Full Body HIIT Weightlifting Workout
Do you want to fire up your cardiovascular fitness levels while also strengthening and toning your muscles?
If so, you’ll love this full body HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) weightlifting workout.
It includes 8 weightlifting moves which target all the muscles in your body and are performed at a
fast pace to give you a good cardio workout. To complete the workout, grab a set of light dumbbells
and an adjustable bench, then follow the instructions below. The standard workout takes just 4
minutes to complete but it can easily be extended by repeating the exercises.
Exercise 1 – Dumbbell Chest Press
The dumbbell chest press builds up your chest, shoulders and triceps. To perform the chest press, follow the instructions below:
- Adjust the bench so that it’s flat.
- Sit up straight on the bench, bend your knees and rest the dumbbells on top of them.
- Lie back on the bench while lifting the dumbbells up above your chest.
- Turn your palms forward and lower the dumbbells down toward your chest, stopping just before they touch your chest.
- Press the dumbbells upward, stopping just before your arms fully lock.
- Repeat steps 4-5 for as many repetitions as you can manage within 20 seconds.
- Sit up, lower the dumbbells down onto the ground, rest for 10 seconds and then move onto the next exercise.
Exercise 2 – Dumbbell Overhead Tricep Extension
The dumbbell overhead tricep extension tones and strengthens your tricep muscles. To perform the dumbbell overhead tricep extension, follow the instructions below:
- Stand up straight, hold a single dumbbell with both hands and then lift it up above your head.
- Keep your elbows parallel with your shoulders, then bend your arms and lower the dumbbell down behind your head, stopping when your elbows are bent at a 90 degree angle.
- Straighten your arms and lift the dumbbell back up to the starting position, stopping just before your arms fully lock.
- Repeat steps 2-3 for as many repetitions as you can manage within 20 seconds.
- Lower the dumbbell down onto the ground, rest for 10 seconds and then move onto the next exercise.
Exercise 3 – Dumbbell Bent Over Row
The dumbbell bent over row works your upper back along with your arms and forearms. To perform the dumbbell bent over row, follow the instructions below:
- Stand up straight and hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing inward.
- Bend forward at the waist until your chest is almost parallel with the ground while keeping your arms, legs and upper body straight.
- Hold the dumbbells out in front of you until they are in line with your chest, bend your knees slightly, then bend your arms and raise the dumbbells up toward your chest, stopping once your arms are fully bent.
- Straighten your arms and lower the dumbbells back down, stopping just before your arms fully lock.
- Repeat steps 3-4 for as many repetitions as you can manage within 20 seconds.
- Lower the dumbbells down onto the ground, rest for 10 seconds and then move onto the next exercise.
Exercise 4 – Alternating Arm Dumbbell Bicep Curl
The alternating arm dumbbell bicep curl is a popular exercise that specifically targets your bicep muscles. To perform the alternating arm dumbbell bicep curl, follow the instructions below:
- Stand up straight with a slight bend in your knees, hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing forward and tuck your elbows into your body.
- Bend your left arm and curl the dumbbell up toward your left shoulder, stopping once your left bicep muscle is fully flexed.
- Straighten your left arm and lower the dumbbell back down to your side.
- Bend your right arm and curl the dumbbell up toward your right shoulder, stopping once your right bicep muscle is fully flexed.
- Straighten your right arm and lower the dumbbell back down to your side.
- Repeat steps 2-5 for as many repetitions as you can manage within 20 seconds.
- Lower the dumbbells down onto the ground, rest for 10 seconds and then move onto the next exercise.
Exercise 5 – Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
The seated dumbbell shoulder press is a fantastic compound exercise that primarily targets your shoulders while also working your chest and arms. To perform the seated dumbbell shoulder press, follow the instructions below:
- Adjust the bench so that it’s upright.
- Sit up straight on the bench, bend your knees and rest the dumbbells on top of them.
- Raise the dumbbells up above your shoulders and in line with the side of your head, making sure that your palms facing forward.
- Straighten your arms and press the dumbbells up above your head, stopping just before the dumbbells touch.
- Bend your arms and lower the dumbbells back down above your shoulders and in line with the side of your head.
- Repeat steps 4-5 for as many repetitions as you can manage within 20 seconds.
- Lower the dumbbells down onto the ground, rest for 10 seconds and then move onto the next exercise.
Exercise 6 – Dumbbell Squat
The dumbbell squat is one of the most effective lower body exercises out there. To perform the dumbbell squat, follow the instructions below:
- Stand up straight with a slight bend in your knees, hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing inward and tuck your elbows into your body.
- Bend your arms and curl the dumbbells up toward your shoulders, stopping once your biceps are fully flexed.
- Hold the dumbbells in this position, bend your legs and lower your body down toward the ground, stopping when your butt is in line with your knees.
- Straighten your legs and lift your body back up to the starting position.
- Repeat steps 3-4 for as many repetitions as you can manage within 20 seconds.
- Lower the dumbbells onto the ground, rest for 10 seconds and then move onto the next exercise.
Exercise 7 – Dumbbell Renegade Row
The dumbbell renegade row is a top exercise for your abs and lower back. To perform the dumbbell renegade row, follow the instructions below:
- Put the dumbbells on the ground in front of you.
- Kneel on the ground, put your hands on the dumbbells, straighten your arms, straighten your legs out behind you and tighten your core muscles.
- Lift the left dumbbell off the ground, stopping when it’s in line with your chest.
- Lower the left dumbbell back onto the ground.
- Lift the right dumbbell off the ground, stopping when it’s in line with your chest.
- Lower the right dumbbell back onto the ground.
- Repeat steps 3-6 for as many repetitions as you can manage within 20 seconds.
- Stand up, rest for 10 seconds and then move onto the next exercise or complete the workout.
Workout Summary Chart
| Phase | Exercise | Time (seconds) |
| 1 | Dumbbell Chest Press | 20 |
| 2 | Rest | 10 |
| 3 | Dumbbell Overhead Tricep Extension | 20 |
| 4 | Rest | 10 |
| 5 | Dumbbell Bent Over Row | 20 |
| 6 | Rest | 10 |
| 7 | Alternating Arm Dumbbell Bicep Curl | 20 |
| 8 | Rest | 10 |
| 9 | Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 20 |
| 10 | Rest | 10 |
| 11 | Dumbbell Squat | 20 |
| 12 | Rest | 10 |
| 13 | Dumbbell Renegade Row | 20 |
| 14 | Rest | 10 |
I hope you like this full body HIIT dumbbell workout. For the best results, make sure you perform the workout a maximum of 3 times per week and give your body plenty of time to rest and recover between each workout. Don’t re-attempt the workout until your muscles feel fresh and fully recuperated. You can adjust the length of the workout using the instructions below:
- For a 3.5 minute workout, complete phases 1-14 once
- For a 7 minute workout, complete phases 1-14 twice
- For a 10.5 minute workout, complete phases 1-14 three times
- For a 14 minute workout, complete phases 1-14 four times
- For a 17.5 minute workout, complete phases 1-14 five times
- For a 21 minute workout, complete phases 1-14 six times
- For a 24.5 minute workout, complete phases 1-14 seven times
- For a 28 minute workout, complete phases 1-14 eight times
Top 5 Tips For Eating Healthy At Restaurants
Sticking to your healthy eating plans at restaurants is extremely difficult. Not only are there lots of tempting meals on offer but it’s also very difficult to determine the ingredients and the calories in these meals. However, with the right strategy, you can still enjoy meals at restaurants without them sabotaging your healthy eating goals. In this article I’m going to be showing you exactly how by providing you with five of the best tips for eating healthy at restaurants.
Tip 1 – Go Low Carb
While there’s no sure fire way to be able to know how healthy a restaurant meal is, choosing a low carb meal is a good start. Carbohydrate rich meals use up very little energy during digestion and are generally quite a concentrated source of calories. Low carb meals on the other hand often contain large amounts of protein which can burn up to 25% of the calories in the meal during digestion. In addition to this, low carb meals usually contain fewer calories than high carb meals.
Tip 2 – Watch The Liquid Calories
One of the biggest ways people sabotage their healthy eating plans at restaurants is by loading up on liquid calories. Many restaurants offer unlimited refills on soda, so the temptation is to drink glass after glass. However, by doing this, you can potentially double up your calorie consumption and this isn’t good for your health or your weight loss efforts. So instead of guzzling down large amounts of calorie rich drinks, stick to just one drink for the entire meal or better yet, drink zero calorie water.
Tip 3 – Pay Attention To Your Appetite
Another mistake many people make when trying to eat healthy at restaurants is eating too fast and ignoring their appetite. This results in them consuming more calories than they need to and feeling bloated and lethargic by the end of the meal. To avoid this, slow down when you’re eating at restaurants, take the time to enjoy your food, pay close attention to your appetite and stop eating when your appetite is satisfied.
Tip 4 – Go Easy On The Condiments
Like liquid calories, condiments can easily add hundreds of calories to your meal if you’re not careful, with many condiments packing over 50 calories per tablespoon. Therefore, if you do have condiments with your meal, make sure you limit your consumption to a single tablespoon.
Tip 5 – Use The 80/20 Rule
One final way to ensure that eating out at restaurants doesn’t disrupt your healthy eating goals is to use the 80/20 rule. This rule is very simple and involves committing to eating healthy, natural, low calories meals 80% of the time and allowing yourself to eat whatever you want the remaining 20% of the time. So if you know that you’re going to be eating out during the week and want to enjoy the meal without thinking too much, simply make sure your restaurant meal falls into the 20% allowance and it won’t have an adverse impact on your long term healthy eating plans.
Summary
Making a commitment to healthy eating doesn’t mean that you have to avoid restaurants completely. Simply bear these five tips in mind whenever you’re at a restaurant and you’ll have a great time and a great meal with a minimal impact on your healthy eating goals.
Honey Cheddar Sourdough Grilled Cheese Recipe
Craving a sweet, tangy, and cheesy breakfast sandwich? Then try this honey cheddar sourdough grilled cheese!
What You’ll Need:
- Sliced sourdough bread
- Honey
- Cheddar slices (use sharp cheddar for best contrast of flavors)
- Butter
- Any easy melting cheese of your choice
Let’s Make Some Awesome Grilled Cheese!
1. Preheat your griddle your pan as you prepare all your ingredients.
2.Lay down some cheddar slices on a slice of bread (photo shows two sandwiches).
3. Drizzle in some honey, and then add the easy-melt cheese.
4. Add another slice of bread to make a sandwich and spread some butter over it.
5. Place on a hot pan or grill over medium high heat and ‘cook’ each side until well browned and cheese is melted.
6. Slice diagonally and serve up!
7. Make as much as you want or make an entire batch for everyone! You can also make this ahead of time and freeze until you are ready to heat up your pan or grill. Enjoy!
Top 5 Weight Loss Lifestyle Tips
One of the biggest issues people have when trying to lose weight is their lifestyle. They’re fully prepared to eat the right foods and do the appropriate exercises but then life gets in the way and throws all their hard work out of the window. The good news is that with a little planning and consideration, you can burn body fat while also dealing with the challenges that life throws at you. In this article I’m going to be helping you do exactly that by providing you with five of the best weight loss lifestyle tips.
Tip 1 – Exercise In The Morning
Exercising in the morning isn’t the only way to lose weight. However, if you lead a busy lifestyle, exercising first thing ensures that you get your workout in before the pressures of the day set in. Scheduling your workouts for later in the day when you’re already busy makes you a lot less likely to follow through with them. Therefore, if your schedule allows it, make your weight loss workouts the first thing you do when you wake up.
Tip 2 – Prepare Healthy Food In Advance
One of the main reasons people eat unhealthy meals at short notice is because they’re running short on time. They plan to eat healthy but then something comes up at short notice and they don’t have time to put together a healthy meal, so they grab some fast food instead. However, if you set aside some time each week to prepare a batch of healthy meals, then you’ll always have something healthy available for the times you’re in a rush and you’ll never have to resort to fast food as a quick fix again.
Tip 3 – Always Carry Some Workout Clothes
Even when you lead a busy lifestyle, you’ll find that sometimes appointments are cancelled or moved and you’re left with unexpected blocks of free time. These blocks of free time are a fantastic opportunity to get a workout in and burn some extra body fat. However, to take advantage of them, you need to have the right gear close by. Therefore, make a point of always carrying some workout clothes with you, so that if a block of free time opens up during the day at short notice, you’re fully prepared to make the most of it.
Tip 4 – Walk When You Can
Most people don’t walk as much as they could. They take the elevator instead of the stairs and use their car for short journeys that could be easily completed on foot. However, walking burns 240 calories per hour, so by walking whenever you can during the day, you can give your fat loss efforts a notable boost. Just an hour of extra walking per day will burn off over 1,500 calories during the week and over 7,000 calories during the month. So next time you head for the elevator or grab the car keys, think whether that’s really the best decision for losing weight and if possible, turn it into an opportunity to add some extra walking to your day.
Tip 5 – Be Flexible With Your Cheat Meals
One big mistake people make when trying to lose weight is being too rigid with their cheat meals. They decide that one day of the week is their cheat day or allocate certain days and times during the week as cheat meals and then if they end up eating any cheat meals outside of these allocated slots, they feel guilty and disappointed. However, life is spontaneous and things will come up at short notice that make it difficult to stick to your healthy eating plans.
So instead of beating yourself up about these spontaneous cheat meals, adapt your healthy eating schedule and give yourself a 20% cheat meal allowance during the week but don’t allocate dates and times to it. Then when you have a cheat meal at short notice, remove it from your 20% allowance. This approach is much more flexible and allows you to adapt your healthy eating plans based on what life throws at you while still sticking to your healthy eating goals.
Summary
As you can see, with the right attitude, it’s possible to stick to your fat loss goals in any situation. So take another look at these tips, start implementing them today and ensure that your lifestyle doesn’t ever hinder your weight loss goals again.
Frozen Chocolate Covered Banana Treats Recipe
Do you need a quick yet attractive looking treats for your upcoming party or reunion? Or are you finding cool kitchen activities that you love to do with your kids? Or better yet, your kids hate bananas? Then this is the right tutorial for you! Today we will be making a quick, yet fun activity that would definitely catch the attention of your kids or guest. You can make several of these in minutes and you can finish in no time!
This will not only encourage your kids to eat bananas, but this is also a healthy alternative to junk foods that your kids maybe addicted to. So if you are interested, then let us start making this!
What You’ll Need:
- Several bananas
- A block of sweetened chocolate
- Several popsicle sticks
- Rainbow sprinkles
Method:
1. Peel the bananas.
2. Cut the bananas in half.
3. Stick the bananas on the popsicle sticks.
4. Slice the chocolate bar into small pieces and place it in a microwavable bowl or container.
5. Place the chocolate in a microwave oven for 2 to 3 minutes. Make sure to check the chocolate every minute to make sure that the chocolate will melt evenly and prevent it from burning.
6.Dip the banana on the melted chocolate. Be quick in doing this step since most of the melted chocolate tends to solidify in an instant. That would still vary on the type of chocolate bar you used. You have the option to cover it completely or leave the bottom part bare, it is all up to you.
7. Carefully sprinkle the rainbow sprinkles around the chocolate-covered banana. This is perfectly done when the chocolate is still in its liquid or semi-liquid state. Put the chocolate-covered bananas in the freezer for 30 minutes.
8. Finally done! You can now serve the chocolate covered bananas to your guest or your kids!
Beef Honey Curry Stir Fry Recipe
Craving something out of the ordinary but is easy to prepare and takes only a few minutes? You will surely love this recipe for Beef Honey Curry Stir Fry. Imagine succulent pieces of thinly sliced beef, in a smoky sweet and a bit spicy sauce with colorful veggies, it’s a delight is it not? This dish can be served with pita bread, pasta, noodles, or steaming hot rice, and it’s even better the next day. Yay!
What You Will Need:Half a pound of sukiyaki cut beef
- Half a cup of honey
- Half a cup of soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons curry powder
- 4 tablespoons of oil
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 medium sized red onion, sliced
- 1 medium sized red bell pepper, sliced into strips
- 1 medium sized green bell pepper, sliced into strips
- 1 medium sized yellow bell pepper, sliced into strips
Let’s Get Cooking!
1. Prepare all the ingredients that you’ll need.
2. Marinate the beef with marinade made of soy sauce, curry powder, honey and ground black pepper and let it stand for 15 minutes.
3.Using half of the oil, sauté the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, red onion and yellow bell pepper over high heat for a few minutes (usually just a little over a minute), taking care that the vegetables are cooked but not wilted. They should remain crunchy for great texture. Take the cooked vegetables off the pan and set aside.
4.In the same pan, add in the remaining half of the oil and cook the beef together with the marinade over medium heat until the sauce thickens and the beef is cooked through. This only takes 3-5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
5. Toss the cooked vegetables with the beef in the pan to coat it with some of the sauce and to bring all the flavors together.
6. Serve over steaming hot rice, mashed potato, or even pasta! This recipe makes for about 3-4 servings.
Top 5 Weight Loss Hydration Tips for Bergen Community Residents
Top 5 Weight Loss Hydration Tips for Bergen Community Residents
When it comes to losing weight, hydration is an area that gets very little attention. However, many of the beverages people drink are what actually prevent them from achieving their fat loss goals. That’s why in this article I’m going to be looking at the effect of hydration on weight loss and providing you with five of the best weight loss hydration tips.
Tip 1 – Drink At Least 8 Glasses Of Water Per Day
If you become dehydrated, your metabolism slows down and this reduces the total amount of calories you burn each day. Therefore, if you want to avoid dehydration and maintain an optimal metabolic rate, you need to be drinking at least eight glasses of water on a daily basis.
Eight glasses may seem like a lot if you’re not used to drinking this amount of water but it’s very manageable. If you drink a glass of water in the morning when you wake up, a glass of water in the evening and a glass of water with each meal, you’re already over half way there. Then if you drink a few cups of coffee or tea during the day in addition to these five glasses of water, you’ll easily pass the eight glass mark.
Tip 2 – Avoid Soda
Sodas are loaded with sugar and an extra-large cup often contains more calories than a meal. Despite this, many people who are trying to lose weight knock back large amounts of soda each day and then wonder why their healthy meals and exercise routine aren’t having the desired effect.
So if you’re struggling to lose weight but drinking soda on a daily basis, swap it for water, coffee or tea. Doing this will cut hundreds or even thousands of calories from your daily intake and have a significant effect on your overall weight loss.
Tip 3 – Avoid ‘Diet’ & ‘Sugar Free’ Drinks
Another mistake a lot of people make when trying to lose weight is swapping regular soda for ‘diet’ or ‘sugar free’ alternatives. While these drinks do contain little or no calories, they’re still not a good choice if you want to drop the pounds because they’re loaded with artificial ingredients and chemicals which slow down your body’s fat burning processes. Therefore, to make sure you’re burning the maximum amount of fat possible, ditch the ‘diet and ‘sugar free’ drinks and drink water, coffee or tea instead.
Tip 4 – Limit Your Consumption Of Fruit Juice
Fruit juice contains natural sugars and so is a healthier choice than the two types of drinks listed above. However, it’s still relatively rich in calories with most fruit juices containing over 100 calories per cup. So if you’re serious about losing weight, you need to be limiting your consumption of fruit juice to no more than a couple of glasses each week.
Tip 5 – Enjoy Caffeinated Beverages In Moderation
Hot caffeinated beverages such as coffee, black tea and green tea are a fantastic alternative to water which contain zero calories along with plenty of health boosting nutrients. However, caffeine is a diuretic and drinking too much will cause you to become dehydrated which then slows down your metabolism. Therefore, make sure you’re drinking no more than four hot caffeinated beverages each day to maintain your metabolism.
Summary
By following the tips above, you’ll not only reduce your intake of liquid calories but you’ll also put your body in an optimal fat burning state. When combined with a solid diet and exercise routine, this will allow you to blast through body fat and you to achieve your weight loss goals with ease.
HIIT Core Workout in Bergen County
HIIT Core Workout
HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is a brilliant fat burning tool and when combined with specific exercises for your core muscles, it’s one of the best ways to develop a tight, toned midsection. This HIIT core workout does exactly that by blasting through 500 calories and giving your core muscles a thorough workout in just 30 minutes.
To complete the workout, simply perform each of the 9 exercises below in succession and then repeat the cycle 5 more times. If you find 6 cycles too difficult, start by performing each exercise once and gradually build up until you can successfully complete the full 30 minute HIIT core workout.
Exercise 1 – Planks
Planks are one of the most challenging bodyweight exercises around and involve holding your body in a flat, horizontal position for a fixed amount of time. To perform planks, follow the instructions below:
- Kneel down on the ground and then place your forearms on the ground and in line with your head.
- Straighten your legs, lift your knees off the ground and support your bodyweight on your toes and forearms.
- Once your body is fully supported, tighten your core muscles and hold the plank position for 20 seconds.
- Rest for 10 seconds and then move onto the next exercise.
Exercise 2 – Bicycle Crunches
Bicycle crunches are similar to regular crunches but involve moving your legs in a cycling motion as you crunch your core muscles. To perform bicycle crunches, follow the instructions below:
- Lie down on the ground with your legs straight out in front of you, your hands at either side of your head and your elbows sticking out.
- Lift your legs off the ground, keep your left leg straight and bend your right leg toward your chest.
- At the same time, twist your upper body toward your right knee and touch it with your right elbow.
- Straighten your right leg and bend your left leg toward your chest.
- At the same time, twist your upper body toward your left knee and touch it with your left elbow.
- Repeat steps 2-5 for as many repetitions as you can manage within 20 seconds.
- Rest for 10 seconds and then move onto the next exercise.
Exercise 3 – V Sit Hold
The V Sit hold is a simple looking but very challenging core exercise. To perform the v sit hold, follow the instructions below:
- Sit on the ground with your back straight, your knees bent and your feet flat.
- Lift your feet off the ground, straighten your legs and raise them up to a 45 degree angle.
- Once your legs are at a 45 degree angle, lean back until your upper body is at a 45 degree angle.
- Hold your arms straight out in front of you and balance on your tailbone for 20 seconds.
- Rest for 10 seconds and then move onto the next exercise.
Exercise 4 – Twisting Crunches
Twisting crunches are performed in the exact same way as regular crunches except they involve rotating your body as you crunch your core muscles. To perform twisting crunches, follow the instructions below:
- Lie down on the ground with your knees bent, your feet flat, your hands at either side of your head and your elbows sticking out.
- Curl your lower back, crunch your abdominal muscles and twist your left elbow toward your right knee.
- Straighten your lower back, relax your abdominal muscles and lie down on the ground.
- Curl your lower back, crunch your abdominal muscles and twist your right elbow toward your left knee.
- Repeat steps 2-4 for as many repetitions as you can manage within 20 seconds.
- Rest for 10 seconds and then move onto the next exercise.
Exercise 5 – Lying Leg Raises
Lying leg raises target your lower abdominal muscles. To perform lying leg raises, follow the instructions below:
- Lie down flat on the ground and put your hands alongside your butt.
- Lift your legs off the ground, stopping once the bottoms of your feet are facing the ceiling and your legs are at a 90 degree angle to your hips.
- Lower your legs back down toward the ground, stopping just before your feet touch the ground.
- Repeat steps 2-3 for as many repetitions as you can manage within 20 seconds.
- Rest for 10 seconds and then move onto the next exercise.
Exercise 6 – Side Planks
Side planks involve holding a similar position to regular planks but with more emphasis on your oblique muscles. To perform side planks, follow the instructions below:
- Lie down on the left hand side of your body.
- Place your left forearm on the ground and your right hand behind your head.
- Lift your hips off the floor and support your body on your feet and left forearm.
- Once your body is fully supported, tighten your core muscles and hold the side plank position for 20 seconds.
- Rest for 10 seconds and then lie down on the right hand side of your body.
- Place your right forearm on the ground and your left hand behind your head.
- Lift your hips off the ground and support your body on your feet and right forearm.
- Once your body is fully supported, tighten your core muscles and hold the side plank position for 20 seconds.
- Rest for 10 second and then move onto the next exercise.
Exercise 7 – Lying Twisting Windmills
Lying twisting windmills are another great exercise for your lower abs that involve twisting your legs from side to side while holding your upper body in a fixed position. To perform lying windmills, follow the instructions below:
- Lie down on the ground with your arms straight out to the side and in line with your chest, your legs bent and your feet flat.
- Straighten your legs and point the bottoms of your feet toward the ceiling.
- Twist your legs and hips to the right while keeping your upper body in the same position, stopping just before your feet touch the ground.
- Twist your legs and hips back to the starting position.
- Twist your legs and hips to the left while keeping your upper body in the same position, stopping just before your feet touch the ground.
- Twist your legs and hips back to the starting position.
- Repeat steps 3-6 for as many repetitions as you can manage within 20 seconds.
- Rest for 10 seconds and then move onto the next exercise.
Exercise 8 – Flutter Kicks
Flutter kicks are a fun, fast paced core exercise. To perform flutter kicks, follow the instructions below:
- Lie down on the ground with your legs straight out in front of you.
- Crunch your hands into fists, place them underneath your butt and lift your feet a couple of inches off the ground while keeping your legs straight.
- Kick your left foot a couple of inches above your right foot.
- Lower your left foot back down and then kick your right foot a couple of inches above your left foot.
- Lower your right foot back down and then kick your left foot a couple of inches above your right foot.
- Repeat steps 4-5 rapidly for as many repetitions as you can manage within 20 seconds.
- Rest for 10 seconds and then move onto the next exercise.
Exercise 9 – Reverse Crunches
Reverse crunches do exactly as the name. To perform reverse crunches, follow the instructions below:
- Lie down on the ground with your knees bent at a 90 degree angle and your hands by your butt.
- Pull your knees toward your chest and tighten your core muscles, stopping when they are fully crunched.
- Lower your knees back down toward the starting position.
- Repeat steps 2-3 for as many repetitions as you can manage within 20 seconds.
- Rest for 10 seconds and then move onto the next exercise or complete your workout.
Workout Summary Chart
| Phase | Exercise | Time (seconds) |
| 1 | Planks | 20 |
| 2 | Rest | 10 |
| 3 | Bicycle Crunches | 20 |
| 4 | Rest | 10 |
| 5 | V Sit Hold | 20 |
| 6 | Rest | 10 |
| 7 | Twisting Crunches | 20 |
| 8 | Rest | 10 |
| 9 | Lying Leg Raises | 20 |
| 10 | Rest | 10 |
| 11 | Side Planks (Left) | 20 |
| 12 | Rest | 10 |
| 13 | Side Planks (Right) | 20 |
| 14 | Rest | 10 |
| 15 | Lying Twisting Windmills | 20 |
| 16 | Rest | 10 |
| 17 | Flutter Kicks | 20 |
| 18 | Rest | 10 |
| 19 | Reverse Crunches | 20 |
| 20 | Rest | 10 |
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, the standard length for this HIIT core workout is 30 minutes but it can be shortened if you find the full workout too difficult or you’re pushed for time. To adjust the workout to your desired duration, follow the instructions below:
- For a 5 minute workout, complete phases 1-20 once
- For a 10 minute workout, complete phases 1-20 twice
- For a 15 minute workout, complete phases 1-20 three times
- For a 20 minute workout, complete phases 1-20 four times
- For a 25 minute workout, complete phases 1-20 five times
- For a 30 minute workout, complete phases 1-20 six times
Get Leaner with Protein Weight Loss tips
Protein has always been promoted by muscle heads as the key to getting it. While the extreme amounts of protein consumed by some bodybuilders is unnecessarily extreme, the research has shown time and time again that more protein is better when it comes to fat loss.
One study found that after 8 weeks, people who ate more protein lost an extra 2.8lbs of fat. Another study found that following a higher protein diet for 12 weeks led to an additional 1.5lbs of fat lost specific to the abdomen. Finally, another study in women found that 12 weeks of eating twice the ‘recommended intake’ of protein led to greater fat loss and greater increases in lean mass (e.g. muscle).
How does eating more protein do this?
Protein & Fat Loss Hormones
Part of the beneficial effects of fat loss have to do with the hormones that it stimulates. When the protein you eat hits your digestive tract, it causes the release of a hormone called CCK. CCK acts very quickly to slow the digestive process, slowing the rate in which foods is released from your stomach. This is step one is making you feel full – helping you eat less. CCK also signals your brain that you should no longer be hungry.
More Protein = Less Calories
The appetite suppressing effects of protein work right away with the meal that you are eating and it also makes you feel more satisfied after the meal is over. This will make you eat less without even trying. One study showed that eating a higher protein diet lead to people eating greater than 400 calories per day less!
Protein Burns More Calories
Protein helps you burn more calories in two different ways. The first is through the calories burned to digest and process food. It takes your body ~2x energy to digest protein compared to carbohydrates.
A majority of the protein that you eat is used to build and rebuild your muscle. Muscle loss while dieting is a big concern, as muscle burns calories. The more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn (even just sitting on the couch). Optimizing your protein intake and exercising with intensity ensures that you won’t lose any muscle, you might gain some!
You get it, protein is key for optimal fat loss. So how do you optimize your protein intake?
Eat More Protein
Chances are that you are eating the recommended amount of protein. This means that you aren’t going to be suffering from protein malnutrition. But it does mean that you could still be anywhere between 20-40g away from an ideal or optimal intake of protein so that you can reap the benefits we have been talking about.
Eat Protein More Evenly
People generally eat a lot of protein at dinner and smaller amounts of protein at breakfast and lunch. Research shows that by just spreading your protein intake out more evenly throughout the day (not necessarily eating more) can lead to a 25% increase in protein synthesis (e.g. muscle building).
Have a Protein Shake After Exercise
Exercise has a profound effect on your body and having a protein shake after you exercise can increase the impact of that effect. A protein shake is a convenient way to quickly get quality amino acids into your body. This will boost the muscle building potential of your workout while also jumpstarting the recovery process so you can train harder the next workout.
Have an Afternoon Protein Snack
An afternoon protein snack like Greek yogurt, a protein shake, or bar might be the key to controlling unwanted snacking at night. Research shows that protein acts on your brain to dampen the craving effects that high fat/calorie/sugar foods have on your brain. This effect lasts several hours.
Protein for Your Heart!
Many of the benefits of protein are often associated with dieting and fat loss but optimizing your protein intake is also good for your heart. The OmniHeart study looked at the role of increased protein in a heart healthy diet compared to a traditional approach, or increasing unsaturated fat.
The researchers found that the high protein diet led to the greatest improvements in blood pressure and 10 year risk of cardiovascular disease.
Protein is not just good for your abs, but your heart too!
Holiday Weight Gain
4 Simple Steps for Surviving Holiday Parties
Holiday weight gain happens to everyone, right? Not you. Not this year.
Holiday Weight Gain Basics
Research has shown that Americans are gaining more weight each year with most of the gain occurring between October and February.
The weight gain during this time of year can be attributed in large part to the increase in social eating situations. Have you been gaining weight slowly over the past several years? Do you always gain a little weight during the holidays, promise yourself you’ll lose it after the first of the year, but never really get around to it??
It’s okay, be honest.
The best plan is a proactive one. If you can avoid putting on the extra weight in the first place, then you won’t have to go through the much more difficult process of losing it. Fortunately, curbing your holiday weight gain is actually very simple.
Below, I have outlined 4 action steps that you can use to prevent holiday weight gain.
- Pre-Eat
The worst choice you can make is going to a holiday party on an empty stomach. This is setting yourself up for complete and utter disaster. Pre-eat before you go, with a small amount of food that will increase your feeling of fullness, prevent cravings, and slow the digestion of any foods that you do eat when you go out. My top pre-eating foods are:
Small Salad – This has been consistently shown in scientific studies to reduce the amount of food you eat in the subsequent meal. Having a salad before you go to a party, or having a salad as your first item at the party, could help you eat 200-300 calories less.
Apple & String Cheese – The apple provides fiber and volume while the string cheese provides fat and protein. These components will signal your body that you are full and slow down digestion (making you feel full longer).
- Skip The Crackers
Most holiday parties are loaded with breads, crackers, cookies and cakes. Just say no. Loading up on these starchy carbohydrates will send your blood sugar levels for a ride. This, along with the lack of fiber in these foods, will cause you to end up eating a lot of them and quickly stack up the calories….Honestly, when was the last time you ate just one cracker? Exactly. Skip the crackers.
- Shrimp & Veggies Please
So, what can you eat? Shrimp, smoked fish, cheese, and vegetables (not the fried ones) are staples at holiday cocktail parties and are all good choices. Many parties also have a featured meat item that would work, such as roast beef or a spiral ham.
Broccoli, carrots, celery, and whatever other vegetables sitting near the ranch dressing are all fair game. The protein-based foods like shrimp, smoked salmon, the meat entrée and cheese are nice compliments to your veggies, by providing fat and protein (components that help with fullness).
If you have a choice, opt for hummus over Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing to dip your vegetables. The carbohydrates in hummus have very little impact on your blood sugar and the chickpeas, which are the basis for hummus, will give you additional fiber. The calorie content of creamy dressing is a nutritional black box. Just 2 TBSPs can contains 7 to 17 grams of fat. These fat grams and calories can add up fast, thus it is best to save the dressing for another time.
- Watch Where You Stand
Holiday parties are full of mindless eating opportunities. I’m sure you’ve been in the following, or a similar, situation before. You’re chatting with a friend or colleague and a bowl of Chex Mix lays just within reach. Next thing you know, the conversation is over and the bowl of Chex Mix is empty. When it comes to feeling full, your body doesn’t sense these mindless eating calories, but your waistline does.
Watch where you stand at parties. Take a small plate and pile on your veggies and proteins. Then, go start a conversation on the other side of the room, away from the food table.
This tip alone can reduce how much you eat by 50%.
Holiday weight gain isn’t inevitable. Put these simple strategies into play to control the greatest source of holiday weight gain and keep the pounds off this year.
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