AB-SESSION CONTINUES and CILANTRO GREEN SMOOTHIE RECIPE

I am now 2.5 months into my obsession with getting chiseled abs [thus ab-session].  My goal is to have a 6-pack showing... or as close to it as possible.  With teaching 9-10 fitness classes a weeks it is not too hard to achieve, except that I have to be diligent to give my body enough rest  to recover.  If there is not enough recovery time and the food is not right, instead of getting ripped there is a possibility of actually putting on a few pounds.  So, the abs could be ripped under the layer of fat, but it would be very hard to notice if the body does not have enough down time to recover, restore, recuperate and burn existing fat cell. 

I have to be very vigilant about doing just that.  My crazy schedule and even crazier personality hardly allow me to slow down.  I feel that even when I am asleep I am really awake--my brain won't stop working.  So, now I have to take extra percussion to force my goal-driven self to R-E-L-A-X.  It is only a 5 letter word, but it requires a lot of work on my part. 

Ready to see my achievement? [click on the image to see full-size]

I noticed that the mid section is more pronounced [bottom row middle image], and the obliques are more defined [left image on the bottom].  All of this in 2.5 months.  Not bad, huh?

The secret to my success, in addition to aforementioned rest and relaxation?  Good, clean nutrition.  Nutrition=Energy.  The cleaner the energy and easier to absorb the better my machine [my body] operates. 

I always make sure to consume 16-32 oz of green smoothies a day to help with my protein intake [greens are rich in protein] and to help recovery and tissue restoration process.  Greens are rich in Chlorophyll, which aids the restoration process.  Chlorophyll is like liquid oxygen. 

I also consume unprocessed foods in smaller portions, and now I TRY to stay away from my only weakness in life--bread.  I have found great ways to get wheat out of my diet with the latest discovery of buckwheat flour.  I now make the meanest pancakes out of it that even hubby, the wheat lover, likes.  I will post a recipe for them in the next few days. 

Today's green smoothie was out of this world.  Only 3 ingredients, but it was so delightfully refreshing. 

Pineapple Cilantro Green Smoothie

Makes close to 60 oz

• 2-3 cups water
• 1/2 bunch cilantro [about 2 cups if chopped]
• 4-5 collard greens leaves, stemmed
• 1/3 of large, ripe pineapple, cored*

*keep the core to blend it later and make facial mask out of it

That's it!  Simple, but SOOOOOO delicious.  Hubby and I split the pitcher, although he ended up with more ;)

Any secrets ab exercises  from my readers? I can always use more :)!

AB-SESSION {VEGAN WAY}

I don't know what hit me this year, but right around New Year I decided that being fit and slim is not enough and I have to get ripped abs.  Fortunately at the same time I started to teach fitness classes 10 hours a week.  And, being the overachiever that I am, I do everything my students do and then some.  I also spend at least an hour or so at home putting my routines together, so by the end of the week I total 11+ hours of physical [as in athletic] activity. 

Needless to say my food intake had gone WAY up.  I feel that I am hungry every few minutes.  The blessing of a whole, plant based diet comes in handy--I eat a lot of nutrient dense foods with low calorie count.  I have to be honest, though, the calorie count does not bother me at all.  In fact, I NEVER count calories.  My motto is: 

Calories are to be eaten, not counted!

Green smoothies have been amazing as pre- and post-workout food.  They have enough protein and carbs to keep me going 2-3 hours at  a time.  They are perfect for post-workout recovery, because nutrients are absorbed quickly and assimilate easily. 

For the remainder of the day I much on anything comes my way: fruit, salads, whole wheat sandwiches, 

soups, etc.  Last night I made quinoa [my new favorite grain] and amaranth [I am still trying to figure that one out]. 

Today my breakfast was a mixture of both grains, with grapes and almond milk, drizzled with raw honey and a shake of Himalayan salt.  It is now among my new favorite breakfast items!

So, crazy as I am, I have been keeping a photo-journal of my ab-session [as in ab obsession ;)].  Would you like to see my progress? [to see larger image, click on it]

I can't believe the transformation in less than 2 months! [AND I can't believe I am showing my mid section to the world either :)...]

So, apparently what I am doing is working.  A couple more months and my abs should be ripped :).  I am planning to give the workout system everyone raves about, P90X, a shot.  I will let you know how that goes.  I am sure that when added to my weekly routine it will get me to my goal much faster. I am also gearing up to start offering Boot Camp at the gym where I teach, so watch out world!  The ab-crazed vegan is on the loose!

PS: If you are looking for a great book on Sports Nutrition, you should definitely read Brendan Brazier's THRIVE DIET book.  I am reading it now and am still learning a lot, plus it keeps me motivated.

Morning Stretching in Bed: Fun, Easy and Good for You

I know I am not the only one that had ever woken up feeling tired or even sore after a good workout from the day before.  Now that I am teaching/working out 10+ hours a week it's pretty much a regular occurrence, except on my days off.  There are times I feel I can barely get out of bed.  I am sure you felt that way too.  So, what do we do to avoid feeling icky like that?

I started bed morning stretches a few months ago and now love the way I feel by the time my feet hit the floor.  The exercises/stretches are easy, they make you feel great, and get blood going to make leaving you feeling refreshed, putting a smile on your face. 

I made a 3.5 min video to show you how I start my mornings.  Please watch it and let me know if you do your own bed stretches that I might benefit from.

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Power Yoga Classes in Reynoldsburg OH & Other Things

Power Yoga Classes

BIG Announcement first :)

It's on! My training schedule at the new facility is official. Anyone on Columbus metro area with membership at Aspen Fitness will have access to my classes.

As of next week [starting 11/15]I will be teaching Power Yoga at the Reynoldsburg OH location of Aspen Fitness.  Make sure to come out to one or all of these classes:

Monday: 5:30 pm

Tuesday: 11 am and 5:30 pm

Thursday: 5:30 pm

Saturday: 9:30 am

You will discover and train muscles you did not know you had, meanwhile becoming more flexible and toned.

Power Yoga classes are very upbeat, encompassing cardio, flexibility and strength training. It is also great for weight loss!

So, mark your calendars and make sure to come out starting 11/15/10 to Aspen Fitness off 7064 East Main Street, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068-2010.  Come yourself and tell others!

The membership fees are only $10-19 per month [depending what you choose]!  It's a brand new facility and classes are included at no additional charge!

Feel free to contact me for any details.

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Unpacking and What I learned About Myself

So, we ditched our new/old place that we moved to when we came to Ohio.  It simply did not sit well with us and was not US...  We love feeling comfy and cozy and we love to entertain, but the place where we were was anything but conducive to that. So... we bit the bullet, paid our dues and moved out to a better place in Dublin OH.  

The move was anything short of crazy.  We moved to a place on a third floor :(, AND I booked a photo session for the same day.  No, it was not intended, but just happened that way.

Thankfully we had a couple of friends help us move.  The stairs, though, killed us all. 

I was determined, however, that we would have as much unpacking done as possible the first day [by we I mean me, because hubster had to work].  So, the day after I had the bedroom unpacked and set up, kitchen almost unpacked and living room... almost set up. 

 

I even cleared enough space to work out

My office is still all in boxes [what you see is books for the most part--a real chore to get to the 3rd floor!]

So, what have I learned?  Don't more to the third floor--hire movers, and don't try to be a superwoman--scheduling a session and a move on the same day is pretty much madness. 

As of today I made more progress--the living room is starting to look lovely. I just need to hang pictures and curtains.  I also ordered a brand new desk for my office and will go shopping for bookshelves next week [can't wait!].

All the while, though, we still enjoyed our delicious vegan foods: green smoothies, veggie wraps, vegan whole wheat pizza, brown rice and beans:

I hear that brown rice and bean combo is referred to as poor man's meat, because it is packed with protein, but I can tell you that it is so much better and leaves you feeling great, as opposed to going into a food induces coma. 

Today's Green Smoothie was fantastic!

Dandelion Green Smoothie

• 3 cups water
• 1/4 cup George's Aloe Vera
• 1 large bunch dandelion greens
• 2 bananas
• 2 oranges
• 1 fuji apple
• 2 tbs dulse flakes
• 2 tbs flax seeds
• 2 tbs raw cacao nibs

It was a great pre- and post- workout meal. 

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Vegan Cooking Class in Dublin OH & Coconut Bliss Giveaway

If you are in/around Columbus OH metro area, don't forget to sign up for a plant based cooking class, which will take place next Friday, 11/19 at 7 pm.  Only 5 spots are left.  Check out details here. 

Also, don't forget to enter a vegan ice cream giveaway, which ends tomorrow!

Until next time: Stay Well!

Workout Green Smoothie and Mr. Eggplant Head

Good Afternoon, Loves!  Hope you are having a FABULOUS day!  I can tell you that I am!  Hubby is off today, so we did 50 mins power yoga, then downed a green smoothie and headed off to the gym for some more beating workout :)  

My workout: 

Power Yoga--50 mins

Elliptical--1.1 mile

Back, abs, triceps and biceps--40 mins

Treadmill--1 mile

Food Intake:

An apple before yoga

Green Smoothie before gym

Lots of water

Green Smoothie after gym

Couple of slices of vegan pizza

Workout Green Smoothie Recipe

3-4 servings

I use all ORGANIC ingredients and filtered water

• 2-3 cups water
• 4 leaves colored greens
• large handful parsley [I used curly parsley]
• 1/2 tbs blue green algae [I use HealthForce Nutritionals brand]
• 2 bananas
• 2 plums
• 1 tbs raw cacao nibs

Blend in a high speed blender [VitaMix 5200 or Blendtec Total Blender] for best results. 

Enjoy!

I have to share this little cutie with you--Mr. Eggplant Head: 

I was at a Farmer's Market last week and scored a few eggplants.  When I saw this one I had to get it.  It immediately made me think of a  very quirky guy with a french accent.  I had to get it!  So, a couple of days ago, before cooking it, I brought him to life first :)  Isn't he cute?  It is unfortunate, but Mr. Eggplant Head was cooked and tasted even better than he looked :)

In the next couple of days I will post a recipe for the Creamed Mushroom Polenta. 

For today, enjoy your life!

PS: If you are in the Columbus OH metropolitan area and are looking to learn how to cook for health, weight loss and well-being, make sure to register for the upcoming plant-based cooking class, held by yours truly :)

My Amazing Morning {Bible, Power Yoga and Green Smoothie}

I am loving the weather in Ohio.  It is sunny and mild.  Since I am temporary staying home to take care of the household [unpacking, paperwork, etc] I have the luxury to sleep in a little and then indulge in a slow morning routine: reading my Bible, drinking a green smoothie and exercising. 

Today was fabulous!  I feel so refreshed and ready for the day. 

My favorite Scripture from today's reading is Psalm 4:4-5:

"Be angry and do not sin.

Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still.

Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, 

And put your trust in the Lord."

Reading and mediating on these verses puts my heart at rest.  God is in total control of our lives and there is no reason to worry about anything. 

While I was reading and mediating on the Scripture I sipped on a Kale Green Smoothie. 

Kale Green Smoothie

makes 4 servings

• 2-3 cups water
• 6 kale leaves
• 2 pears
• 1 banana
• 2 plums
• 2 tbs hemp seeds

After that... Power Yoga!!!  I feel like I have been out of circulation for too long!  Two weeks!  Yes I worked out in between and even went to a Pilates class at our gym yesterday [Lifestyle Fitness in New Albany OH], but it was not the same.  My body was aching to have every muscle and ligament stretched. 

To make for a pleasant workout I went yoga mat shopping last night, with my sweet hubbster.  It was time for an upgrade, as my old mat is falling apart.  I ended up finding a wonderful Stott Pilates mat [although it is pale pink (pink is not my favorite color for a mat)] at Marshall's for only $15!  I had my doubts about it, but once it was unrolled and I landed my feet on it, I was in "mat-love".  It is here to stay!

 

This morning I needed a little help to get back in the groove, so I exercised to MTV's Power Yoga Video.  It's worth every penny I spent on it :)  Fantastic for a good stretch.    [excuse the white walls and wires--I am still unpacking ;)]

Now that I am ready for the day I am planning to hit a couple of libraries.  You don't even know how excited I am to be back around a place with TONS of libraries that are open until 8-9 pm!  I am a book-worm, as is my husband, so finding libraries nearby us is a thrill!!!  Then I want to visit a local gym and see if I can land myself an instructor job there, while I am still waiting to find out if I passed the exam.

Dinner plans for today: Polenta with Creamed Mushrooms!!!  I will try to post a recipe for it tomorrow. 

Have a fantastic day!  And do tell me how you got yourself up and going this morning?  What is your "waking-up" routine?

Delays and News

Good Day, Loves!

DESSERT E-BOOK DELAY

Just wanted to post a quick note and apologize for a delay in the long promised e-cookbook [first edition: Desserts].

I plan a lot of things, but life happens and sometimes encroaches on my perfect plans, as this is the case in this situation.  With weather semi-cooperating in Washington we are taking advantage of it and working hard to finish remodeling [among other big projects], which leaves very little time for cooking or creativity ;)  In the next 2-4 weeks all things will be finished, though, and life will be back to normal.  I will once again be spending time in the kitchen and working hard on releasing Dessert e-book, followed by Main Dish e-book.  Both Vegan.  Desserts will have raw and gluten free recipes AND will have a couple of my SECRET recipes, so it will be worth the wait ;)

FITNESS CERTIFICATION

Meanwhile, crazy me is working on another huge project!  I am starting my certification process to become a group fitness instructor :)!  Yes, you heard it right--a FITNESS instructor.  Today I will be taking my CPR certification class and will start studying for the certification exam with AFAA, which will take place in less than a month.  I can hardly believe this is happening but I am super excited. 

I am currently talking to a couple of gyms that are interested in bringing me on to teach Power Yoga/Pilates class.  Once the selection is final I will let you know WHERE and WHEN you can find me.

As for now, here are a couple of my favorite workout videos.

Yogalosophy [be ready to walk funny for the first few days after your first workout, because it will WORK YOU!]

Kristin McGee Power Yoga DVD is another favorite of mine.  Almost no fluff [I am no fluff kind of girl ;)] and works every muscle in your body.

COOKING CLASS

Yet, on another note, my hubby and I will be in Columbus OH area next month and I will offer a plant-based [vegan] cooking class there.  If you are in the area [Columbus, Westerville, Worthington, Bexley, Pickerington, Gahanna, Hilliard, Canal Winchester, OH or surrounding areas] and are interested in coming out to the class, let me know and I will send you all details.  I will also follow up with another post next week with the menu and everything you need to know to register. 

If you have friends/family in Columbus, OH area who would love to come to the class, send them my way :).  We will make delicious meals, talk nutrition, weight loss, and how to stay youthful and vibrant.

PEACH GREEN SMOOTHIE

Today I enjoyed a delicious green smoothie.  Here is the recipe.

~3 cups water

~2 peaches [hopefully ripe]

~3 cups cantaloupe

~large handful of lambsquarters

~large handful of kale

~3 tbs dulse

~2 tbs maca powder

~3 tbs hemp seeds

~2 tbs cacao nibs

HAPPY WEEK!

Until next time, loves, have a great, healthful life!

Spinach Green Smoothies and Abs of Steel 2

Another wonderful day to be alive! Another wonderful God given day to heal my body and strengthen it too.

My breakfast today was a Mango/Spinach Green Smoothie. [As you can see I am enjoying my smoothie through an amazing new favorite of mine GlassDharma glass straw.]

Makes 4 servings

• 3 cups water
• 1 cup George's Aloe Vera
• 1 ripe mango [pitted]
• 2 oranges
• 4 oz spinach
• 5T hemp seed
• 1/4 cup dulse flakes

I added 1T maca powder to my portion.

Within 30 mins I was working out, targeting legs and abs. My niece came out to work out with me [I hope she does not hurt too bad tomorrow ;)]. After the workout she helped me to record a video of one of my favorite ab exercises I wanted to share with you. I am not sure if anyone else is doing it this exercise this way, but it was my little invention for me, so I would not get bored.

I hope you try it and enjoy it as much as I did.
[If you get this as e-mail RSS feed the video might not come through, so make sure to click on the link to the video to see it. Is slightly than a minute long.]

Abs of Steel 2 from Elena Wilkins on Vimeo.

Have an amazing day! I am off to photograph an amazing charity fund raiser, and might even blog about it on my photography blog later on [Elena Photographers, Longview WA Photographer].

Don't forget that today is the last day to enter the Coconut Bliss Ice Cream giveaway. It is a delicious vegan goodness.

Abs of Steel--Effective At Home Ab Exercise

If you would love to develop strong, defined abs try this exercise.

When you are first starting out don't overdo it or you will ache for a couple of days! The exercise works the ENTIRE body--you will especially feel it in the beginning stages.

Make sure to tighten your abs and pull the belly button in as close to your spine as possible for back support, and to work your abs even more, AND to help them form properly [flat, that is!].

Abs of Steel from Elena Wilkins on Vimeo.

Don't forget to enter a Glass Straw giveaway by GlassDharma in the post below--one of my new favorite must haves!

Until next time: Live an Unprocessed Life!

The Lunge and Lift-A LIFTING Exercise

Recently I started to follow a blog of the gorgeous Fitnessista, Gina. It happened right around the time when she blogged about The Lunge and Lift exercise, which works out glutes and hamstrings. Well, if you know me then you would have guessed that I had to try it for myself to see if and how it really works. I tried it on a couple of occasions and it was good. However, yesterday I increased my reps… and today I feel achy and LIFTED ;) Oh, if you could only feel what my glutes are feeling. Hmmm… I might have to rethink that sentence.

So, without further ado, here is fabulous Gina in her video. Try it and ENJOY!

Happy Monday!

Healthful Competition

I have not posted in a while, but it is not because there is nothing to post about, it's actually the opposite. I have been staying busy with taking better care of myself. I actually had my first colonic [I will write about that later], bought and started using dry body brush, invented new recipes, and... I keep staying away from Gluten and Soy products.

But there is more... About a week and a half ago we had my husband's friend, Brandon, over for dinner. In the course of our conversation we got on the subject of walking around our local lake. Brandon mentioned that he walks it a couple of times a week. The lake is about 3.6 miles. Somehow, and my memory fails here, but I believe it is Demetrye's fault, I was asked how long it takes me to walk the lake. Not having done it in a while, except for an occasional late afternoon stroll, I told him that it used to take me 45 minutes. Brandon thought it was impossible. My husband, the instigator, suggested that Brandon should challenge me. Before I knew it, the day was set and my destiny was planned for me. We were scheduled to compete last Saturday.

Throughout the week of the competition I planned to train for at least a couple of days. Unfortunately for me, things kept coming up one after another. By Wednesday I ended up with a pinched nerve on my back and could barely move. I was only hoping that we would still be able to compete--I am not the type to bail out. By Friday I felt good enough to get out and give it a try. I should have fallen the golden rule--rest the day before any competition. Needless to say, I was SORE Saturday morning... and tired. I did push myself to get to the gym and stretch for almost an hour. I also downed a couple of glasses of green smoothies and kept my diet clean of any heavy foods that would make me tired or slow me down in any other way.

By 4 p.m. we headed to the lake. It was raining, but neither one of us wanted to back out. I told Brandon that he was going to lose and that he still had time to concede, but, as any other red blooded male, he refused.

We set a wager: if I lost, I would buy him a book, if he lost he would go FAST FOOD FREE for 2.5 weeks. I did try to get him to go Vegan for 30 days, but he could not imagine doing that. I then tried to have him go Junk Food free, and then we settled on Fast Food free, as he tends to have fast foods at least 5 times a week.

Oh, what a competition it was! I am not going to boast too much, but will only say this--I beat him by 10 minutes. I walked the entire distance in 44 minutes! [No running or jogging was allowed!]

So, here is to the sweet moment of victory, right after Brandon caught up with me. [I am grateful that my niece Anastacia came out and snapped these couple of photos with her iPhone.] I was wet and tired, but... I WON!

And here is one with my Sweet, Sweet Man! He was so supportive. He acted as my manager and even gave me a 2 minute body rub to get my body relaxed and blood flowing.

I was sore for a couple of days after the competition, but I am certainly glad that we did it. Now Brandon has an opportunity to get "clean" and feel better and more energized, even if it is for a short time. I am hoping that he will like the way he feels and will dump his love affair with Fast Food for good.

The positive aspect of it all is that Brandon is really serious about sticking with his commitment. I spoke with him a couple of days ago and he said that he will try to stay fast food "free" for at least a month. His father and his boss were inspired by his commitment and decided to join him in the effort. Who knew that a 44 minute race could be so productive?! Not only that, but is sounds like I am going to have more challenges coming my way. Apparently there are more hot-blooded males, who would love to prove that they can be faster than I. But it is not only speed, that counts, my friends! Endurance is a major key as well! And let me tell you that it is easier to stay the course when there is nothing clogging your pores :) I know what my wager is going to be if I am challenged, and, I am sure, you guessed it :) Maybe I can convert the entire town this way to a healthier lifestyle!

Last night Demetrye and I joined Brandon on a grocery-shopping "trip". I showed him what foods to buy and how to combine them into meals to benefit from these 2 weeks. He was amazingly open-minded, and we all are expecting great results! I will make sure to keep you posted.

I wish everyone a wonderful day! Stay Healthy!!! Live Happy!!!

Why Weight Training is Important

There are numerous benefits to strength/weight training:
● Muscles burn more than 50% more calories than fat (a pound of fat burn 2 calories a day, whereas a pound of muscles burns 6).
● Weight Training strengthens bones and connective tissue along with muscles. Post-menopausal women can lose 1-2% of their bone mass annually. Results from a study conducted at Tufts University, which were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1994, showed that strength training increases bone density and reduces the risk for fractures among women aged 50-70.
● Strength/weight training reduces the signs and symptoms of numerous diseases and chronic conditions, among them: arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity , back pain, depression.

Many women I speak with develop somewhat of a phobia of weight training. They are afraid that they will look too masculine. Let me clear something up for you, ladies, you're not going to wake up huge from weight training—your body simply does not produce enough testosterones to become as big and as quickly as man can. A woman would have to train a lot harder and longer to achieve same results as an average weight-training male.

So, now I might have convinced a few of you, and you might have become interested in weight training, but you are curious on how fast you will be able to gain the coveted muscle mass. According to Dr. Cedric Bryant, Chief Exercise Physiologist at ACE, the average person usually gains about 3-5 pounds of muscle mass every 3-4 months, if he/she is following a weight training program.

Here are a few tips for starters (taken from Georgia State University site):
1. Remember to warm up. Warming up gives the body a chance to deliver plenty of nutrient rich blood to areas about to be exercised, to actually warm the muscles and lubricate the joints.
2. Stretch - Increases or maintains muscle flexibility.
3. During the first week of starting an exercise program keep it light. Work on technique-good body mechanics and slowly work up to heavier weights.
4. Quick tips to maintain good body mechanics: go through the complete range of motion, move slowly and with control, breathe, and maintain a neutral spine. Never sacrifice form just to add more weight or repetitions.
5. The intensity of your workout depends on a number of factors, including the number of sets and repetitions, the overall weight lifted, and the rest between sets. You can vary the intensity of your workout to fit your activity level and goals.
6. Listen to your body. Heart rate is not a good way to determine your intensity when lifting weights, it is important to listen to your body based on an overall sense of feeling of exertion.
7. The MINIMUM amount of strength training recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine is eight to twelve repetitions of eight to ten exercises, at a moderate intensity, two days a week. You will get more overall gains with more days per week, sets and resistance, but the progression is one in which you must listen to your body.
8. Strength training sessions are recommended to last one hour or less.
9. As a general rule, each muscle that you train should be rested one to two days before being exercised further in order for the fatigued muscles to rebuild. 10. "No pain, no gain." This statement is not only false, but can be dangerous. Your body will adapt to strength training, and will reduce in body soreness each time you workout.

Strength Training Principles:
1. Overload: To see gains in strength you must always stimulate the muscle more than it is accustomed to.
2. Progression: The active muscle must continue to work against a gradually increasing resistance in order to meet overload.
3. Specificity: Gains you receive are dependent on the muscle group used, and movement pattern performed.
● Strength (maximal force): If you are interested in strength gains you want to train with higher weights.

● Endurance (sub-maximal force that is repeated): If you are interested in gains in endurance, you should concentrate on lifting lower weights and higher repetitions.
4. Arrangement:
● Warm-up - the warm-up should be "sport specific". In other words, if you are performing the bench press, begin your warm-up with a light intensity and perform 8-10 reps.
● Stretch - it is important to stretch to promote increased blood flow to the muscles, and to increase flexibility, range of motion and decrease the risk of injury.
● Workout - work larger muscle groups first, then smaller muscle groups.
● Cool-down - keeps the body active and prevents pooling of blood in the extremities. The cool-down is done at a lower intensity.
5. Breathing: When lifting weight or working muscles against resistance, exhale through the mouth as you are performing the work. Caution: Failure to breathe correctly during heavy weight lifting may cause drastic increases in blood pressure that may be harmful.

BE HEALTHY!!!

How to Calculate Target Heart Rate

To maximize your cardio work out make sure that you are excersizing at your target heart rate (THR) for 20 minutes at a time, at least three times a week. To find out your THR, take 220, which is the maximum heart rate, subrtract your age, then multiply it by 0.80. It is that easy!

Here is an example. If you are 30 years old, your THR should be:

(220-30)x0.80=152

Split Routine Training

I wanted to talk about how important it is to split your work out routine between different muscle groups. Instead of spending the time to type it out myself, however, I did a quick search on Google and found a site that talks about the same subject, and I agree with their view on this topic. I borrowed information from Answer Fitness, so the entire credit goes to them.

"The types of exercises you are performing as part of your workout also play a critical role in determining workout frequency. If you are primarily performing cardio, you may be able to get away with working out every day. Cardio is not as taxing on the central nervous system as weight or resistance training is. And because people are, in general, much more sedentary than their bodies are designed to be, risks for over training with cardio are much lower than with weight training.

On the other hand, let’s say that your workout is a combination of cardio and weight training. Trying to perform 30-40 minutes of cardio on the same day as your resistance training not only means you’ll be spending a longer amount of time in the gym at one time, but you may also put yourself at risk for injury due to fatigue. You’ll also likely find that you are just too tired to workout with the intensity you want after all of that running. In those scenarios, it’s best to split your cardio and weight training up into different days. On your non-weight-training days, you can perform the cardio. With this approach, you’ll likely find that your intensity, overall energy, performance, and eventually—progress—is enhanced versus trying to “do it all” in one workout.

The key here is to give the muscles involved in the workout 48 hours of recovery before working them again with resistance training. So performing cardio on in-between days shouldn't hamper recovery. In fact, some people find that it reduces delayed onset muscle soreness and stiffness.

You may see more advanced, well-conditioned trainees and bodybuilders perform weight training every day. What’s up with that? What about that 48 hour recovery period I was talking about? It still applies.

Most trainees who perform weight training daily are using what’s called a “split routine.” With a split routine you generally only work two to three muscle groups in a single workout, and the next day train two to three different muscles before repeating. So with a split routine you typically will have at least 48 hours (often more) of recovery time before working that same muscle group."

BE HEALTHY!!!