TABATA – A High-Intensity Workout That’s Perfect for Everyone

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You know I love Tabata workouts…and for SO many reasons beyond their efficiency.

Here’s why.  Tabata is a type of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) that is known for its efficiency and effectiveness. This type of workout consists of 20 seconds of intense exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated for a total of 8 rounds. This may not seem like a lot of time (just 4 minutes!), but it is enough to get your heart rate up and burn calories.  I fell in love with Tabata workouts when I was in the corporate grind and working a lot of hours. These workouts provided a great boost during the day while allowing me to stay in shape. Do several of these workouts throughout the day and VIOLA!

Another reason I love Tabata workouts is that they are great for people of all fitness levels. Because you work at a speed that is challenging for you, Tabata is accessible to everyone. In fact, it is often recommended for people who are new to exercise because it is a safe and effective way to get started.

Tabata workouts are also perfect for people with busy schedules. (This is how I came to love Tabatas.) A single Tabata workout only takes 4 minutes, so you can fit it in even on the busiest days. And if you have more time, you can string together multiple Tabata workouts for a longer session.

In addition to being efficient and effective, Tabata workouts are also a great way to get a full-body workout. The 20-second bursts of intense exercise work your heart, lungs, and muscles all at the same time. This makes Tabata a great choice for people who are looking to improve their cardiovascular health, build muscle, and lose weight.

Another reason I love Tabata workouts is that you can easily create a workout depending on fitness goals. I personally use the 2nd option below quite frequently. Here are two common ways to structure your Tabata workouts:

  • A/B: Choose two exercises to alternate between. You’ll do each exercise for 20 seconds of intense effort followed by 10 seconds of rest, for a total of 8 rounds. This is a great way to get a full-body workout, as you’ll be working different muscle groups with each exercise.
  • A/B/C/D: Choose four exercises to move through. You’ll do each exercise for 20 seconds of intense effort followed by 10 seconds of rest, for a total of 4 rounds. This is a great way to challenge yourself and your cardiovascular system, as you’ll be working different muscle groups in quick succession.

You can also choose any exercises you like for your Tabata workouts, such as:

  • Cardio exercises: Jumping jacks, burpees, mountain climbers, sprinting, rowing, jumping rope
  • Plyometric exercises: Squat jumps, tuck jumps, lunges, box jumps, push-ups, sit-ups
  • Strength exercises: Dumbbell rows, push-ups, squats, lunges, pull-ups, bicep curls

No matter which exercises you choose, make sure to listen to your body and take breaks when needed. Tabata workouts can be intense, so it’s important to pace yourself and avoid overdoing it.

Here are some ideas for Tabata exercises you could include in your next workout:

  • Push-ups
  • Triceps dips
  • Mountain climbers
  • Tuck jumps
  • Burpees
  • High knees
  • Bodyweight squats
  • Bodyweight lunges
  • Lunge jumps
  • Jump squats
  • Jumping jacks
  • Jump rope
  • Speed skaters
  • Box jumps

If you’d like to make your Tabata workout more strength-based, you can incorporate weights. Some of those exercise ideas include:

  • Clean and press
  • Dumbbell snatch
  • Front squat
  • Alternating reverse lunge
  • Push-up to mountain climber
  • Biceps curl

When doing Tabata workouts, it is important to listen to your body and take breaks when needed. If you are feeling lightheaded or dizzy, stop the workout and rest. You can also modify the exercises to make them easier if needed.

Tabata workouts are a great way to get a quick and effective workout that is perfect for people of all fitness levels. If you are looking for a way to improve your fitness, lose weight, or build muscle, Tabata is a great option.

Before you go, the trainer in me wants to share some additional tips to get the most out of your Tabata workouts:

  • Warm up before each workout with 5-10 minutes of light cardio, movements and dynamic stretches.
  • Choose exercises that you can do safely and effectively at a high intensity.
  • Focus on form over speed. It is better to do the exercises correctly at a slower pace than to rush through them and injure yourself.
  • Listen to your body and take breaks when needed.
  • Start with 2-3 Tabata workouts per week and gradually increase the number of workouts as you get fitter.
  • Be consistent with your workouts. The more you do, the better the results you will see.

With a little planning and effort, you can easily incorporate Tabata workouts into your fitness routine and start seeing results quickly.

Try it….as one of my mentors used to ask, “What have you got to GAIN?”

the answer: A lot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

P.S. Follow me on Instagram @Hlthchic for FREE Tabata workouts weekly.

 

What is Fitness?

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Fitness is a term that is often used interchangeably with health, but the two are not exactly the same. Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, while fitness is the ability to perform physical activity without undue fatigue.

The components of “fitness” include strength, cardio, flexibility, and balance. Strength is the ability of your muscles to contract and produce force. Cardio is the ability of your heart and lungs to deliver oxygen to your muscles. Flexibility is the ability of your joints to move through their full range of motion. Balance is the ability of your body to maintain its equilibrium.  All four of these components of fitness are important for overall health and well-being.

There are many different ways to improve your fitness. You can join a gym, take fitness classes, or simply start exercising on your own. There are many different types of exercise, so you can find something that you enjoy and that fits into your lifestyle. There are also a LOT of free videos and inexpensive fitness apps to help guide you along the way. (I post free workouts on Instagram each week @Hlthchic!)

If you are new to exercise, it is important to start slowly and gradually increase the intensity of your workouts over time. It is also important to listen to your body and take breaks when you need them. Remind yourself,  “Every little bit helps. Every step counts”. It really does!

Improving your fitness is a lifelong journey. There will be times when you are motivated and times when you are not. But if you stick with it, you will reap the many benefits of a healthy lifestyle.

Here are some tips for improving your fitness:

  • Set realistic goals. Don’t try to do too much too soon. Start with small goals and gradually increase them over time.
  • Find an activity that you enjoy. Exercise should be something that you look forward to, not something that you dread.
  • Make exercise a part of your daily routine. Schedule time for exercise each day and stick to your schedule as much as possible.
  • Find a workout buddy. Exercising with a friend can help you stay motivated and accountable.
  • Listen to your body. Take breaks when you need them and don’t push yourself too hard.
  • Be patient. It takes time to see results from exercise. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see results immediately.

Once you find the activities you enjoy most, make appointments with yourself to help stay on track. Improving your fitness is a great way to improve your overall health and well-being. Remember, building and maintaining MUSCLE (lifting weights) is a marker related to overall longevity. Today is some day. Carpe Diem.

Won’t you join me on this journey? It is a journey that is well worth taking.

Lisa

P.S. To understand how lifting weights and muscle impacts your overall health, see these prior blog posts:

 

5 Tips to a Healthier Life

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Don’t we all want a robust, healthy life? I do! To feel and look our best then, it is important to maximize energy production so we feel naturally energetic all day and preserve and maintain lean muscle mass throughout life.

How does inferior energy production occur? It is the result of… (drumroll) … too much stillness.  Inactivity makes you tired. Energy is a renewable resource, so if we don’t get brief explosive intervals and burn calories through other forms of movement and exercise, we have less energy. When we lead an energetic lifestyle, it leads to more energy. Funny how that works. We see this impact with aging and lifespan.

What about muscle? Unfortunately, we (society) have begun to normalize accelerated declines of muscle as a part of aging. It’s NOT normal. The spare tire is a sign of less than stellar metabolic health – not aging. Much of what is considered a result of aging is a byproduct of lifestyle. But, that’s good news because that means we have the power to positively impact our health. We have now learned that lean muscle mass is basically a proxy for good metabolic health.

Bottom line: the more we can focus on improving body composition & increasing energy levels, the better our health AND the more gracefully we will age. (nice side benefit!)

To achieve those two objectives, below are five tips to help:

  1. Reduce or eliminate junk food (processed foods) from the diet.
  2. Emphasize nutrient dense foods.
  3. Move more throughout the day. (Check out my workout tab for Instagram reels offering a variety of 4-minute Tabata style workouts!)
  4. Perform brief, intense workouts.
  5. Practice stress management.

Since many people start the new year with weight loss goals, below is an expansion on the first tip above (#1). 

Pay attention to oils. I’ve talked about industrial seed oils in my reels (along with a quick & easy balsamic dressing recipe), but here’s why paying attention to these oils matters: consuming processed foods WILL lead to sneaky weight gain. Try making use of Extra Virgin First Pressed Domestic olive oil as a priority (or avocado oil, as runner up). Understand “why” & search for the negative impacts of industrial seed oils and READ ingredient labels to see which products contain these nasty oils. BTW, even your favorite restaurant is using the cheap stuff and most (even “healthy”) salad dressings contain damaging oils. Also of interest is that studies show that up to 40% of calories consumed when dining out come from these industrial seed oils – so it’s difficult to avoid!  These poor quality seed oils interfere with your body’s ability to burn stored fat.  Often these ugly oils are paired with processed foods (#1).  When cooking at home, ditch canola oil and try ghee, coconut butter, avocado oil or olive oil. Set aside some time to check out your pantry and fridge and get rid of processed “foods” with these oils. Sadly, our “Standard American Diet” is truly S.A.D.  (Check out the book, “Why We Get Fat” at your local library).

Ditch refined sugars and grains. These are deficient in nutrients and contribute to many health issues by releasing endotoxins from the gut and inhibit energy.  

Watch for foods high in natural plant toxins. These high plant toxin foods often contribute to leaky gut. This concept of avoiding or reducing offensive plants is part of the carnivore movement. I’m not advocating a specific diet, but asking you to be aware of how certain foods make you feel. Since plants cannot run away, they possess their own defense mechanisms for protection.  Pay attention to how you feel after consuming these foods (stems, seeds, roots, etc.) to determine if they bother you, and id so, consider other options to prepare or cook them differently (soak, sprout, ferment, cook) — or if you avoid them all together. (Check out research and information from Paul Saladino, MD & make up your mind.)

Avoid gluten – it’s is a big offender for many people & can increase the risk of leaky gut.

Last, pay attention to how you feel after you eat. You shouldn’t feel anything, really. Not full, not bloated, not tired, nothing. If you do, that food is likely to be one to avoid. At least for a few months before re-introducing it to your diet.

Listen, we are all in this journey of life together. The more we learn, share and apply positive actions to our lives, the better our lives will be.

Friends, live well, laugh often, and be playful.

Lisa

MADE To Move

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Friends, moving regularly (& daily) makes us stronger, healthier, smarter, happier, and yes…even better looking! Just check out the many benefits of moving your body below. While we could talk about each one of the bullets separately, my objective is to simply convince you to commit to move more each day.

From head to toe and heart to head, study after study tells us this “all natural” ability to enhance our lives is transformational. Here’s how moving can help:

  • Exercise increases alertness and enhances mood.
  • It improves attention & concentration.
  • It helps us learn and remember.
  • It protects cognitive health. (Alzheimer’s)
  • It helps prevent cognitive decline.
  • Moving boosts energy while lowering stress.
  • It helps keep blood vessels flexible and while preventing blood clots.
  • It helps protect against chronic disease.
  • It helps lower blood pressure. (cardiovascular disease is the #1 leading cause of death!)
  • Moving more reduces heart-disease risk and makes the heart bigger and stronger.
  • It’s good for your bones (think bone density) and helps with muscle mass (which “typically” peaks in your late 20’s – but doesn’t have to).
  • It helps restore and preserve facial health.
  • Building posterior chain strength can help treat and prevent back pain.
  • Staying active is one of the best ways to protect and improve joint health as we age.
  • Mobilizing joints in hands can relieve wrist pain.
  • Strengthen the knees (hint: many issues we consider the result of aging can be prevented by strengthening the entire leg.
  • Speaking of the leg, foot issues are super common…and generally can be attributed to other areas of the body which can be a vicious cycle but…yes, preventable with intentional stretching and movement.
  • Moving keeps everything “moving”. (YES – I’m talking about relieving constipation and improving digestion!)
  • It enhances microbiome.
  • We recover more quickly and get sick less.
  • Movement helps keep inflammation at bay.
  • Reduction of MANY chronic diseases.
  • I mentioned preventing heart disease, but physical activity also can help prevent some cancers by lowering risk of development.
  • Then, there’s the impact on sleep. I love sleep. Sleep is tres importante to our well-being.
  • Physical activity helps our eyes and slows/prevents vision loss.
  • If you are pregnant, yes you guessed it, it helps with many aspects of pregnancy.
  • Consistent exercise can minimize and reverse symptoms of aging.
  • It helps balance our hormones, which can improve our skin, hair, muscles, etc.

Listen…sitting or being sedentary is so dangerous to our health that it’s now considered the new “smoking”.  Yep, it’s that bad.

Won’t you join me in with taking the prescription of this magic “pill”…something so powerful that it influences our longevity, biology, and physiology? TODAY is a great day to start or re-commit.

So come on, get your glow on. Get gorgeous. And get going.

What have you got to gain?

The Best Anti-Aging Secrets Aren’t So Secret

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The proverbial “fountain of youth”…sought by many and assumed to be so elusive. But….is it?

The truth is, much of we have come to believe as “age related decline” is not age related, but rather LIFESTYLE related –AND we can do something about each of these factors.  Boiling multiple studies down to a nutshell, we’ve learned there are six primary lifestyle factors were repeatedly identified:

  • Exercise
  • Sleep
  • Managing stress
  • Building social connections
  • Avoiding toxins, and
  • Diet

In other words, what you put into your body (or don’t), movement, socializing and sleep will impact how long you live and the quality of your life.

I’ve written about sleep before (see prior blogs) – but by now, most of you are aware of the factors that can impact a good night’s sleep. However you may not have bought into what a key role sleep plays in health, mind function, energy, and inflammation…and how it aids the other 5 longevity factors listed above.

If aging well and FEELING GOOD are important to you, prioritize sleep and then focus on the other factors. Here are a few ideas to help improve your sleep habits:

1. Establish a bedtime routine: (warm shower or bath)

  • Journal. (writing down thoughts, worries or to-dos will get them out of your head)
  • Read a book.
  • Meditate. (I have to say I love a guided meditation to fall asleep to or ocean sounds..)

2. Check out your sleep environment:

  • 60-67 degrees is ideal.
  • Are loud sounds blocked out? (a white noise machine may help)
  • Black out shades are great for keeping light from coming in.

3. We can’t omit the blue light conversation. (phone, TV, tablet, computer)

  • Sorry, but it’s true…blue light can be super disruptive. It’s best to shut screens down 2 hours BEFORE bed.

4. Become aware of when you last eat or drink.

  • You know that saying, “Eat with the sun, sleep with the moon”? It’s a good rule to follow. If you go to bed by 10, you’ll want to have dinner by 6 or 7.
  • Watch fluids …you know why.
  • That includes alcohol. Without exception, alcohol negatively impacts sleep. Cut off alcohol about the same time as dinner and limit consumption.

5. A good night’s sleep begins with bright sun light early in the day. This will keep your body’s circadian rhythm in sync and turn off melatonin.

6. Exercise or be active – just not right before bedtime!

So there you go. Feeling your best and aging well are mostly in your hands. Take a couple ideas and start incorporating them into your life because today is “some” day. Carpe diem & sleep well my friends, sleep well.

”Sleep is that golden chain that ties health and our bodies together.” –  Thomas Dekker

The Impact Stress has on Your Brain (or Save Your Brain, Part II)

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Hey friends, how are you feeling these days…with work, family or the holiday season upon us? If you are feeling overwhelmed or stressed, maybe it’s time to take a breather and add intentional steps to alleviate stress.

By now you probably know that meditation and other recommended stress reduction techniques previously considered “new age” really work. Many high performers incorporate various forms of meditation into their daily lives because it works (and are a heck of a lot better than drugs & those nasty side effects).  There are many forms meditation from walking in nature, guided meditations (especially good if you have an active monkey brain like me), breathing exercises (try inhaling completely for 4 seconds, hold 7 seconds, exhale completely for 8, repeat 9 more times), or simply enjoying the love & affection of a pet. Try them out and see what suits you best.

Why is it important to work on controlling/limiting or reducing stress? Because with chronic stress, the brain atrophies…which means it gets smaller and less effective. When you are stressed, you release cortisol. With elevated cortisol, your brain begins overload and …then begins to degenerate.  The parts most affected are the areas of the brain associated with dementia/long term memory. 

There are also vascular impacts of stress on our brains due to the flight or fight response. This response releases hormones that decrease blood flow to our brain. Chronic stress has long term effects on our brains. 

What else happens? Well, elevated cortisol can also decrease circulation. That’s why it makes sense then to engage in an activity that causes an increase in circulation. Exercise increases your heart rate and oxygen to the brain. On the opposite side of the spectrum, long term sedentary activity decreases blood circulation all over the body.  Then, if you add a stress response to being sedentary and possibly a thyroid issue, all these factors impact the health of our brains. 

Public service message: The more intense the exercise, the better the benefit because your heart has to pump harder. Try intervals  or short bursts of increased energy/effort for 10-30 seconds, 10-15 times.   

To recap, we have the impact of stress and a sedentary lifestyle impacting our brains.  Now, let’s talk diet.  “Type 3 diabetes” is now used to describe dementia because if we indulge in sugar or processed carbs, we get too much insulin. Seriously, our bodies were not made to consume the sugar we load into them daily. Chronic surges of insulin also cause damage to the brain. I’m saying this with a lot of love….so hear me when I say, “If you are tired after meals, it’s time to review what you are eating.”  A normal response after a meal should be your hunger is vanished – NOT an energy surge – or an energy drop.

Small changes in our diets can make a HUGE difference with our brain health (& overall health & weight)! 

When it comes to gluten…there is a high correlation between neurological symptoms and gluten antibodies – most specifically with wheat gluten.  So if you have an inflammatory diet, you are inflaming your brain. It WILL begin to degenerate.  As these various factors (stress, blood sugar instability and/or surges, sedentary lifestyles, lack of circulation, poor diet) add up, we will begin to feel foggy. That “fog” is brain degeneration. You have a thought but can’t get to it. 

What would a balanced brain focused diet consist of?  The key is to eat a diversity of vegetables/plant fibers along with healthy fats and LIMITED sugar/processed carbs. Proteins can also be inflammatory with most inflammatory proteins being milk protein, egg protein, and soy protein. Experts suggest a diet that is A.) gluten & dairy free, B.) one that includes flax seed & fish oils (healthy fats), and for sure, C.) a diet low in sugar and processed carbs to prevent sugar surges, and D.) a diet FULL of diverse vegetables.

The bottom line is that anything that causes inflammation to the body has an effect on the brain.

That would include stress, diet, sedentary lifestyle, arthritis, food allergies,  auto immunity diseases, etc.  What’s the best way to support our brains?Ultimately, what we should do for a healthy lifestyle and weight is what we should do for our brain: eat properly, exercise with intensity to increase our heart rates, and supplement with dietary flavonoids like turmeric, resveratrol, and polyphenols.   Last, try meditation or breathing techniques to lower stress. Laugh. Help others. Try inversion. Get a pet. And educate yourself because you are worth it.  Some of my favorite recent reads include:

The good news is EVERY little bit helps and most of what helps is in our control.  Isn’t it nice that the things we can do to remain healthy, fit and active will also serve our brains well?

I think today is a great day to take action.  A friend of mine likes to ask, “What have you got to lose?”  Well, my friends, taking no action WILL lead to Alzheimer’s and dementia. It’s not a matter of “if” but “when”.  I think a better question is, “What have you got to gain?”

A long, beautiful, and healthy life.

Today IS some day.

Carpe Diem.

7 Things to Remember Before Starting (Another) Workout Program

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Tom Nikkola, CSCS, CISSN, Pn1 recently shared a blog with the above title. If you are like me, you appreciate Cliff notes, so here they are, short ‘n sweet:

  1. You’re probably not a high school athlete anymore.

Be sensible, ‘nuff said.

  1. Your body will change when you challenge it, not when you punish it.

One of my favorite quotes is, “You can’t expect 100% results with 50% of the effort.” Training is like life, you get out of it what you put into it.

  1. Exercise is just a stimulus. Nutrition and sleep are what actually change your body.

Train to change your body, then fuel and recover (sleep) properly to allow your body and hormones to do their thing.

  1. Sometimes, doing an exercise wrong is worse than not doing it at all.

I’ve been certified for over 20 years, but will be first to admit I don’t know it all and I love to learn new ways to train and/or a better way. Don’t be afraid to seek help. Keep learning & sharpen the saw.

  1. The sauna and steam room can help you recover faster.

Heat speeds recovery, lowers oxidation, increases growth hormone, and is detoxifying. Plus, it makes your body inhospitable to unwelcomed bacteria and viruses.

  1. Nutrition and supplementation can lessen the muscle soreness.

This subject alone could be a year’s worth of blogs. Let food be they medicine and medicine be thy food. If you do supplement, consider curcumin and/or coconut oil.

  1. You don’t have to be a runner, but you should view the process of getting fit as a marathon, and not a sprint.

You didn’t get where you are overnight, so don’t expect overnight results. One bad meal won’t make you fat—on the other hand, one week of workouts & healthier eating won’t make you fit.

To obtain better results, you can use a fat cavitation machine, if you do not have much information about this you can visit twelvmag.com and read more about this incredible technology that will help you loosing weight faster.

Until next time, live strong. Be fit. Laugh often. And smile.

What have you got to gain?

Interested in reading more about the benefits of Curcumin or Coconut Oil?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andrew-weil-md/turmeric-health-have-a-happy-new-year_b_798328.html

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-662-Curcumin%20(TURMERIC).aspx?activeIngredientId=662&activeIngredientName=Curcumin%20(TURMERIC)

http://www.doctoroz.com/blog/charles-mattocks/benefits-coconut-oil

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/05/01/coconut-oil-benefits_n_3194782.html

http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/nutrition_news_information/health_benefits_of_coconut_coconut_oil_coconut_milk_coconut_water_coconut_flour?page=2