Like overtraining, under training and/or plateaus are also very common if not more in exercise. How many times have you heard someone say, “I am working out, but I am not losing any weight or seeing any results?” I know I have said this line a few times in the past and will undoubtedly say it again. There are three explanations 1. Not working out often enough or hard enough, 2. Diet needs improvement, 3. You have hit a plateau. I know you are probably saying this girl is crazy. Which one is it? Last week you told us not to work out too hard and this week you are telling us we may not be working hard enough. I would be lying if I said this was easy. I have not figured it all out yet, but I know there is definitely a happy medium which I am going to try to explain in my own little way.

Number one is tricky because so often in our busy lives it is hard to find the time to workout consistently. Some weeks may be great and you work out 4-5 times, while other weeks only 2-3 and some weeks even less. In order to rid yourself of the guilt of not finding the time on these off weeks I suggest finding a number that you can consistently and comfortably keep. That way not only will you get your workouts in, but you will avoid either feeling guilty and over-eating on the days you can’t work out or over doing it on the days you can in order to make up for lost time. For example if 4 is your lucky number try your best to stick to 4 workout sessions a week. You will be surprised to discover that when you only have a certain amount of allotted time to complete your workout, not only will it get done, but it will be intense. You know the old idea, the more time we have the less we get done. Same applies for exercise. If you give yourself only a certain designated time, you will be amazed. The key is consistency and increasing intensity.

Diet is another important factor. I never was a big believer in this notion until recently. Maybe it was denial. I hate to give up that refined sugar I love so much. Truth is diet is just as important if not more important than exercise. The two really go hand in hand. I try to follow what a lot of people refer to as “clean” eating.. I, refer to a lot of it as common sense eating. We all know by now that eating processed foods and sugar is bad, yet we still do it. Clean eating is eating whole foods and small meals frequently: lean meat (chicken, turkey, fish, eggs), fruits, vegetables, and complex carbs (sweet potatoes, oatmeal, brown rice). It is also very important to drink plenty of water and stay away from refined sugars as much as possible. Please note I say this because everything in moderation. The rest of dieting is basic math calorie intake vs calorie expenditure.

We have all heard the expression hit my plateau but what does it mean? When you hit an exercise plateau it means you are continuing your workouts but are not seeing any results. No one can predict when a plateau may come on, but we will all face them at some point in our lives. The important thing is to know what to do to get out of one shall it occur. Since our bodies adapt very easily, it is important to vary your routines every few weeks. I can’t stress enough the importance of cross training to my clients. Not only does it prevent boredom and injury, it helps to constantly trick and challenge the muscles. If you were to do the elliptical everyday for a month or so it would soon no longer be a challenge to your body. Doing various forms of cardio as well as implementing strength training into your routine will help. What if you can’t get to a gym and only have a treadmill or elliptical at home? Varying the intensity and duration will help as well.

Exercise, as well as many things in life, is trial and error. There is no magic formula. Everyone is different. Listen to your body and its needs. I would love to hear your suggestions or comments or how you have managed to break through your plateaus.

Stay Strong,

Kristi

... enjoy the rideI’m sure many of you know quite well what spin is (and many who do are probably already hooked,) but if not … here is the scoop. Spin is a high intensity class, sure to burn tons of calories, all performed on one piece of equipment - a stationary spin bike. Not only is spin a great cardio workout, but it also helps tone your quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, and abs. The great thing about spin is that anyone can do it, beginner or pro, right next to each other in the same class. So don’t be intimidated you beginners. You control the intensity of your workout all by the cadence of your pedal and the touch of the dial (the dial controls your resistance).

On average you can burn 400-500 calories in a 50 minute class and pedal close to 10 miles. The reason I love spin is the variation of positioning and the music. There seems to be a misconception that spin is boring.  I can’t say I don’t understand the mentality, because I thought this at first too. The idea of staying on a stationary bike for 50 minutes didn’t really excite me, but once I took my first class I was hooked. There are many different routines ranging from pedaling fast and furious, to slow and steady. There are three positions: first- seated, second-standing, and third-is a racing position with your butt lifted a few inches above the seat. If you have a good instructor they will tailor each song to the action you are performing on the bike at that time. Once you really get into the bike and the music … it can actually be fun!

With that said, here are 5 tips to make your spin experience a success:

1. Bring a bottle of water. You'll be sweating a lot, so you'll need it to rehydrate.

2. Look for a class that has a great playlist. The music is half the workout.

3. Since there is no spin Nazi watching you turn the dial, it may help to buy a heart rate monitor to gauge how hard you are or are not working.

4. This may sound silly, but some people have a difficult time getting used to the hard narrow spin bike seat. After 50 minutes their butt hurts. To help with this I suggest buying a cushion that can be placed over the seat. Some people even go for spin pants – I never tried those though. This way you can focus on your workout and not your screaming fanny.

5. Enjoy the ride. Have an open mind. Spin is not only a workout for the body, but the mind. Visualize you are riding on the road with the wind in your hair and the sun at your back.

Stay Strong,

Kristi