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?

lean ’14: january jumpstart.

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First of all, I am SO excited that so many of you are joining me in LEAN14! It’s great to know that I have so many lovely ladies (and maybe some fellas? 😉 ) that are on the same journey as I am. I can’t wait to see what you all share and what your personal goals are.

When I introduced the challenge, I mentioned doing a more specific challenge for the month of January. So now I’m going to introduce the JANUARY JUMPSTART I’ll be doing from January 1-31.

You’ll see I’m not aiming for anything crazy restrictive or out of the norm. My goal in doing these 10 things for 31 days straight is to make a HABIT of them.

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1. Drink at least 64 ounces of water each day

2. Eat at least 5 servings of vegetables each day

3. Exercise 3 days a week (30-60 min combo of strength & cardio)

4. Squats, squats, and more squats

5. Eat more clean, whole foods

6. Eat balanced meals and less snacking

7. Get 7-8 hours of sleep each night

8. Limit soda/energy drinks to 3 per week (an improvement for me)

9. Allow more time to walk/take the subway instead of cabs

10. Track more of my meals/workouts here on GML

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That’s not so difficult, right? I know this may not be as strict or even effective as many of the January challenges out there, but for me this is all about consistency, and I do much better with small, attainable goals.

I’ll be keeping track of my progress here on GML, Instagram, and posting inspiration/motivation on the LEAN in 2014 Pinterest board.

What are your LEAN in 2014 January Jumpstart goals?
Make sure to share your progress on Instagram with hashtag #LEAN14!