Who's the Winner; Resistance Training or HIIT?

Resistance Training incorporates exercising with some type of resistance such as dumbells, kettlebells, bars, tubes, bands, balls and so on-basically anything piece of equipment that has mass to it.
Benefits include increased muscle mass, bone density, blood flow, serotonin levels and expenditure of calories.

High Intensity Interval Training

HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training which is a type of training program that incorporates period of active exercise followed by a period of rest (which could be active with less intensity) repeatedly.  One type of HIIT that I use frequently with my clients is called "Tabata" which is based on time.  Tabata usually contains 8 rounds of 20 seconds of active exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest for a total of 4 minutes.
Benefits include increased muscle mass, bone density, blood flow, serotonin levels and expenditure of calories at a quicker pace.

I decided to test two controls; caloric expenditure and target heart rate, as they pertain to resistance training and HIIT exercise program.  I asked a client to wear a heart rate monitor that monitored caloric expenditure and heart rate.  The results were profound.  I believe I was most excited to see how long she stayed at and exceeded her target heart rate during both types of exercise programs.

Resistance training allowed her to stay within her target heart rate zone of 70% throughout the workout and she burned approximately 9.8 calories/minute.

During her HIIT regime, she stayed in her target heart rate zone or exceeded that zone 77% of the time she trained and burned approximately 11.8 calories/minute.

My programs are set up in such a way that I incorporate both resistance training and HIIT programs to  allow my clients to receive the maximum benefit an exercise routine can provide.

So...which one is the winner?  The Winner is BOTH Resistance and HIIT programs!

The one that is right for you should be determined by a personal trainer. 

Which is Better, Weight Loss or Inch Loss?

The University of Maryland Medical Center calculates that you can expect to lose 1-1.5 lbs a week safely, that's 6 lbs a month (18 lbs for 3 months).  Realistically speaking, weight loss at this pace can be discouraging but more important it is sustainable!

You can actually lose absolutely no weight and lose inches. The way you do this is to eat enough, lift heavy weights so you are gaining some muscle mass.

The reason this works is muscle is more dense than fat. So, if you are losing fat and exercising you are exchanging some fat for some muscle. You might not lose a lot of weight but you are losing inches that way.

Muscle is more compact than fat, therefore you can lose inches more quickly than weight.  The results you would expect to see are loss in clothes’ size. 

Remember, at the beginning of any weight loss/nutrition/exercise program, you can see dramatic weight loss (mostly due to water loss) which will later plateau as your body goes into “starvation” mode.  This will subside and your weight loss/inch loss will be back on track. 

Burn the calories in exercise and control your diet to use the fat stored there. Your body adapts slowly, it fights against change! Give yourself 4-6 weeks for REAL change to happen. That should be about 10 pounds.

To lose as many inches as possible, you need to incorporate weight lifting with your cardio exercise. You can even burn up to 30 percent more calories when combining weight lifting and cardio circuit training into one workout, according to the "Fitness Magazine" website.   Female & Fit incorporates resistance, cardio, and high intensity interval training into each workout for maximum caloric burn during and after the workout!

10 Ways to Avoid Being Stuffed During December

December seems to be the fattest month, meaning the most weight gain is done during the month of December. 

So let’s focus on December, and consider the New Year’s Resolutions in the New Year.

Try these 10 ideas on for size!

1. Keep a food diary during December.
2. Weigh yourself every day from now through New Year’s Day.
3. Limit television time.  Mindless eating occurs during this time.  Instead, do crunches during commercials.
4. Limit holiday snacks and treats to one a day.
5. Bring healthy food to potlucks and parties.
6. Fill your plate with veggies first.
7. Plan your alcohol intake ahead of time.
8. Don’t skip meals in anticipation of social/food events.
9. Lay off the sauces.
10. Go skinless and avoid processed meats.

Merry Fitness & A Happy New You!

Eat Chocolate at Half the Calories

A 15-minute walk can cut snacking on chocolate by half, according to research by the University of Exeter. The study showed that chocolate lovers ate only half as much chocolate as they normally would after this short spurt of physical activity.

Research suggests that employees may find short breaks away from their desks can keep their minds off snacking.  Employees were asked to take 15 minute walks away from their desks.  Upon returning, a bowl of chocolate was made available.  The employees found that they could regulate their eating by half! 

Snacking on high caloric foods like chocolate can be a mindless habit which results in weight gain.  Exercise is known to have substantial benefits for energy and mood levels and possibly used to manage addictions.  Previous research as shown that exercise can curb chocolate cravings but not consumption reduction. 

So go ahead and have chocolate ready to eat…that is after you exercise!