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In order to keep myself accountable, I have a half-session with a personal trainer once a month to take my weight and measurements, so I can better track my efforts as I work toward getting myself into better shape. While my lifestyle is fairly healthy overall, it could still use some improvement, and I am trying to get rid of a pesky 7 pounds. Instead of relying on exercise myths to help me achieve my desired level of fitness, though, I asked my personal trainer, who also has certifications in exercise science and in nutrition, what I could do to have more effective workouts. Here are 10 things she told me I could do to increase the benefits I get from exercising:

Increase the intensity: When you start out, it is best to begin with a low-intensity workout. However, as you build your endurance, you should up the intensity of your workout. You will see better results, especially in terms of weight loss with a moderate to high intensity aerobic workout. Limit your workout length: You don’t need to work out in 60 minutes chunks. Indeed, my trainer says that it’s better to work out at a higher intensity for 20 to 30 minutes. She says not to go beyond 40 minutes in a work out session, since beyond that the benefits aren’t as great. Slow lifting: Instead of releasing quickly after lifting slowly, release slowly as well. You should concentrate more on your form, and on working the muscles. Maximize your moves by counting to five for each direction. You should also gradually add weight and reps as you are able, being careful to avoid so much weight that your form suffers. Combine exercises: Instead of just doing one exercise at a time, look for ways to combine, so that you can get a full body workout in one session. For instance, you can combine bicep curls with lunges. You can also do exercises like push-ups and dead lifts and rows that work more than one muscle group at a time. Circuits: If you do reps, don’t do them all at once. Instead of doing a rep, resting, and doing another rep, do other exercises in between. Allow your muscles some recovery time by doing a rep, moving on to another exercise, doing a rep, moving on to a third exercise, and so forth. Moving from exercise to exercise in a circuit can actually help you add a touch of cardio to your strength training as well as increase the effectiveness of your weight lifting. Add an element of balance: Instead of sitting down, or using something to help you remain stable, you can add an element of balance. Try doing over the head lifts with hand weights on one foot, switching feet as you switch arms. You can also incorporate a stability ball or board into your workout, forcing you to work your core muscles along with the rest of your body. Mix up your routine: Your body gets used to the same things. Every few weeks change your routine. You can also mix things up during the week. I do strength two or three times a week, as suggested by my trainer, and cardio three or four times a week. Find exercises that you enjoy, and rotate them in. I like swimming, but I vary the cario routine with stationary bike, belly dancing and kickboxing. Stay hydrated: Make sure you are getting plenty of water throughout the day. Drinking a great deal just before you exercise is not the best option, since it can take two hours for your body to absorb the water. You can take sips throughout your workout, though. But your best bet is to get in the habit of drinking water throughout the day. Don’t neglect the protein: Many people forget the importance of protein. If you are working out, you need to have the amino acids that provide building blocks for muscles. While you don’t need to eat a ton of protein, you should make sure you are getting some from lean sources, like legumes, fish and chicken. You can also get protein from shakes. Eat carbs: If you want the energy to do workouts that are more effective, you need some carbs. This doesn’t mean that your workout will be enhanced by a bunch of sugar, though. Good nutrition from carbs means focusing on fruits and vegetables and whole grains for most of your carb sources. If you drink a protein shake, add a banana, which is a great source of healthy carbs.

Finally, my trainer recommends that I incorporate some sort of flexibility exercise every day — just five or 10 minutes. I like to do yoga, but there are other regimens you can do. And don’t forget the rest and relaxation (or meditation) can also help your body’s overall effectiveness as a system.

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