You want amazing results but you don’t want to spend forever in the gym, right? Well I have good news for you ?
Gone are the days of jogging on the treadmill in the “fat burning zone” for an hour.
Gone are the days of lifting for 90 minutes to get some definition and strength.
Gone are the days where a gym membership is even required to get amazing, lasting physique changes.
All you really need to do to make some major changes to your body is 15-20 minute workouts 4-5 times per week.
Don’t believe me? That’s OK, I wouldn’t have believed myself 5 years ago either. I was all about the 3 hour long workouts (run/lift/yoga) 5-6 days a week and taking spin classes on my “off days.” Hah! How times have changed!
If you’re ready to cut your workout time in half and speed up your results, make sure you’re following the 3 tips below to get the most bang for your buck!
1. Up the INTENSITY!
You can’t just simply go through the motions when you’re trying to get better results in less time. You have to get INTENSE. That means you have to get ready to feel your muscles burn, get ready to sweat and get ready to get uncomfortable. Intensity is totally subjective and can mean different things for different people, so you have to find your edge.
Your edge is the place where you can’t imagine having to squeeze out one more rep, but you do it anyway. The place where you’re working so hard you need to take a 10 seconds rest and then picking back up as soon as you can. The place where you’d rather throw in the towel than do another squat but you know you only have 5 minutes left in your workout so you push through. The harder you push (safely) the more results you’ll produce.
Intensity is what will change your body (and rather quickly at that) and will improve your fitness level like you can’t even imagine.
2. Rest & Recovery
Remember, more isn’t always better when it comes to exercise. That means if we want results, we have to allow our body to repair and recover. Our body repairs itself on lower intensity exercise, rest days and while we sleep, so be sure to sprinkle in some long, easy walks or take a gentle yoga class. If we’re constantly breaking down our body through exercise, it will focus only on trying to recover and repair instead of focusing on shedding excess weight, growing muscle, providing you more energy.
3. Fuel Yourself Properly
If you’re planning on upping the exercise intensity and cutting your workout time in half by doing so, you need to pay particular attention to your pre- and post-workout nutrition- because we all know that nutrition is 85% of results, right?
Before exercise, choose a source of carbohydrates like fruit (a banana is my fave pre-workout snack), whole grain breads, oatmeal or fruit & yogurt. These foods will keep your blood sugar stable to supply you with lots of energy. Avoid foods that are high in fat because these tend to take a long time to digest making us feel weighed down and sluggish during our workout. A little caffeine boost can help you push a little harder during your workout, too.
Protein and carbs are the main focus for post-workout fuel because muscle fibers are broken down during exercise and these two macronutrients will help build them back up. Try a protein shake with fruit, some Greek yogurt with fruit or eggs and toast. Veggies are always a plus, too. This is also a good time to #treatyoself if sugary treats are your thing because your body will use that sugar right up to get to repairing your muscles ;o)