workout recap | 2.2.15.

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Weekly Workout Recap | GirlMeetsLife.com

I’m probably going to hate myself for doing this.

BUT. Oh well.

Long story short - I want to start recording my workouts here on GML. I’m am the classic GO GO GO 100% for 2 months then don’t even look at my sneakers for 2 months kind of person. So I need the accountability.

Don’t get me wrong - if there are weeks (or even months) where I don’t exercise at all, I’m perfectly okay with that. But I like the idea of recording how my workouts make me feel (especially after tracking my Whole30 experience. I liked that).

So rewind to last week…

Sunday & Monday 1/25 - 1/26 - off

Tuesday 1/27 - 40 minutes Stair Master at the gym. I wasn’t planning on exercising this day, which made it all the better of a workout. The Stair Master is my favorite cardio machine - it never fails to make me a sweaty mess. I do intervals of speed and skipping steps (and avoid holding onto the machine as much as possible).

Wednesday 1/28 - 1 hour class at New York Pilates. I just posted about that here.

Thursday 1/29 - 20 minutes on the Stair Master, same routine as usual. I was going to workout in the morning but decided sleep was more important (for the most part, it always is), so I squeezed this in during lunch.

Friday 1/30 - 45 minut Cyc class. I recently started getting into spin, so I was excited to see that there were so many spin options on ClassPass. Cyc was the first one I tried, and it was great! The studio is in David Barton Gym, which is an experience in itself (seriously, it feel like you’re in a nightclub. And the locker room was heavenly). I hate to compare Cyc to SoulCycle but, it’s kind of hard not to. They’re pretty similar, but both great workouts. Cyc definitely kicked my butt - super high intensity, great use of weights, decent music.

Saturday 1/31 - 1 hour Vinyasa class at Y7 Yoga (their Soho studio). I really liked this yoga class. I’ll be honest - yoga isn’t really my thing (or so I thought). I tend to get bored, and I like to sweat, but not in a Bikram Yoga sort of way. This Vinyasa class was a perfect balance - it was warm but not too hot (so I got to sweat), challenging but not overly so, and restorative all at the same time. I also liked that the studio was extremely dark, I enjoyed the choice of music, and the instructor (Dina) was great too.

Sunday 2/1 - 45 minute SoulCycle class. I’m so biased. This was totally the highlight of my workout week…and maybe even of my week in general. I’ve only been to about 5 SoulCycle classes so far, but thankful I have Rachel guide me to the best instructors (she’s a SoulCycle aficionado, to say that least ;)). So yesterday I went with her to Charlee‘s class at the Tribeca studio, and it was so. freaking. good. I never thought that such a crazy hard workout could be one of the most fun experiences ever at the same time.

I think the reason I like SoulCycle so much is because I’m just a sucker for the SOUL side of it. I’m a heart person through and through, so if I can connect heart-wise to a workout, I’m 100% in it.

Monday 2/2 - might as well include today because I just got home from the gym. I did some arm and butt exercises at home, then I went to the gym and did 40 minutes on the Arc machine. I actually never use that machine, but it was pretty kick-ass. I pumped the resistance up like crazy and could tell it was a great butt workout. Because glutes.

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So there you have it! Completely TMI about my exercise life 😉 Let me know if this is something you guys enjoy…?

What’s your absolute favorite form of exercise?

 

#LEAN14: three quickie workouts.

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When it comes to the fitness portion of LEAN14, my friend Nicole is my go-to resource. She’s not only highly educated and experienced, but she’s passionate about fitness and truly practices what she preaches.

(Check out her last guest post for GML on Periodization!)

I recently asked Nicole if she’d share some workouts for LEAN14 – specifically ones that are effective yet do-able for just about anyone. What Nicole has to say about these quickie workouts:

Make no mistake - These workouts are not easy because they are very fast paced. Quality movement is better than a bunch of junky reps, so be sure to rest whenever needed. Complete the workout as fast as possible with your best technique. Record your time so you can aim to improve!

 

3 Quickie At-Home Workouts

 

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Feel free to contact Nicole with any questions, training tips, etc. She also offers certain services and classes in Southern New Jersey if you happen to live in the area!

Nicole Wolf
CSCS . NPTI Certified Personal Trainer . CrossFit Level-1 Trainer . CorePower Certified Yoga Sculpt Teacher. Email: nicolewolf427@gmail.com Instagram & Twitter: sweat_face

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How long is your average workout? Do you prefer exercising at home or at the gym?

#LEAN14: “nothin’ fancy” HIIT workout.

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Back in December I shared my go-to HIIT treadmill workout. It’s a great one that I still do often!

Sometimes, though, I need my workouts to be as basic as possible in order for me to actual exercise at all. While my last HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workout varied throughout 3 speeds, this super simple one keeps it at just 2.

No thinking, no pushing lots of buttons, just some good old fashioned intervals.

This can be easily adjusted to your fitness level by speed (give or take 0.5) and/or add incline!

"Nothin' Fancy" 25-minute HIIT treadmill workout

Please note that I am *not* a trainer or fitness expert, this is just a workout based on my own knowledge and experience that has personally worked for me. Please consult a doctor before starting any fitness routine.

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Are you a fan of HIIT? What’s your favorite form of cardio?

#LEAN14 january jumpstart: a month in review.

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I can’t believe January is already over! It was definitely an interesting month – taking on January Jumpstart while also planning a move, launching a new company, and keeping up with other life stuff.

Overall I would say that January Jumpstart was a success for me. Even though I didn’t stick to all of the goals 100%, it really held me accountable to keep up with healthy choices instead of letting them fall by the wayside a week in. I’m excited to keep up with LEAN14 for the rest of the year.

But for now, here’s a recap of how I did with my January Jumpstart goals.

1. Drink at least 64 ounces of water each day – YES

2. Eat at least 5 servings of vegetables each day – YES

3. Exercise 3 days a week (30-60 min combo of strength & cardio) – Eh, not so much. Some weeks I did great, others I did 1-2 workouts, or none at all. With the move and Speakable launch, life has been crazy!

4. Squats, squats, and more squats – see above

5. Eat more clean, whole foods – YES

6. Eat balanced meals and less snacking – Yes and no, I definitely cut down on the snacking, but not entirely.

7. Get 7-8 hours of sleep each night – YES

8. Limit soda/energy drinks to 3 per week (an improvement for me) – YES! I actually did way better with this than I thought. I haven’t had a single soda or energy drink all month.

9. Allow more time to walk/take the subway instead of cabs – Nope. I blame the Polar Vortex.

10. Track more of my meals/workouts here on GML – Not as much as I wanted to. At least I still have all year 😉

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And to wrap things up, here are some of my favorite #LEAN14 posts from January:

(Click the image to go to the post)

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Did you do a January Jumpstart of sorts?
How is LEAN in 2014 going for you so far?

#LEAN14 guest post: nicole on periodization {aka organizing randomness}

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I recently was chatting with my friend Nicole about how I really love getting back into fitness, but a lot of times I just don’t even know what workouts I should be doing. Nicole, who is a Fitness Specialist and Certified Personal Trainer, started telling me about something athletes do called “Periodization.” I loved the concept behind it because it was something I could really see putting PURPOSE and a GOAL behind my workouts.

So I asked Nicole if she would write a post all about Periodization…AKA “Organizing Randomness”…for non-athletes like you and I. Enjoy!

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I’m sure we have all heard sayings such as “muscle confusion”, “constant variation”, etc. when it comes to fitness… And they are totally right! Our bodies are absolutely incredible when it comes to adapting to the demands we impose upon it. Performing similar workouts week after week will no longer be challenging to us so mixing it up is crucial. However, it is very important to have order within the randomness of our exercise program to ensure balanced training throughout muscle groups and development of physical skills.

Periodization allows for evolving goals, modalities and styles of your workout. This variation in workouts forces planned times of less intensity and/or volume, which decreases risk of injury, keeps motivation high and minimizes the dreaded plateau!

Athletes follow periodized programs throughout the entire year to ensure peak performance during their sports season. For those of us who are not professional athletes, we have the luxury of choosing our “in season” time frame of the year. In season can be winter for the skiers and boarders, the date of the half marathon you signed up for, or a bride preparing for her wedding day. The most common In season I hear about is summer of course! Summer is a super social season with BBQs, pool parties and weekends at the shore. We want to feel confident in short shorts, tank tops and bikinis.

Let’s use summer as our in season for a training year. Use these guidelines when planning your workouts for #LEAN14: *Volume = Work Load of the workout (reps and sets) / Intensity = Weight (resistance)*

Off Season (October – February)

WORKOUT: Recovery Phase – Keep volume and intensity low. “Master the basics of gymnastics (body control and fundamental movements): pull ups, dips, rope climb, push ups, sit ups, handstands, flips, splits, and holds.” (CrossFit Training Guide pg. 16). Start lifting! Make your way up to lifting heavy by tightening technique. “Practice and train major lifts: Deadlift, clean, squat, presses, clean & jerk, and snatch.” (CrossFit Training Guide pg. 16).

FOOD: Support your body – Recovery is key when lifting. Feed your body plenty of protein, carbohydrates from veggies and fruit (low glycemic) and fats (unsaturated) to ensure proper muscle restoration. Oh, and LOTS of water. When you think you have had enough water, drink more!

Left: Handstand Hold As Long As Possible - 5 Reps // Right: Barbell Front Squat – 75lb 7 reps 3 sets

Pre-Season (March – May)

WORKOUT: Get Sculpted – This is the time to PEAK and crush goals. Volume stays low but intensity switches to high. Now that your strength has increased, shake it up by incorporating metabolic conditioning into workouts. A great way to challenge your body is to begin High Intensity Interval Strength Training (HIIST) into the workout mix. Lifting + Metabolic Conditioning (Cardio) = HIIST. “Bike, swim, row, jump rope, skip, run hard and fast.” (CrossFit Training Guide pg. 16).

FOOD: Same as off season but add 1 grain carbohydrate (low glycemic) sometime before 12:00 noon. This will help with energy since we are adding additional training stressors.

Left: Barbell Deadlift 95lb 5 reps 4 sets + 400m Row // Right: Reverse Lunge with a Twist 10lb Sand Bell 10 reps 3 sets

In Season (June – August)

WORKOUT: Stay Sculpted and Explore– This is the time to maintain our progress. Continue to keep activity levels high but lighten up a bit. Enjoy your hard work and play on the beach! Branch out and experience different ways to exercise such as classes at the gym, a home workout series, play in a sports league…stay moving in fun ways =)

FOOD: “Eat meat and veggies, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar.” (CrossFit Training Guide pg. 16).

5 mile hike up the foothills in Palm Springs, CA

Post Season (September)

WORKOUT: Get Strong – Volume turns high and intensity is low. This phase is great for reinforcing technique on key lifts. The high rep low weight range is prepping for the off season training adventures.

FOOD: Protein and Veggies are king… But pumpkin spice lattes are delicious 😉

***Every 4-5 weeks = Decompression***

Do something fun and completely different: Decrease the load, give your joints a break and allow your body the time it needs to revive and adapt to all of your training!

Snowboarding New Years Eve 2013… Enjoying nature and putting my training to real life use!

Ways to vary workouts: practicing just one of these variations will drastically change your workout.

1. Stability – change the size or position of your body’s base of support

  • Static Vs. Dynamic = Split Squat Vs. Lunge
  • Stationary Vs. Moving = Lunge Vs. Walking Lunge

2. Tempo – change your speed of movement

  • Eccentric – muscle lengthening phase
    Take 4 seconds to lower to the bottom of squat
  • Isometric – no change in muscle length
    Hold the bottom of your squat for 15 seconds
  • Concentric – muscle shortening phase
    Take 2 seconds to lower into a squat and 2 seconds to stand

3. Resistance – change the load

  • Increase weight while keeping reps the same
  • Change the body angle
    Hands elevated in a Push Up

4. Combination Movements

  • combining multiple movement patterns
     i. Squat
     ii.Squat -> Shoulder Press
     iii. Squat -> Bicep Curl -> Shoulder Press

5. Range of Motion – change the distance you move during an exercise

  • Push Up with Dumbbells – Your chest has space to lower further to the floor

6. Rest Periods Between Sets

  • Increase or Decrease rest
  • Dual Sets, Tri Sets, Quad Sets, etc.

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Feel free to contact Nicole with any questions, training tips, etc. She also offers certain services and classes in Southern New Jersey if you happen to live in the area!

Nicole Wolf
CSCS . NPTI Certified Personal Trainer . CrossFit Level-1 Trainer . CorePower Certified Yoga Sculpt Teacher. Email: nicolewolf427@gmail.com Instagram & Twitter: sweat_face

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Have you ever heard about or trained in the style of Periodization? Is it something you’d be interested in trying?

the 7-minute workout.

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A reader recently shared this workout as part of her goal for LEAN14 (thanks Dawn!). I was so interested when I learned more about it, so I wanted to share it with you! LEAN14 is all about small changes and attainable goals, and what’s more attainable than a short 7-minute workout?

Basically the workout is a form of HIIT, engaging the large muscles in your upper and lower body.

As for the shortness of the workout, according to work by scientists at McMaster University and other institutions, “even a few minutes of training at an intensity approaching your maximum capacity produces molecular changes within muscles comparable to those of several hours of running or bike riding.”

Read more about the 7-Minute Workout here.

 

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What do you think about the 7-Minute Workout?

Do you think it’s bologna that it can be so effective in such a short amount of time, or do you agree with the HIIT premise?