy levels
    • Decrease water retention and bloating
    • Alleviate headaches
    • Release toxic waste products
    • Improve your skin
      • Twice a week, challenge yourself with HIIT (high-intensity interval training). You will blast fat and help your muscles use oxygen more efficiently. With your cardio of choice, for 1-2 minutes bring your heart rate up to 90%-95% then recover for 1-2 minutes. Repeat for a total of 20 minutes! Burn baby burn!
      • Try something new to stimulate your muscles. For example, take two of your normal weight-training days out of the gym and into a Pilates reformer class. By training your muscles in a different method, you will help to develop a stronger body and mind.
      • Rise and shine 20 minutes earlier to enjoy some cardio first thing in the morning. Not only will this help to rev up your metabolism, but it will give your body an instant boost of natural energy to use for the rest of the day!