(ALL exercise is good, and we physiologically require a variety of motion. But, certain types of exercise are superior for fat loss.)

Here’s the link to the article:

http://EzineArticles.com/?id=3881498

Enjoy… and pass it along to someone you know who is trying to shed some fat and get back into better shape!

Click here to view the embedded video.

I always talk about the importance of moving your spine and all its surrounding tissues in order to fuel up your brain for health and happiness.

Sheesh! Just imagine how healthy and happy these young ladies must be! Lol!!

(Not to mention the nice abs, core strength and overall sleek physiques they have! Hula on, baby!)

I’ve been taking mental notes of all things health-related since our arrival, which is pretty par for the course with me! I take it all in: healthy options on restaurant menus, healthier grocery store options, fitness rooms at hotels, people out exercising, etc.

This morning, I went out for a run along the beach walk. Rough, I know!

I was surprised to see the incredibly high number of less-than-fit bodies out walking. I was very glad to see so many people out moving… but I had a bad feeling that they may only be doing this because they’re on vacation in Maui!

I saw hundreds of people out today. BUT, I saw less than 50 who looked fit and trim. And, I only saw TWO who were really, really in fabulous condition.

I came upon this couple from behind… I spotted them from quite a distance. They were standing off to the side of the beach walk, in their minimal work out attire, on a large grassy area next to the beach. They stuck out like sore thumbs!  Gorgeous, lean, trim and fit bodies – not too muscle-bound… just lean and sleek. Ahhh… I love healthy bodies! They were easily the fittest bodies on the beach.

I had a feeling I knew exactly what type of a work out they were doing, based on how lean their bodies were.

I was right. As I came closer, they took off like lightening bolts, running at top speed along the grass! I looked back a couple times and saw that they were repeating these high-intensity interval bursts. Approximately 25-35 seconds of sprinting and then walking back to the starting point. I’m not sure how many times they repeated the intervals (’cuz I was a little busy finishing off a 5 mile run!), but it doesn’t really matter.

The point is, do intervals to burn the most fat!

That was a great visual reminder for me. I don’t see too many people in Michigan in the month of March out there running with as little clothing on as possible! This was fantastic reinforcement and motivation to continue including 2 or 3 of these types of running intervals in my weekly work out schedule!

Obviously it works!

No, I don’t do each of those every day, silly… I DO have a job and a family to take care of! I do some combination of spinal hygiene (stretching, proprioceptive moves and postural exercises) each morning, and the rest is sprinkled all over the place!

I’ve had a narrowed focus for the past couple of weeks – I’m doing a bit more of the high-intensity interval training right now. It’s a two-fold purpose. 1) My body just feels like it right now! And, 2) I very recently was informed that we’re blessed enough to be heading someplace very warm next week. Not much else can motivate you to step it up another notch than finding out you’ll be living in a bathing suit (in public) for a week… and that you won’t be able to totally escape being caught in a family photo or two!

Here’s what the last week has looked like:

Wednesday

This was sort of a “cardio intervals” work out. I couldn’t get away for a running/sprinting work out with the kids off school last week, so I modified the plan.

1 minute of Bosu ball “scoots” – kind of side skipping over the Bosu ball at a quick pace, going from side lunge to side lunge

1 minute straddle jumps onto Bosu, landing in wide squats when down on the floor, popping up onto the ball

30 seconds of reverse lunges off the Bosu ball

30 two-foot bench jump-ups

1 minute of alternating side bench jump-ups – same type of move as the Bosu scoot!

Abs: 30 recumbent straight leg raises off bench

30 two-foot bench jump-overs – *warning* – these can be dangerous little buggers! I had two more jumps to go, and was needing a little extra oomph, so I used my arms a little bit too much. I ended up gouging a dent out of my forehead with own thumb nail!! Duh! Tip – when you get tired, don’t use your arms for assistance tooooo much!

30 side-to-side parallel bench jump-overs

30 alternating swivel chair kicks – great for abs! Swivel kicks over a high-back chair. It’s surprising how heavy our legs are!

(I think this was about a 20 – 25 minute work out… forgot to write it down as I tended to an silly bleeding forehead before going in to the office!)

Thursday

25 squats on flat side of Bosu ball with 2 x 25 lb. dumbbells on shoulders

20 chin-ups

20 decline push-ups onto flat side of Bosu ball

alternating squats/front kicks for 1 minute

15 wide biceps curls with 2 x 15 lb. db’s

30 dips with feet on flat side of Bosu, ankles crossed

15 lateral shoulder raises with 2 x 15 lb. db’s

25 (each side) lunges with rear foot on chair, front foot on round side of Bosu ball – 2 x 25 lb. db’s

15 (each side) 1-arm rowing with 50 lb. Bowflex cable

20 chest presses with 80 lbs. Bowflex cables

18 biceps curls (ea.) with 30 lb. BF cables – held #20 for 30 seconds

20 overhead triceps French press with 30 lb. BF cable

20 dead lifts off the bench, 2 x 35 lb. db’s

20 side-to-side lunges, over the top of Bosu, 2 x 25 lb. db’s

30 alternating bench step-ups with 2 x 25 lb. db’s

25 jack knives on exercise ball

1 minute mountain climbers

Took Guinness for a long walk.

Friday

(usual morning routine)

Ran 3.5 miles. “Normal” run for the first 1.5-2 miles. 45-60 seconds intervals of sprinting/2 minutes of jogging/walking for the last 1.5+ miles.

Took Guinney-Bopper for a walk.

Saturday

Usual morning routine of stretching, proprioceptive moves + more abs work, calisthenics and yoga. Approx. 25  – 30 minutes.

Sunday

(morning routine – short one)

Ran 5 miles – normal run for first 2.5; intervals for the last 2.5. Did 6 or 7 intervals of 80-100% effort for 45 – 60 seconds, with recovery periods of 2-3 minutes for most of them… some longer if they included going back down to normal running pace.

Abs: two sets of 30 pelvic/leg lifts with medicine ball between knees, two sets of crunch variations with 35 lb. db on chest – 12 & 16 reps, 25 oblique crunches on Bosu ball (each side) with medicine ball on chest

Walked dog-breath, too.

Monday

This work out was supposed to be a high-intensity fat-burning work out, but I kind of ran out of steam by the time I got around to it! The kids were off school and we had been playing out in the NEW deep snow for a l-o-n-g time… my legs were whooped! The work out was still really good, just not as high-intensity as I had originally planned.

I’ve misplaced the details of the work out, but I can tell you the basic exercises I did…

squats on the flat side of Bosu ball

2-arm rows on ball

chest flyes with dumbbells while lying on ball

dead lifts

alternating lunges

biceps curls and reverse grip triceps kickbacks on Bowflex

lateral shoulder raises while kneeling on Bosu ball

a couple 1 minute “intervals” of kneeling on exercise ball

wall squats and wide squats

hamstring/glute curls with exercise ball

Abs: ab vacuums, plank poses – front and side, bent and straight arm

Tuesday

(morning routine)

45 minutes of Tae Bo

Abs: pretty much the same as what I did on Sunday, just added stwo sets of straight leg raises (15 each) with medicine ball between feet

Couple of goofballs!

Ok, Ok… so, I haven’t fully gotten back in the swing of things with posting here regularly. BUT, I have finished the fat loss book and I’ve recorded it!! It was a trade-off… hopefully, you understand!

(The book is called “The 7 Essential Keys to Shedding Toxic Fat and Unwanted Pounds”. It will be available VERY soon… hopefully by as early as tonight or tomorrow!)

Here’s the low-down on daily exercise for the past week or so…

Wednesday

The “cardiac attack” work out! I only had time for 30 minutes of high-intensity movement AND for full-out play with my kids before teaching a seminar that night, soooo… I rolled them into one ball of fun! I ran as hard as I could across our lake – yes, it’s frozen! – pulling the kids behind me on their sleds, through approximately 18 inches of snow! Funny how invigorating it feels when you’re certain that your chest is about to split open!! I ran them to the sledding the hill, then did sprints up the hill while they sledded, then ran back home while pulling them behind me again. Holy cow! Snow rocks!

Thursday

Resistance training intervals work out – 24 minutes.

45 walking lunges with 2 x 25 lb. dumbbells

20 each side, 1-arm rows with 50lb. Bowflex cable

25 2-foot bench jump-ups

25 dead lifts on bench, 2 x 35 lb. db’s

20 each side, isolated biceps curls with elbow on exercise ball – 15 lb. db

20 bent-over reverse flyes, 2 x 15 lb. db’s

20 overhead triceps press while supine on exercise ball, 15 lbs. each side

25 1-leg squats, (one foot up on bench), 2 x 35 lbs. on shoulders

20 chest presses with 80lbs. Bowflex cables, held #20 for 30 seconds

20 triceps kickbacks with 30 lb. BF cables

30 seconds straight arm plank

40 alternating biceps curls with 2 x 25 lb. db’s

60 seconds alternating front squat/side kicks

Friday

15 minutes of old-school calisthenics in the morning, along with spinal hygiene and stretches. Short walk with dog.

Saturday

High-intensity intervals resistance training work out. – 30 minutes

3 minutes of fast-paced cross-body punches and upper-cut combo’s

18 squats on flat side of Bosu ball with 2 x 35 lb. db’s on shoulders

1 minute squats/front kick combo

20 dead lifts on balance disc, 2 x 35 lb. db’s

18 chest presses on exercise ball, 2 x 25 lb. db’s

30 hamstring/glute curls with exercise ball

15 ea. isolated biceps curls on exercise ball – 15 lb (working through an exacerbated elbow injury, that’s why I’m doing more isolated moves and a lighter weight for biceps)

15 wide chest flyes with 2 x 15 lb. db’s on exercise ball

60 seconds of balancing on knees on exercise ball

100 lunges onto Bosu ball with medicine ball – half with a twist, half with ball held straight overhead

1 minute squats/side kick combo

16 each, 1-arm rows with 50 lb. Bowflex cable

15 lateral shoulder raises with 2 x 15 lb. db’s

25 squats on round side of Bosu ball with 35 lb. db’s held up in front

12 2-arm biceps curls with 35 lb. db, elbows on exercise ball

15 reverse-grip triceps kickbacks each side, 30 lb. Bowflex cable

16 triceps French press with 30 lb. BF cable

25 straddle bench jump-ups

25 each side, 1-leg hamstring/glute curls with exercise ball

25 triceps dips with feet on ball

25 abs “pass-overs” with exercise ball

25 jack knives on exercise ball

Sunday

55 minutes out in the nice, deep snow. Walked dog-breath for about 25, then began doing intervals of running. Did approx. 10 full-out sprints in the deep snow for 30-60 seconds each. Incredible work out!

Monday

Couldn’t help myself… broke the training and fat-burning rules and did more of the same! Took the kids out for a walk on the lake/in the snow, then did 8 – 10 full sprints, about 45 seconds each. Longer recovery periods in between some of them, though… had to tackle kids and throw snow at them!

Tuesday

Resistance training – 27 minutes.

25 squats on round Bosu 2 x 25 lbs on shoulders.

15 2-arm bent-over rows on Bosu ball with 2 x 25 lb db’s

12 overhead shoulder presses with 2 x 25 lb. db’s

24 alternating biceps curls with 2 x 25 lb. db’s

12 ea. triceps presses with 25 lb. db

20 1-foot decline push-ups, foot on bench, hands on ball

25 dead lifts, 2 x 35 lb db’s

other leg, 20 1-leg decline push-ups

25 squats on round Bosu, 2 x 25 lbs on shoulders

20 bent-over reverse flyes, 2 x 15 lb. db’s

1 minute squat jumps

15 each side triceps kickbacks 30 lb.s Bowflex cable

16 each side biceps curls 30 lb. BF cable

20 each side 1-leg drop down squat (on bench, squatting down – dropping one leg down toward floor)

60 walking lunges with 2 x 25 lb db’s

12 each biceps curls with 40 lbs. Bowflex cables

16 lateral shoulder raises with 2 x 15 lb db’s

1 minute of mountain climbers

I don’t know how those poor folks who don’t get snow can manage!! It makes for such a FANtastic work out!! (I’d be willing to suffer through a winter with no snow, though… someplace warm and tropical… I’m sure I could find a way to manage! lol!)

Wednesday:

Morning spinal hygiene.

Went for a great 5 mile run! What made it great? The sun, the snow… and the wild-hair-in-my-buttocks that inspired me about a third of the way into the run to start doing interval sprints! I did 10 40-60 sprints during the 5 miles. Awesome work out. Could have easily done fewer miles and gotten ideal fat-burning benefits, but it just felt really good to stay out and keep running. Must be the sun!

Thursday:

Morning spinal hygiene. Lunch time resistance training power work out.

50 alternating front squats/side kicks

50 alternating front squats/front kicks

100 alternating lunges onto Bosu ball, holding/twisting medicine ball

20 dead lifts off edge of bench, 2 x 35 lb. db’s

repeat

35 hamstring/glute exercise ball tucks

20 deep squats/2-arm rows combination move with 35 lb. resistance band

20 chest presses with 35 lb. resistance band

20 narrow-hands push-ups

Took Guinness out for a 40 minute walk.

Friday:

Spinal hygiene in the morning.

Ski day with the kids. Lots of walking up and down hills!

Two short walks with Guinney Bopper

Saturday:

Spinal hygiene and calisthenics in the morning.

Squeezed in a quick resistance training work out in afternoon.

20 squats on round side of Bosu ball with 2 x 25 lb. db’s held up under chin

14 zig-zag chin-ups

20 squats on flat side of Bosu ball with medicine ball held straight out in front

15 overhead shoulder presses with 2 x 15 lb. db’s

15 lateral shoulder raises with 2 x 15 lb. db’s

30 alternating lunges onto Bosu ball with 2 x 25 lb. db’s

15 2-arm rows, standing on ball, 2 x 25 lb. db’s

15 (each side) one-legged squats, standing on bench

Short walk with dog-breath.

Took the kids to a sledding party… ran up the hill a dozen or so times! (And ran – make that sprinted – to the bathroom carrying my son when a collision with another sledder sent him airborne, screaming and bloody!! He’s fine… but 2 winter coats are bloody messes!!)

Sunday:

Skated with the kiddlings for quite awhile in the afternoon.

Walked dog-breath for about 20 minutes.

Monday:

Spinal hygiene exercises and stretches in morning.

4.5 mile easy run, meaning steady-state and moderate intensity. Not great for fat burning, but great for my attitude! : )

Tuesday:

Resistance training work out when I first got up… couldn’t do “power moves” because everyone was still sleeping and I couldn’t make that much noise! ; P

20 wide stance squats with 2 x 35 lb. db’s

17 dead lifts with 2 x 35 lb. db’s

12 overhead presses with 2 x 25 lb. db’s

15 lateral shoulder raises with 2 x 5 lb. db’s

25 (each side) lunges: front leg on round side of Bosu ball, rear leg up on chair, holding 2 x 25 lb. db’s

20 2-arm rows standing on flat side of Bosu ball

20 squats on round side of Bosu ball with 35 lb. db held up under chin

15 decline/bridge push-ups – feet on chair, hands on round side of Bosu ball

15 lateral raises with 2 x 15 lb. db’s

30 alternating lunges with 2 x 25 lb. db’s

16 reverse-grip triceps kickbacks with 30 lb. cable on Bowflex (each side)

24 biceps curls (each side), with 30 lb. cable on Bowflex, 12 front curls, 12 cross body curls

Since several of you have continued to ask for specifics of what I actually do (or maybe you’re just testing me!!), here’s part one of what the last week and a half has looked like, exercise-wise.

Friday:

I did a fun, fat-burning “cardio pump” work out… complete with really tacky techno music for a fast beat! (The first part of the work out was very fast and high-intensity. Then I focused on some strength-building moves.)

100 cross-body punches in low stance

100 reach-overs while in low stance

1 minute alternating squats/side kicks

1.5 minute alternating squats/front kicks

75 seconds of upper cuts with focus on peak contraction of core as well as upper arms

1 minute front squats

Warrior 2 pose, 90 seconds each side

Warrior 1, 90 seconds each side

hamstring/glute curls with exercise ball – 25

1 minute alternating squats/front kicks

Later in the day, I took the kids out for an arctic hike! We did some hill running… then came home after about 40 minutes to thaw our toes!

Saturday:

The usual spinal hygiene exercises and stretches in the  morning.

Took dog-breath Guinness out for a 30 minute walk.

Sunday:

Ran 4.5 miles.

Monday:

25 minutes of the usual morning spinal hygiene and calisthenics, plus some yoga.

Went on 40 minute walk with Guinney-Bopper.

Tuesday:

The usual morning routine then a resistance training work out a bit later.

20 squats on flat side of Bosu ball with 2 x 35 lb. dumbbells

15 dead lifts, off bench, with 2 x 35 lb. db’s

28 alternating biceps curls, standing on balance disc, 2 x 25 lb. db’s

14 each side, triceps presses with 25 lb. db

15 1-leg wide squat, (one leg up on chair) 2 x 35 lb. db’s, held 15th rep for 30 seconds

16 1-arm rows each side, 35 lb. db

15 1-leg squats on other leg

30 alternating lunges with 2 x 25 lb. db’s

20 decline push-ups, feet on exercise ball

15 lateral shoulder raises with 2 x 15 lb. db’s

abs “pass-overs” – passing weighted ball from feet to hands overhead, 40 reps

60 seconds each, side straight-arm plank

60 seconds alternating squats/side kicks

60 seconds burpees (google it!)

60 seconds “frog squats” to vertical leaps

45 seconds straddle jumps up onto bench

1 minute 2-foot bench jump-ups

WHEW!! Serious fat-burning, calorie burning, power moves at the end!

… to be continued…

The work out:

100 (quick) alternating squats/side kicks … my favorite “power” burst move these days!

30 alternating lunges onto Bosu ball with 2 x 35 lb. dumbbells

Abs – 40 pelvic lifts, lying on back and lifting lower body off floor with medicine ball between knees

30 hamstring/glute curls with exercise ball – held #30 for 30 seconds

16 zig-zag chin-ups

15 chest flyes with 60 lb. cables on Bowflex

18 biceps curls with 30 lb. (each arm) cables on Bowflex

15 triceps kickbacks with 30 lb. (each arm) cables on Bowflex

18 two-arm rows with 100 lb. cables on Bowflex

25 wide stance squats with 2 x 35 lb. db’s on shoulders – held #25 for 20 seconds

10 chest presses with 60 lb. cables on Bowflex

15 slow motion reverse grip triceps kickbacks with 30 lb. cables (each arm) on Bowflex

20 alternating biceps curls with 2 x 25 lb. db’s

30 decline push-ups with one foot on exercise ball (switched feet halfway)

20 one leg hamstring/glute curls with exercise ball on each leg

Total time: 22 minutes

Followed it up with a 20 minute walk in the tundra with dog breath.

In an instant, I decided to cut down the closest back road – protected by trees – and do a sprinting interval work out instead. Big weenie. That’s what I am!

The work out:

8 sprints, each about 40-45 seconds long, ranging from 75 – 95% full out effort… depending how far into the work out I was! The roads still have quite a bit of ice under a thin layer of packed snow, so it’s a tad dicey to go 100% full out just yet. (Entertaining, though!)

I sprinted one direction, then turned around and jogged halfway and walked halfway back. The recovery period between sprints was approximately 2 – 2.5 minutes each time.

Total time, including the 1/2 mile “jog” there and back, about 25-27 minutes.

That was two days ago and my quads are still feelin’ it!

These types of burst work outs (interval training) are excellent for burning fat… particularly the day after the work out, your body becomes a fat burning machine!

The work out:

20 squats on flat side of Bosu ball, holding 2 x 35 lb. dumbbells

12 one-arm rows on each side, 35 lb. db’s

22 dead lifts with 2 x 35 lb. db’s

12 overhead presses with 2 x 25 lb. db’s

12 chin-ups with legs out in front

30 alternating lunges with 2 x 25 lb. db’s

15 chest flyes while lying on exercise ball, 2 x 15 lb. db’s (b/c of shoulder pain when using a heavier weight. Bummer.)

20 lateral shoulder raises with 2 x 15 lb. db’s

15 wide hand/elbows tucked biceps curls with 2 x 15 lb. db’s

16 reverse-grip triceps kickbacks (each side) with 30 lb. cable on Bowflex

17 two-arm rows with heavy resistance band, in low squat position

20 deep squats with heavy resistance band

40 two-foot bench jump-ups

60 squat/side kick combo

Sorry… I have NO idea what the time ended up being! I was mixing my work out with some home schooling of my youngest… as well as some wrestling, dancing and tickle attacks with him!

So, on to plan B.

I decided to do a cardio-based interval work out.

This is what I did:

100  alternating lunges onto Bosu ball (fast, but full range of motion)

20 decline push-ups, feet on couch

25 burpees

100 alternating squats/side kicks (fast pace)

200 punches – 25 ‘cross body’, full range of motion, 25 upper cuts, repeat sets of 25’s, fast-paced

100 alternating squats and front kicks

50 jumping jacks, quick, resistance in arms

50 “low jacks”

100 mountain climbers

50 jumping jacks onto Bosu ball – start with feet straddling ball, jump up onto ball, jump back down to sides in straddle position

10 each, one-leg jump-ups onto Bosu ball

50 butterfly abs crunches while lying on Bosu ball

Total time: 22 minutes

My focus was on high-intensity, quick sets, while maintaining good form and full range of motion (for ME, anyway!), and short rest/recovery periods between sets.

High intensity burst training (interval training) with appropriate rest periods is the most effective way to burn fat with your work outs.

I’ve had a couple of good ‘official’ resistance training work outs this week, in addition to some energizing bursts of full body resistance moves during my morning routines of spinal hygiene and calisthenics.

In the mornings, along with stretching, cross-crawl patterns, proprioception-stimulating movements and postural corrective exercises, I’ve added some “big moves” like alternating squat kicks, push-ups, lunges, standing 1-leg oblique crunches, a variety of kicks and some other fast-paced challenging movement to burn some fat right from the get-go! (Still keeping these morning rituals in the 15 minute range.)

The last official resistance training work out I did was on Thursday. Yesterday was a yoga day… so that kinda’ sorta’ counts as well since it was definitely strength building in nature.

Thursday’s work out:

30 X Twists with medicine ball

100 alternating lunges with a twist, onto Bosu ball, holding medicine ball

24 alternating biceps curls with 2 x 25 lb. dumbbells, standing on round side of Bosu ball

15 two-arm bent over rows with 2 x 25 lb. db’s, standing on Bosu ball

15 two-arm lateral shoulder raises, 2 x 15 lbs., standing on Bosu ball

20 overhead triceps presses (each side) with 15 lb. db (too light… but 25 lb. too heavy today with a flared up elbow injury. blech.)

15 bilateral wide biceps curls, 2 x 15 lb. db’s, standing on Bosu ball

20 dead lifts with 2 x 35 lb. db’s

15 overhead shoulder presses and 15 lateral shoulder raises, 2 x 15 lb. db’s, standing on Bosu ball

40 squats on flat side of Bosu ball with medicine ball held in front, core contraction throughout

20 chest presses with 2 x 25 lb. db’s, lying supine on exercise ball

25 triceps dips, hands on Bosu ball, feet up on exercise ball

30 hamstring/glutes curls, lying on floor with heels up on exercise ball – pull ball in toward buttocks by contracting glutes and hamstrings. Held #30for 60 seconds.

50 ball crunches with exercise ball held between knees

20 dead lifts with 2 x 35 lb. db’s

40 alternating side lunges, using Bosu ball as mid-point, holding medicine ball in front

Total time: 25-27 minutes… kinda’ lost track!

Since my last cardio update here, I’ve gone for one longer run and a couple of walks with Guinness, King of all Dog Breaths.

Wednesday’s run was fantastic! Not because my pace would have qualified me for the Boston Marathon by any means! Nope, just because it was a gorgeous day and I was really, really enjoying being outside and being in the present moment.

Once again, I drove to a different starting point for my run and took off on a different route than I’ve ever run. (I’ve  I’ve cycled in this area many times… so I knew where I was going and what to expect as far as the terrain, traffic level, crazy dogs and so on! I wasn’t exactly sure of the distance, but I had left myself some extra time in case it was longer than I had estimated.

It ended up being 5.5 miles. It felt really great that day – the sun was shining, the roads were less icy, my legs felt good. It was a nice hilly route, so I challenged myself to increase my pace on the “up” hills… not sprinting, just kicking it up a few notches. The last mile and a half stretch was a perfect path of hills to really push myself on. LOTS of UP hills! I was fully whipped by the end. Good stuff! No dogs chasing me. No crazy drivers. No strangeness whatsoever… a rarity for most of my runs!

On Thursday I took Guinney-Bopper out for a 40 minute power walk. I did a handful of light running jaunts with him, too.

Friday was a shorter walk with dog breath – just 10 minutes or so. Did a couple of fat-burning sprints up a snowy sledding hill just for fun! He always wonders what I’m trying to accomplish when I suddenly do that. I get the classic doggy head tilt for a second, then he’s in on the chase!! Funny!

Each day also began with 10-20 minutes of spinal hygiene exercises (posture and proprioception) as well as some stretching and a combination of calisthenics-type moves. Yesterday, this little routine was it as far as “exercise” – no formal work out scheduled.

Today, my plan is to head out for a high-intensity fat-burning sprinting interval training session. I need to find a good stretch of quiet road where I can run full out for 40-60 seconds at a time… and not be run over, attacked by dogs or hit any significant icy patches! I’m so demanding!! ; )

Later in the day I did a resistance training and “power moves” work out:

100 alternating squats with front kicks – quick-paced

25 decline push-ups with feet on exercise ball

25 squat jumps

20 squats on flat side of Bosu ball with 2 x 25 lb. dumbbells on shoulders

16 zig-zag chin-ups

25 burpees

30 alternating lunges onto Bosu ball with 2 x 25 lb. db’s

15 overhead presses with 2 x 25 lb. db’s, standing on Bosu ball

20 dead lifts standing on balance disc, 2 x 35 lb. db’s

20 triceps dips, hands on Bosu ball, feet on exercise ball, buttocks unexpectedly on floor a couple times!!

30 squats on round side of Bosu ball with medicine ball held out in front (core contraction)

25 abs “passovers” with exercise ball – start with ball b/w feet, pass to hands and reach overhead with ball as legs go back down to floor. Lift legs back up to grab ball from hands with feet… lower down to floor. (that’s one repetition)

Total time: 21 minutes

I’ve been getting a tad bored with the first mile stretch of my regular running route. It’s also the iciest and busiest little stretch of road – not a good combination right now. So, I decided to drive my car up to a more rural spot to begin my run and add a little variety.

What a nice little route! It ended up being 4.5 miles with some nice, rolling hills and not terribly icy.

BUT, there are some CRAZED dogs on that route!! Holy cow! Three different times, a large dog came charging out at the road toward me. One dog actually came after me right on the road. I scared the cr*p out him though!! My instantaneous fear and self-defense response was mixed with being seriously irked with the owners that they’d let this dog loose near the busiest stretch of road. I turned on that dog just as it was lunging for my arm – I’m not sure whose voice came out of me, but it was pretty scary! I heard the dog say, in dog talk, “Sheesh, lady… I’m outta’ here!!”

I wish I would have had the whole thing videotaped – I did one of those strange mid-air change of direction bodily contortions as I heard him at the last second! Good thing I’m married to a Chiropractor, ‘cuz I seriously subluxated myself with that unnatural move!

Today is another running day. I’ll either go a different route… or take a dog-zapper of some sort along with me!

Some days it’s pretty traditional endurance-type exercise, while other days it’s anaerobic burst-like intervals. At the very least, every day I  do a few minutes of calisthenics to get my blood pumping and metabolism kicked in first thing in the morning. On the days that I have a resistance training work out scheduled, I typically just do these calisthenics and a longer walk with Guinness the dog-breathed companion.

Cardio work outs for the past week:

Tuesday: calisthenics along with posture and proprioceptive exercises first thing in the morning, then a 30 minute walk with Guinny-Bopper. Resistance training work out later in the day.

Wednesday: (morning calisthenics, P&P), 4.5 mile run

Thursday: (calisthenics, P&P),  55 minute walk with Guinney-Bobarino

Friday: (cali, P&P), 10 minute mini walk with dog-breath. Resistance training later in the day.

Saturday: (cali, P&P), 5.5 mile run

Sunday: (cali, P&P), 40 minute walk

The way I see it, there are 3 main reasons WHY we exercise.

1) Because we are human beings and we genetically REQUIRE regular motion in order for our cells to express their optimal levels of health!! This regular motion that is required can encompass just about anything you can think of: endurance, power, speed, balance, agility, flexibility, strength, and so on. When you think back to our healthiest ancestors, their typical lifestyle included a variety of these movements… with no gym memberships! : )

2) Then there are the other reasons we get attached to, like: weight loss, fat loss, dropping some sizes, adding muscle, training for a specific sport or event, or to train our hearts. In all these cases, the most effective types of exercise we can incorporate are interval-type, burst-like activities that are superior for raising our Resting Metabolic Rate and challenging our heart in the most desirable way for overall health and fitness. Steady-state, low-to-moderate intensity, endurance exercise is no longer considered the best way to drop pounds of fat or train your heart.

3) Finally, there are many people who exercise for the pure enjoyment of it! (If you’re not one of them, you may find this next-to-impossible to believe!) If this is the case, then doing any combination of activities from #1 will keep you right on track with achieving optimal health and function.

Why do YOU exercise?

On a daily basis, I’m starting each day with “P & P” exercises – posture and proprioceptive exercises – as well as a varying combination of calisthenics, abdominals work and yoga.  Again, just a reminder that movement & exercise get to look however you want them to look! Mix it up, do a combination of things… just keep your body moving.

Movement is a critical source of fuel for your brain – it generates Proprioceptive input to the brain, which in turn provides normal function. It’s a winning exchange!

Tuesday’s work out:

This is the work out that I’d say was the more fat-burning in nature of the two work outs this week.

30 alternating lunges with 2 x 25 lb. dumbbells (20 lunges to front, 10 on a front/side angle)

20 Romanian dead lifts with 2 x 35 lb. db’s

12 one-arm rows with 35 lb. db

15 reverse flyes with 2 x 25 lb. db’s, while lying prone on exercise ball

30 one-legged decline push-ups (change legs at 15)

15 (each side) wide-hand/elbows tucked biceps curls with 2 x 15 lb. db’s

15 lateral shoulder raises with 2 x 15 lb. db’s

10 triceps presses (each side) with 25 lb. db

25 one-legged squat (one leg up on Bosu ball), with 2 x 35 lb. db’s on shoulders

15 dead lifts on balance disc with 2 x 35 lb. db’s

25 one-legged squats on other leg

10 overhead shoulder presses with 2 x 25 lb. db’s

20 alternating biceps concentration curls with 2 x 25 lb. db’s, standing on Bosu ball

25 triceps dips, feet up on exercise ball

60 seconds plank pose

Total time: 18 minutes

Friday’s work out:

I felt like this was a great strength-building and toning work out. It felt really good… AFTER!!

25 lunges with front foot on Bosu ball and rear foot up on couch, holding 2 x 25 lb. dumbbells  (25 on other side)

75 seconds straight-armed plank pose with hands on medicine bal

90 seconds Warrior 2 pose while holding 10 lb. medicine ball straight overhead

45 second peak contraction in wide-legged forward bend, holding medicine ball straight out in front

90 seconds Warrior 2 on other side

45 seconds straight-armed side plank with ‘down’ hand balancing on medicine ball (45 seconds on other side)

90 seconds Warrior 1 while holding medicine ball straight overhead

45 seconds one-legged straight-armed plank pose (45 seconds on other leg)

90 seconds Warrior 1 on other side

Abs: 50 butterfly crunches and 30 side crunches on each side while lying on Bosu bal, 30 pelvic & leg lifts while holding medicine ball between knees

Then I threw in about 5+ minutes of a yoga sequence – a free-flowing combination of poses including moving into and out of Warrior poses, downward facing dog, cobra, extended triangle pose, extended side pose, low lunge, and a few pretzel-ish poses

25 squats on the flat side of the Bosu ball, 10 while holding medicine ball straight overhead, 15 with ball straight out in front

Total time: 30 minutes

I know you’ve heard me say it before: Motion is a requirement for health. Our cells genetically require regular movement in order to express their optimal function.

Our ability to create health and prevent chronic illness depend upon us meeting our genetic requirements for motion, as well as nutrition and mindset/emotions.

This is the recipe for lifelong health and the prevention of the vast majority of conditions we previously thought were due to genetics or bad luck.

While losing weight, burning fat, building muscle tone, dropping a dress size or jeans size, building muscle tone, or improving your cardiovascular health might be your initial reasons for incorporating exercise in your life, these are all the by-products of living a healthy, active lifestyle on an ongoing basis.

So, do you need to be a marathon runner or a body builder in order to meet these movement requirements? No, of course not! What each of us does need, however, is a variety of movement on a very regular basis.
What’s “regular”? Well, think about our healthiest ancestors – did they only move 3 times per week for 45 minutes?! Nah! They were “active” every day. Think about it. Our lifestyles are very different. Say what you will about our modern conveniences, BUT, we clearly suffer from exponentially more chronic illness than these healthier populations. Our genes haven’t changed. Our lifestyles have.

An intelligent goal would be to find a way to move “more” every day… whatever that means to you. This is fuel for your body and brain. You deserve it as often as possible.

There are many different types of motion that meet the requirements of our cells: endurance, speed, power, strength, agility, flexibilty, and balance, to name a few of the biggies.

Instead of posting the exact details of each “work out” that I’ve been doing since January 1st (and the “cyber attack” on my site that prevented me from posting any updates about this), I’ll give you an overview of how I’ve incorporated various types of movement each day. You’ll see that they’re not all traditional ‘work-outs’… and that’s what I want you to see.

You don’t need to be in a gym every day, or running for hours each week, or playing on a team, or posing  for a fitness magazine… unless any of these things are YOUR thing! You just need to find a way to MOVE!

So, here’s what I’ve been up to in the New Year:

Jan. 1: Posture and Proprioceptive exercises (P&P) when I first get up, along with some stretching (it’s a little routine I do for about 10 minutes each morning), 45 minute power walk with the dog

Jan. 2: P&P, wind sprints, took dog for a shorter walk

Jan. 3: P&P, strength training work out (including balance work), 20 minute walk with dog

Jan. 4: P&P, 4.5 mile run

Jan. 5: P&P, strength training work out (and balance), 15 minute walk with dog

Jan. 6: P&P, 4 mile trail run in the deeper snow!

Jan. 7: P&P, lighter strength training work out – more isometric poses and holding peak contractions than “lifting”, 50 minute walk with dog

Jan. 8: P&P, went skiing with the kids – ran up and down the beginner hill several dozen times!

Jan. 9: P&P, took the kids sledding – again, ran up and down the hill many times. Holy cow! Try it! Exhausting! Also, went skating for 1/2 hour or so.

Jan. 10: P&P, 5 mile run

Jan. 11: P&P, took dog-breath for a 45 minute walk, lots of it in the deep snow. Legs are whipped!

(Oh, let’s not overlook all the shovelling we’ve been doing lately! That’s good for us, too.)

There you go. You can see that your movement doesn’t need to “look” a certain way. Your body and mind appreciate ANY movement you can add to your day.

Are you getting any ideas about how you could add some more movement to your life? Please share!

Click here to view the embedded video.

I was a little bit ‘bummed’ that Christmas Day here was so rainy and icky. Historically, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day are two of my favorite days to get out of the house and go for a nice, long run and/or head out for a family nature walk.

No deal this year.

But, we DID get the Wii and Wii Fit from Santa, so at least there was plenty of movement around here yesterday!

Earlier work outs this week:

Wednesday:

Took the dog for a 20 minute walk in the morning after some stretching and proprioceptive exercises.

Went for a 3.5 mile run.

Thursday:

Took dog-breath out for 35 minute walk.

Interval cleaning: a combination of low-to-moderate-intensity, steady-paced cleaning as well as bursts of high-intensity power cleaning of our entire house for about 4 hours. It’s a new sport!

Did 15 minutes of yoga warrior poses and plank pose variations.

Friday:

Chilled, for the most part. Did some Wii with the kids. Hubby hogged it for the most part!

Today:

Running day. The plan is to head out for a 5 miler. We’ll see how my legs feel once I’m out there! (It could end up a 2 miler… it could end up a 7 miler! Not likely.)

Ahhhh... it's the attack of the Pillow People again! Run for your lives!! (or just RUN!)

It would be SO easy to skip exercise on days like these… weeks like these! Whew! I need a clone. How about you? Plus, it’s SO much fun just hanging with the kids at this special time of year… I’d rather play!!

Fortunately, I decided years ago that I am a mover. No matter how hard I try to put if off some days, my little mover person that sits on my right shoulder, dressed suspiciously similar to an angel, urges me to get off my hiney and get movin’!

Yeah, the red brat is on the other shoulder saying, “It’s too cold… it’s too windy… your shoulder will probably hurt if you work out…” Blah, blah, blah!

I feel better after moving, no matter what. No matter how great or how lack-luster the work out was. My cells genetically require motion each day in order to express their optimal potential. They don’t seem to care whether or not it’s cold outside!

What I’ve done for the past few days…

Sunday:

Posture & proprioceptive exercises in the morning and a short walk with Guinney Bobbarino (15 minutes or so)

Did a few exercises before heading out for a run – straight arm front plank (90 seconds), straight arm side plank (60 seconds each side), abs vacuums, 2 minutes, 40 one-leg push-ups (20 each side)

Ran 6 miles… did NOT make great time. Running on the snowy back roads on a gorgeous, sunny winter day is one of my MOST favorite things to do, BUT, it kicks the bejeebers out of my legs!! Oh well, at least I enjoyed it a LOT!  (she said as she collapsed onto her dock after the run… completely alarming her neighbors!!)

Monday:

Posture & Proprioception exercises and stretches early, then took poochy pants out for a 35 minute power walk. Did a few minutes (less than 10) of yoga.

Tuesday:

Had one of those red guy on my left shoulder “blah” work outs! But I’m still glad I did it. I heard some wee little cells applauding as I finished…

100 alternating lunges with a twist onto Bosu ball, holding/twisting 10 lb. medicine ball

16 zig-zag chin-ups

20 Romanian dead lifts with 2 x 35 lb. dumbbells

20 chest presses while lying supine on exercise ball, 2 x 25 lb. db’s

25 wide stance squats with 2 x 35 lb. db’s on shoulders

20 wide hand biceps curls (elbows tucked, hands out to sides), 2 x 15 lb. db’s

15 triceps French presses (each side) with 25 lb. db

20 lateral shoulder raises with 2 x 15 lb. db’s

20 squats on round side of Bosu ball while holding medicine ball straight overhead

25 hamstring/glutes ball scoots – Lying on back with buttocks up off floor, core “locked”, legs straight and heels on exercise ball. Keeping glutes up and core locked, bend knees and slowly pull ball toward buttocks with your heels, contracting your hamstrings and gluteal muscles. Held 25th curl for 60 seconds… burn, burn, burn.

It wasn’t a quick work out. It wasn’t high intensity. It just was!

How are you doing this week? Sticking to your routines?