The Plaza Pulse
January 2010
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START THE NEW YEAR OFF RIGHT!
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6 WAYS TO FASTER FITNESS RESULTS
Just because summer is a distant memory doesn’t mean you have to stash your fitness routine with your bikini. In fact, if you had been exercising regularly (meaning some yoga classes, walking on the beach, or sessions on the elliptical trainer at the gym), there’s no better time to start ramping up your workouts. According to ExerciseTV celebrity trainer Holly Perkins, increasing the intensity of your fitness regimen is surprisingly easy, not to mention the fastest way to bust a plateau and see serious results. (Who says you can’t still look hot off the beach?) Here Perkins outlines some tricks to rev your routine, so you can strengthen your muscles, lose more fat and improve your athleticism. And, of course, still look hot in your teeny bikini … next summer.
Add one intense workout to your weekly routine for three weeks
“It will build the base toward working harder,” Perkins says. After that, include two per week. What does intense mean? “It depends on the individual,” Perkins says. “Moderate exercise generally means a workout is tough, but you can get through it. For some, jogging might be considered moderate exercise, whereas for others it’s intense.” Generally speaking, for a workout to be intense, you’ll need to feel like the last few minutes are extremely tough so that you literally have to push yourself to finish. Pain, of course, is not the goal. Intensity is the point you hit before pain.
Be sure to rest at least a few days in between intense workouts
For example, if you bust your butt on Monday, take it easy until Thursday. “Intense workouts with several days of rest in between are actually more effective than exercising hard every day,” Perkins says. “You actually get fit while you’re recovering. The point of working out is to exhaust your muscles, and then as they repair and ‘knit,’ that’s when they strengthen.” In other words, your body literally tones up while you sleep.
Re-fuel immediately following your workouts
“You should eat as soon as you finish — within 30 minutes of your workout,” Perkins says. “That’s when your muscles need the nutrients most and your metabolism is still elevated from the recent exercise.” Perkins suggests combining protein and fruit. “Real food is best, meaning lean meat, dairy, eggs or soy. Protein shakes are OK, too,” Perkins says.
Stay active on your easy days
Increasing the intensity of your overall fitness plan doesn’t mean you give up your regular moderate gigs. Continue to do yoga, walk or jog in between the tough workouts. “Light movement helps muscles ‘repair’ by increasing the body’s temperature and circulation,” Perkins says. “It also helps flush negative byproducts (like lactic acid) that can cause soreness.”
Remember to challenge yourself
If your “intense” workouts start feeling easy, go faster or jump. “Quite simply, sprinting and jumping boost intensity because you’re working harder against gravity,” Perkins says. Skipping rope is one way to boost your heart’s pump.
Take a break … sometimes
If you’ve been exercising intensely for several weeks and sense you’re hitting a plateau, it’s effective to take a week off. “Further increasing intensity is one way to keep progressing, but sometimes the body plateaus when it needs rest,” Perkins says, “ A week off with ‘active rest’ like cycling or walking can literally re-charge your muscles.”
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