Ate a little bit too much turkey over Thanksgiving Holiday? Don’t worry, so did I! But, with proper training and these few tips, you’ll be back in shape in no time.
1. The more muscle groups you engage, the more efficiently your body will burn calories.
DO: Focus on large compound exercises that activate several large muscle groups including your core. Think squats, deadlifts, bench press, bench dips, chin ups, and overhead barbell press.
DON’T: Don’t do small isolation exercises. Small movements just won’t help you burn the calories you need to lose those couple extra pounds. That means bicep curls, tricep extensions and forearm exercises are out.
2. Do higher reps, and shorten your rest time between sets. Try to keep your heart rate elevated during the entire course of the workout. If you can feel your body cooling down at any point during the workout (i.e. if you stop sweating), it’s probably time to pick up the pace.
DO: Rest between 30 and 45 seconds in between sets. Do between 8 and 14 reps for most exercises. Focus on form.
DON’T: Don’t do lower reps, or stop after just 1 repetition. Generally, the fewer reps you do, the longer rest time your body requires between sets. While doing lower reps can help you increase your strength, this method will not keep your heart rate at our target level.
3. Try HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) instead of your old cardio routine. Many fitness experts are now using this method instead of the traditional cardio workout. Whether your using HIIT or more traditional cardio methods, it should be noted that these should always be done after your weight training.
DO: Try HIIT if you’re crunched for time. With this method you can actually achieve better results in a shorter time period. Several good routines can be found online.
DON’T: Do not try an advanced HIIT routine if you’re a beginner. These are very intense, and you don’t want to get discouraged… or nauseated.
4. Switch it up. If you’ve been doing the same workout for over a month or two, it’s time for a change. After a while, your body will become so efficient at performing particular motions that you will actually use less energy to perform the same tasks.
DO: Lift with a friend. Chances are, he or she does exercises you’ve never even thought to do before. The new routine will also strengthen weak points you may have missed with other lifts.
DON’T: Don’t do workouts with which you’re unfamiliar before first consulting a friend, coach, or YouTube.
5. EAT! And do it frequently. Eating several times throughout the day, it has been shown, keeps your metabolism active and can actually help you to lose weight given the exact same calorie intake.
DO: Eat 4-5 meals per day. Also, try to eat one of those meals immediately post workout to help with recovery.
DON’T: Count calories. It’s fine to eat healthier, but your body will actually require an increased amount of calories (particularly in the form of protein and carbohydrates) to facilitate the muscle growth resulting from your new routine.