When you are trying to lose weight what is it that people tell you to do first? On average, it is to watch what you eat and exercise regularly. Most of us realize that the path to weight loss includes exercise. If you want to lose it, you have to move it. But what if I told you that the exercises you are choosing could increase your weight loss and even target key problem areas? Who wouldn’t want to do a little self editing? The reality is that different exercises are designed to target different parts of our bodies. And believe me, there are a LOT of options out there. It all boils down to, what it is you are hoping to achieve and how quickly you want to get there. Get ready to find out how to streamline your weight loss success and get the body of your dreams!
A You Rocking A Couch Potato Body?
With so many of us out there dealing with the quarantine body I have had numerous clients begging for weight loss options that are gentle and produce quick results. Some of my all time favorite ways to do just that is with pilates and yoga. The reality is that there is a reason more than just pilates and yoga instructors suggest these exercises for weight loss. Most people have a tendency to take their bodies from zero to sixty and can’t figure out why they are unable to sustain consistent workouts. At the end of the day, what you do on a consistent basis is going to produce results. If you eat junk food consistently you will put on weight. No matter what you do, you NEED to be consistent at it to produce results. One of my favorite things about yoga and pilates is that you can start slow and grow as you need to.
Slow And Steady
When it comes to exercise most of us are slow to get started. How many of you have that friend who is a gym rat? The chances are they didn’t start out in the gym 7 days a week. Most of us struggle at first to incorporate exercise into our daily routine. That is one of the things I love most about transforming my clients via yoga and pilates. These exercises come in a variety of stages and are meant to grow with the individual in regards to their intensity level. If you start off with an advanced routine you are far more likely to hurt yourself and less likely to make that exercise routine into a daily habit. Similar to training for a marathon you will want to start out with short workouts a couple times a week (I suggest 30 minutes a day 2-3 days a week).
Work Smarter Not Harder
Some of the added bonuses that come from using yoga or pilates to streamline your weight loss are: better sleep, natural strength training (using your body weight), better digestion, better circulation, and it is even better on your joints! Now, for those of you who are looking for something that is a little more intense I would suggest high intensity interval training (HIIT or Burst) workouts. These are not gentle on your body but they do produce rapid results. You will notice that if you are someone who struggles with hormonal imbalance you may want to speak with your doctor prior to starting these routines. In essence HIIT workouts are short timeframes in which you give it 100% followed by a brief break. For example you would do something like jumping jacks for 1 minute followed by 30 seconds of rest that would then lead into the next move.
HIIT It Hard
One of the benefits to HIIT workouts is that you can pretty much customize them to hit all of your target problem areas. They are also great for burning calories quickly because you are not allowing your body to adjust to the current workload. Think of it like gym class when you were in school. Which did you hate more: walk/ running a mile or sprints? Chances are, like most of us who hated sprints. That is because when we are doing a long distance or duration our bodies will adjust to meet the workload. Unlike when we are doing sprints or HIIT and just when our bodies think they have it all figured out we change things up on them. Doing exercises like this is a great way to burn a LOT of calories in a short timeframe. Unfortunately, they can be hard on our bodies, especially our joints.
Test The Waters
One of my favorite workouts to suggest to speed up your weight loss results is water workouts. They are much easier on your body which is why they are often the go to during physical therapy. The water works with and against you. On the one hand the water will help support your body weight making it much easier to perform your exercise movements. Acting as a natural resistance due to the density of the water it aids in strength training. The next time you want to hop on the treadmill for a 30 minute workout take this into account. 30 minutes on a treadmill at a pace of 5 mph will burn about 355 calories for a person who weighs 185 pounds. That same person can swim leisurely for 30 minutes and burn 266 calories while a water workout for 30 minutes can burn 444 calories.
Love What You Do
No matter which option you choose the key is to ease into it and make sure that you are picking something you enjoy doing. If you hate doing your workout routine you are not going to do it regularly. Remember consistency is key to results! You have to find something that you love. I have had several clients that opt for dancing. Most people are too busy having fun that they don’t even realize that the pounds are flying off. Find something that works best for your lifestyle. If you are a busy stressed out person you will want to lean towards options that can help you relax like yoga or pilates. Do you struggle with joint pain? You may want to give water workouts, yoga, or pilates a go.
What Is Your Lifestyle?
Some of us are short on time and are looking to maximize results with little time investment. HIIT workouts are a great way to cram a quick work out in, but make sure you are giving yourself rest days! I have a lot of clients who want to workout with their kids who are high in energy. While I have seen amazing results with family yoga I also suggest dancing or even playing on a trampoline together for 30 minutes a day. Your kids will feel like they are the center of your world (which they should be) and you get to ensure that your whole family is staying healthy together. Anyone with kids knows just how devastating it is to have one person come down with something in your house. It doesn’t take long before it travels throughout the whole house.
Build Your Support
If you are the type of person who needs that support system that comes from working with a coach or in a class. You may be struggling to get in your daily workout. A lot of your favorite trainers and workout classes have moved to an online platform. Studies have shown that the best way to stack the deck in your favor and increase your success rate is to establish an accountable person or group. If you need someone in your corner I am always happy to help. I believe in focusing on nutrition, supplements, sleep, mindset, stress reduction, and exercise. You are a complex individual and your health approach should reflect that! As such I have designed a Hormonal Weight Loss Program to help you take back control of your health and happiness. Why not take a look and see if it’s something that will work for you?
Guilt Free Brownies
Gluten Free Vegan Serves 16
- 2 lbs Sweet Potatoes
- 1 Cup Sunflower Seeds Soaked
- 4 Tbsp Cacao Powder
- 1 Cup Dates Pitted
- 4 Tbsp Maple Syrup
- 1 Cup Coconut Flour
- 4 Tbsp Ground Flax Seed
- 9 Tbsp Water
- 2 tsp Cinnamon Ground
- Pinch of Sea Salt
Toppings
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake sweet potatoes about 30 minutes or until soft. Allow potatoes to cool then peel flesh away (I suggest scooping the skins out and using the skins to make a snack later). Soak the flax seed in 9 Tbsp of water while also soaking the sunflower seeds for at least 10 minutes. Rinse and drain the sunflower seeds. Place all ingredients into a food processor for 2-3 minutes or until broken up. Pour batter into a non-stick baking dish about 10×6 inch. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes before removing from the pan. Top as you like and enjoy your guilt free reward!
Need A Hand?
A happy and healthy life is closer than you may think. Our health is something that we all have to deal with daily, and when we don’t feel our best, it shows. If you are tired of just making it through your day then you NEED to start investing in your health today! You are not alone on this journey. If you ever need any help I am always here to do just that. Even if it is something as small as just acting as a sounding board. Do you have any questions or concerns I can help you with? Feel free to contact me directly at [email protected] or you can even book a one-on-one call with me. Be sure to subscribe to gain access to tons of free goodies and check back daily for more great recipes and information!