Ch-Ch-Change It Up

Its so very vital to change up your workouts. I get sad when I see people doing the exact same routine for days on end and expecting new results. You gotta change, people!

I admit, I have totally been there. Either training for a race or simply being unmotivated to try something new and get out my comfort zone.We like what we know and we get stuck. Run everyday for 20 minutes. Or the elliptical 5 days a week. Or spin class and nothing else. While all these things are fine and dandy, it is better if you mix them all together!

Here are my favorite ways to change things up:

-Adding in a strength routine! Girls, DON'T be afraid to lift, and lift HEAVY! It will not make your arms bigger. It drives me crazy when people say this. The type of food you eat is what makes your arms bigger. Especially if you stick to sets with 15+ reps, you'll be lean and toned in no time.If you need help with movements and ideas, check out Shape.com, Bodybuilding.com (don't be afraid, they have TONS of plans for toning and for women, not just bodybuilders), or self.com.



Workin' on my guns!

 -Try HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)

This basically means changing up the speed of your workouts. It can be done on most any equipment (treadmill, elliptical, bike, stairmaster). Try 30 seconds of regular/easy speed, then crank it up for 30 seconds as fast as you can! Repeat as many times as you can. By ramping up your heart rate and then bringing it back down, you give your metabolism a nice surge and will continue to burn calories faster once you are done than if you did steady-state cardio. Here's one that doesn't need any equipment:

My heart rate monite after some HIIT!

-Try a new class!

I tried out TurboKick at my local gym, and fell in LOVE. I try to do it every Monday night, or every other.But not 5 times a week. Group fitness classes are great supplements to your workout week. When you find a class and instructor you love, it keeps you motivated and before you know it you've worked for an hour and burned 500 cals!

-Try a program/workout DVD

These are nice because they are specifically designed to help you change your routine on a daily basis and work your whole body in different ways.

• Jamie Eason' Live Fit Trainer (I have 2 weeks left on this program!and its FREE)

• Insanity/P90X

• TurboFire

What new thing are YOU going to try this week?

~Lauren