Phit-N-Phat...Making Fitness and Weightloss a Lifestyle

Creative Walk and Treadmill Routines to Burn Fat

The other day I talked about doing things outside of the norm to get the results you need. When I checked in on my Facebook weightloss accountability groups, I had this from one of members...

I was thinking this morning while getting ready for some kind of workout in my basement while out of town from my normal schedule and remembered I had a resistance band and went to Pnp and found the travel phit section! Corinne really gives you no excuse to workout in most situations! We give ourselves excuses! If you take time to look for help it's right there! Thanks Corinne!

I love this! It's why I created something called a hood workout a long time ago for my clients on PNP. A lot of my clients can't run but they are some MAD WALKERS. But, they also get adapted quick to walking and rather than going LONGER I have them go HARDER with creative breaks in their walks. Thus, we call it a hood walk because you just need to hit the street and get busy.

This video is one of me a few years ago discussing a hood walk. 

Intro to Hood Walk

The Circuits

Conclusion

I also found this article on Women's Health that has several types of circuit finishers to a walk. What I would do is pick one and do a ROUND ever 3-5 minutes of your 30-60 minute walk depending on fitness level. You can even do this by hopping on and off the treadmill if you can't get outside.

Hot Tip! Buy a 3-ring binder. When you come across creative workouts you like, type it up, print it off, and then put in the binder. Each day it's time for cardio, open the book, and then choose a workout. You can make a cardio calendar at the beginning of the month listing each workout OR you can have a goal to not repeat a workout for 7,15, 30 days once you collect plenty!

And, a long-time client and now dear friend wrote a blog about hood walks last week. Give her blog a read. If you like the Queen you will love Angela!

For my PNP private members you have the Work Your Butt Off Book and all kinds of fun and creative workouts in your materails I give you with enrollment. If you don't know where to find them, just ask in the forums and we will hook you up with awesome workouts to keep you busy. I come out with new workouts frequently so take advantage of them to shrink THY BOOTY!

Losing Weight Means Doing Things Outside the Norm

Over the years I've written all kinds of blogs about things I had to start doing to lose the weight. A lot of it was stuff a (former) fat girl would never do. 

• It got funny looks and we don't want to be looked at.
• It got remarks from people and I didn't need anyone peer pressuring me.

The last few days I've been reminded of a few KEY changes for me. And I also started thinking about how I need to get back to a few basics consistently to have the structure I love.

The first is from an OLD blog of mine...Igloo Your New Purse. In fact this blog made me smie because it reminded me of some of the things I used to eat, my olders workouts, and such. I should blog more like that...if you girls ask for it. If not, then you don't care how I workout. LOL

The blog is about being prepared when you leave your house. Don't go places without snacks! When I leave my house I always take a meal or two with me. It just depends on how long I plan to be gone.

For those of you who always are  "gone so much longer than you planned", keep a bag or small box of food in your car. Baggies of almonds, beef jerky, tuna packets, plastic spoons, a few bowls, etc., all keep. They are built to last and it keeps you out of trouble ladies.

This is some advice I gave in one of my many weightloss challenge groups this month. If you belong to PNP or buy Beachbody products from me, YOU TOO can get such great advice! Her aunt died and she has to go to her parents for the funeral. She asked if it's OK to bring your own food to avoid eating a bunch of stuff you don't want.

I think brining your own food is fine for your weekend away is fine. I do it all the time to this day. You might get funny looks and such but just tell them you are working to improve your health and it all starts with what goes in your mouth. If they say live a little, tell them you’ve been living a lot lately and now it’s time to live a new way that you can enjoy just as much.

Another huge change in my BODY was when I got over myself with my workouts. It took me a long time to realize no one in the gym was worried what the "fat girl" was doing in her workout. I can't tell you how often I casually rode the elliptical not getting a quality workout, not changing my body, all because I was worried what some person thought. 

You, me, and everyone else who walks in the gym or decides to get off their butt deserves the BEST workout to change. I know it's mentally hard, but at some point if you don't want to look the way you do you have to do things that will make a change. Being an elliptical jockey isn't it. 

My PNP member and friend, Angela, wrote her own blog on the famous Hood Workout. When you workout I want you doing things you normally don't do, challenging yourself, breathing hard, and not being ashamed to get a workout in that shoves you straight out of your comfort zone. 

In this old blog I have a motivating video and a Hood Treadmill routine you can do. And if you are one of my private PNP members you have the new camp routines available to you. After testing them out on my local bootcamp ladies I know they are challenging and that all fitness levels can make it happen IF THEY WANT TO!

Just typing all this motivates me to tighten up on making sure I have the cooler ready to go. Every now and then I walk out without one and, even though I don't stop and eat out, I do come home TOO HUNGRY. 

And for the workouts, I do tons of mixing it up. I got vidoes, machines, and such all around me. I think it's time to teach my local ladies all about the famous hood workout so at any time they can kick up their own training when I'm not there!

Women's Tough Mudder Training

As you know I recently did the Janurary Tough Mudder in Phoenix (and a 1/2 marathon the next day with my crazy friend Kathy). While it's fresh in my head, I wanted to blog how I trained to get in some of the strongest shape of my life!

The idea was to train as functional as I could because most of the race you are running to an obstacle, completing it, then running again. I'll put down what I did and how I am tweaking that for my next one in September.

I set up a three month plan starting mid-October. Each month I trained a little different leading up to the race weekend.

Month One: I used this month to focus on running and strength. Using Chalene Extreme (I was in the middle so I was in the PUSH phase) for my heavy lifting, I lifted M-W-F. I liked her program a lot but really like it because her strength focuses a lot on single leg moves, core and legs. T, Th, and S I would run. One day was sprints, then a 4-6 mile tempo style run, and a long run each week.

Each short run I would end with some kind of bodyweight circuit that had jump roping in it for 20 min., or a routine 3-4x8 sets of Barbell Complexes with 6 exercises (Deadlift, Upright Row, Push Press, Squat, Bentover Row, Push Ups).

On my strength days I almost always did an additional circuit video or ab video from the series (I was testing stuff for my clients).

Workouts were about an hour long except for the long runs which are normally 6-10 miles.

Month Two: I finished the Chalene Extreme series this month. This month was the LEAN stage and it was quite the workout with more bodyweight moves and core work. Again, I did these M-W-F.

I changed my runs this month to be on M and W after the strength workout and I just did 2-3 mile smaller but faster runs.

T and Th I changed to doing a mix of either Insanity or Asylum from Shaun T. These videos focus more on plyometrics and Asylum, especially, has tons of sports drills. He also adds pull ups to the mix.

During my long run this month, I started adding in my own obstacles. For a few miles in the middle I would hop of the treadmill and do 1-2 minutes of a portion of Asylum's Game Time. I'd run and watch the video and when they did something that looked Tough Mudder good, I hopped off and did it with them, then back on running.

Month Three: I started P90X2 Foundation Phase. This backs off the strength and adds in a ton of functional movement. The foundation phase works core, push ups, pull ups, stability ball, and plyometrics. I went with the training as is written except I didn't take but one off day.

I also kept the long run with Game Time from Asylum. On the more recovery type days from X2 I put in my runs. M-W-F was the more functional strength videos (Full Body, Plyometrics, Balance and Power) with misc. stretching DVDs I have), T-Th was Core and Yoga/Mobility and Recovery with running, and S was always long run day with Asylum.

The next TM I will do more long runs with some Barbell Complexes. I will probably group 3 exercises and do those (1 body weight like a pull up or push up variation, 1 compound barbell move, 1 moving plank style exercise). Most of the obstacles have you crawling or climbing.

I will also have one day a week where I do some sprints but also mix in leaping type work. Maybe some long stride work and bounding. You need this! LOL.

This next race I will also train for just 8 weeks as long as my running base for a long run is 6-8 miles.

I hope that helps and feel free to ask questions if you are thinking of doing one these.

Feeling Strong

For a long time I've strength trained 4-5 days a week. Personally, I love lifting and just enjoy having my body parts split up to where I can train them in detail. Since signing up for the half marathons with my love and King, I've had to radically change how I train.

Train. That's a word I wish all of my clients would use when it comes to exercise. From those with 100lbs or 10lbs to lose, training implies you are working with a goal, a specific focus, and have a game plan to getting what you want.

I was reading another blog by Nia Shanks and she touched on this theory of training versus "working out" or "have to exercise." Without realizing it I have used the word train ever since I embarked on truly challenging my body through strength or endurance events. 

My training is no longer focused on building my physique or cutting for a show. It's now about being stronger, eating at maintenance levels and running faster to finish races.

I don't want to simply finish anymore. I've got 20 half marathons under my belt where I was very happy with finishing. This year I want to refresh myself with some personal records! Not blazing past competition but beating the pants off Corinne. That's competition enough for me.

Back to training with a purpose; today was an odd day because it was cardio only. I've split my training up so much in the past that almost daily I had to lift plus cardio each training day. Now, my schedule has three lifting days and is filled with running or cross training on the other days! 

What made today so odd is that it wasn't a running day. It wasn't a lifting day. It was "dealer's choice" which meant I did what I wanted. Funny, I felt like step mill intervals and some tough ab work. I left the gym whipped but feeling so strong. I can really tell that my body is liking having more recovery time, less splits, and focused TRAINING sessions that are shorter.

Another thing I'm doing is inserting stretching or core DVDs from Beachbody on my lifting days rather than doing a bunch of cardio. Sad to admit, but I've always neglected proper stretch sessions and anything other tham glamour ab work. Now that I'm older and running more I've included in the TRAINING these aspects. 

What I have learned is that my body is liking the training even if it is very different from what I tend to enjoy the most. I definitely can grow to like this training with the positive way my body is responding: more energy through the day, I 'think' better mood (ask the King), hungry but not craving, and just better focus. Yep, I likey how I feel.

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Step Mill Quickie: today I did 2 rounds x 20 on the Stepmill. First round was your basic interval program. Moderate pace for the low end and then each time the WORK interval hit I bumped up the intensity one notch. By the end I was in a jog on the stepmill. 

Second 20 min. I did 1 minute of regular moderate pace stepping and then 1 min. of double steps with a glute raise. After three rounds I did double steps with a high knee raise. Three rounds and then I walked sidewise up the stepmill alternating sides each minute. For the last 2 minutes I did your basic front step but stepped on toes like doing a calf raise. 

Just thought I would share a little.

 

 

Home Challenge (Metabolic) Workout

So many of my clients are stuck at home during this winter storm without good weights, videos, and such to get in what they consider a great workout.

You know what? I'm feeling extra giving today so I'm giving you a workout all of you can do at home or away from home. A couple of exercises have a dumbbell option so if you have weights then use that. If not, bodyweight for you Missy!

The way this works is simple. You will do exercise #1, rest 10-20 seconds. Do exercise #1 and then exercise #2, rest 10-20 seconds. Do exercise 1, 2, 3, rest 10-20 seconds. You keep adding on the exercises until you do ALL eight exercises. Should be pretty hard but enough to keep you going through the weather or even while on vacation.

1. Step Ups (per leg):10 reps

2. Pike Walks or DB Punches: 5-8 reps or pike walks or 20-30 total DB Punches

3. Pushups (knees or toes): 10-15 reps

4. DB Deadlift to Rows or Bearcrawls: 15-20 reps

5. Mountain climbers or Rock Climbers: 40-60 reps

6. Dips: 15-30 reps

7. Plie Jumps or regular squats: 20 reps

8. Scoot and Move: 20 reps and move a DB for added intensity

 

This is the type of full body cardio routines I design for my private member programs and for my online personal clients. With ALL of my programs I work hard to push you outside of your comfort zone but I also provide a wide range of exercises to suit your physical needs. So, if you try this and it's not hard enough, I can amp it up in the comments. If you try it and you can't do certain things, ask me and I'll give you a watered down exercise to get you ready for this level.

This is also the kind of cardio I like to do. It's not always just about being on a treadmill. Bootcamps, body weight cardio, and metabolic challenges are great ways to exercise and reshape your body.

The key is keep moving!!! Y'all it's the 2nd week of the year and the gyms are already emptying because our first big roadblock came in the form of ice and snow. No excuses ladies. No excuses!

I've Lost So Much Weight...Why Am I Still Fat?

Mammy and I went to have her body fat tested in the ole dunk tank for the first time. I won't share it because it is her's to share, but like most people who lose a lot of weight after being sedentary and very overweight for a long time, it's high.

She was pretty upset. Not crying jag or anything like that, but she's lost a lot of weight, almost in Onederland, and she was just shocked she was still "so fat."

She asked if I knew my body fat when I lost my weight a few years ago. I wasn't dunked, but I had some caliper testing and at my same weight (nearly to the pound today) I was 26.something %. Today I came in at 16%.  

That's huge progress over the years. She asked me, in essence, how can it be she's still got so much "fat" to lose. It's simple, strength training. It has made ALL the difference in my physique. I still have so many women afraid to lift heavy because they don't want to see the scale slowly move down while they lose weight.

Let me tell you, the most miserable part of my weightloss for the past five to six years hasn't been trying to maintain it. I lost my weight the way I would keep it off. The hardest part for me was finally losing the weight and being HEARTBROKEN with what was left of my naked body.

It's been a tough road mentally at my goal weight. I think we all dream of what our bodies will look and feel like. We get there and it's a mess if you had a long way to go. We aren't tight like a fitness model, our boobs sag because most of our mommies, what used to be firm just ain't because we're older, and our tummies for the most part look like someone whose had kids. If you had kids AND you had gained a lot of weight without getting off for a long time it is going to look like a mommy belly.

Is there shame in all that? No. Maybe some disappointment Playboy will never call you, but honestly I see more women at or near goal who have their flaws. They also have a healthy weight, healthy lifestyle, and are fitter than their 20 something tight counterpart.

Back to Mammy, I told her that the body fat was high for one reason: she didn't do her strength training like her daughter kept telling her. See, walking and eating clean will get your weight off. For my mom, me, and many others, the weight is a death sentence just waiting to be carried out. Aesthetics weren't her number one goal. She wanted to live her life and that meant doing what she was willing to do.

Well, 80+lbs later Mammy's #1 goal has changed. Now it's I want to look as good as I can. Like me, I wish she had started on this road before the weightloss so that 80lbs would look more like 120lbs! But, like me, she's gotta start when she's ready. Now she's strength training 2-3 times a week, doing a variety of cardio, and still walking. 

I can promise you that strength training not only makes you strong, it helps you lose more FAT (versus a bunch of other stuff you need), and it helps you reach your ultimate goal in weightloss. More people come to me stalled out in their journey because the strength component was never there or they never really lifted hard enough.

You don't always have to workout in a gym either! I know how many of you think. Workout at home. You don't need much to get started and you can get a wicked workout quite easy. Check out some of my stuff:

Treadmill Bootcamp has a whole 30-day calendar of treadmill workouts that not only get your cardio in, but it also has strength combined so you work your muscles. I've included a menu and instructions on how to perform all the exercises. And, you can always email questions or comment here!

Work Your Butt Cardio Book is filled with all kinds of workouts. Treadmill, bike, sprints, body weight, abs, and more you get the book our PNP girls when they join PNP. And, there are upper and lower body cardio workouts if you are short on time and need to do double-duty at times.

Let's Get It Started Beginner Strength Program is a 12 week exercise program I've used with many clients. It starts with the basics, has a menu, sample cardio routines, and all kinds of moves you can do at home or in the gym. It's a great beginner guide for those who want to change the physique while they start a long journey.

We Must Protect This House

I love this commercial and this is the kind of intensity you have to bring every day to the gym, to the kitchen, to the restaurant, the drive thru, the stressful situations, and YOUR MOUTH.

Your house is your body and that body you WANT. I promise you let some "cheese" into the house and you will not be at the top your game.

I don't care if you are 100lbs overweight or some Crossfitting maniac, this commercial and spirit applies to YOU. It doesn't matter your shape because as women fighting to have a healthy body we face the same issues.

Our CHEESE is...

• Ill fitting fat clothes that make us feel bad rather than comfortable enough to walk in the gym.
• Boneheaded co-workers who have candy dishes in your face, the "oh just one won't hurt ya" attitude, or let's all go out to eat EVERYDAY!
• Kids who must fight in the car and then scream in unison we want ice cream.
• So much housework, laundry, dinners to cook, and crap that we don't "feel" like rolling out of bed at 4:30 am to crack our own whip.
• Friends that think every weekend is a right to party and you are the poop for not wanting to get donkey with them at the drop of every hat.

Ladies! If you don't protect your house, our PNP house, who will?

Here's the Off the Wall Treadmill Routine you can add to your 12 week PNP workshop. Watch the video and then figure out how many ways you can be who you want to be...not who everyone one else thinks you are!

45 min. Off the Wall Treadmill
Set your treadmill for 45 min. on a 0-3% incline. The less incline you have the faster your walk. Each of the following Body Part Segments you will do three times then move to the next group of exercises.

3 min. of fast walking with 5lb DB's in your hands.

Apprx 2 min. for each of the following Lower Body exercises:

• 10-20  Regular or Jump Squats
• 10-20 Alternating Lunge or Forward Lunge on Step
• 10-20 Ball Rollouts

Back on Treadmill for 3 min. of fast walking and then go through above segment two more times. Now, move to Upper Body.

• 10-20 Straddle Push Ups on Bench or Regular Pushups
• 10-20 Single DB Deadlifts
• 10-20 Iron Crosses with or without squat

Back on Treadmill for 3 min. of fast walking with DB's and then go through above segment two more times. Now move to Core.

• 20-40 total Forward Reach Lunges
• 10-20 per arm Lawnmowers
• 10-20 Sammy Switches or Jumping Jacks

Cool down good for 3-5 min. and stretch ladies.

YouTube - PrOtEcT ThIs HoUsE

Cardio Queens!

In the workshop this week I discussed the importance of cardio and where it falls into your workout priority.

Let's face it, you gotta do it and it has got to mean something when doing it to burn off fat. Strength training is what makes your physique, food is what allows you to lose the fat and build the muscle, and cardio is what helps burn off the crap covering what the weights and food are building down in there. Simple and crude but it's the truth!

I will give you girls a few routines this week. As always, if you need a book filled with a lot of interesting cardio routines you can get mine. All my PNP girls have it and we use the toot out of it in our training. I even use the routines to kick my own tushie while training for my figure competitions!

Today I did a little routine for 45 min. that is easy to change to meet your fitness level.

 

Treadmill Blocks
This routine is broken into three-fifteen minute segments. I like variety so I almost always mix routines up this way to pass the time.

45:00-30:00 - Walk 1 min. on 2% incline at a comfortably hard pace (for me right now that is 3.8 MPH). Run/fast Walk 1 min. at a good pace (for me right now it is 5.2 MPH). Alternate until you hit 30:00.

30:00-15:00 - Set the incline to 4% and walk at your comfortably hard pace holding 5lb DB's for five minutes. Increase incline to 8% and drop the speed just enough (maybe go from 3.8 - 3.5) to be able to keep the DB's. After five minutes increase the incline to 12% and drop the speed enough to keep holding those DB's (maybe 3.2 - 3.5).

***I rotate my arms from hanging at sides like carrying groceries to bent arms. If you need to set DB's down, do so for 1-2 min. and then pick up again until you CAN hold DB's for 15 min. Your goal is to work the hams and your arms. Once 5lbs is too easy, simply go to 8's then 10's, then 12's.

15:00 - 0:00 - Set incline to 8%. Do 1 min. of Glute Squeezes, 2 min. of FAST walking on 8% without DB's.

 

 

 

 

 

This Is What Vacation Is All About

Our fabulous moderator, Maggie, just got back from Hawaii and I wanted to share with her wrap up of the trip. She had two huge victories: a physical triumph and then coming home and hopping right back on her eating plan. I've included her story, her menu the first day back, and her workout!

We're all so proud of the lifestyle you lead, Maggie. You are a true friend to me and such a bright spot to so many girls on the site.

My biggest victory was how great I felt when we hiked Diamond Head and Makapu'u Point. Both had quite big elevation gains compared to what I'm used to (Diamond Head had lots of stairs, Makapu'u was paved) but the big difference was how I felt this time versus last time. 

I clearly remember the first time I went to Diamond Head because I was at least 50 lbs heavier and felt every one of those pounds trying to get up the trail.  But it wasn't just that I was heavier...I was really out of shape. I was in much worse shape than everyone we were with and I really slowed everyone down, and remember being really embarrassed that I had to keep stopping and catching my breath.  It takes less than two hours to finish the hike, yet I remember being completely wiped out for the remainder of the day.  I don't really remember the first time we did Makapu'u but it was the same trip, so I'm sure it was more of the same sucky feelings. 

So here's the BIG victory for me -- the only thing that slowed me down while getting up Diamond Head was being too polite when trying to pass people on tight sections of trail, and I'm not joking when I say that I wanted to RUN up the paved path to Makapu'u Point.  I know I wouldn't have been able to make it the whole way -- that thing is STEEP -- but my body wanted to run!  WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!  If that's not a huge  "bringing tears to my eyes" victory, I don't know what is.  

Okay, back to reality.  We got home yesterday evening and I was back to work today.  Food was:

• Breakfast:   1/2 cup Gluten Free oats, 1/2 cup frozen berries, 1/2 scoop PP, chia gel
• Snack 1:  Apple & packet of Justin's PB
• Lunch:  4oz shredded chicken taco meat (YAY for freezing extras!), 3 cups mixed greens, green onions, sweet potato
• Snack 2:  3/4 cup LF cottage cheese, 1/2 red bell pepper
• Dinner:  Tofu stir fry with rice noodles, celery, broccoli & mushrooms
• Post workout snack:  grapefruit

I just got back from the gym and did 40 minutes of leg frying work on the treadmill.  I'm tired, but loved it!  I switched things up from what was planned based upon how I felt, but think I made a good decision by listening to my body. 

I started with a 5 minute warm-up (walk @ 3.6-3.8), then alternated the following series 5 times to get up to 40 minutes: 

• 2 minutes of running @ 5.5 with no incline
• 2 minutes of walking @ 3.5 at max incline (12 on our gym treadmill) -- long steps, working the calves, upper hams & glutes
• 2 minutes of walking backwards @ 2.2 at max incline -- dropping down and really concentrating on squeezing the quads
• 30 seconds at 3.5 walking forwards while the treadmill drops back down to no incline
• 30 seconds at 3.5 walking at no incline to rest

Here's to the start of a great week back home. 

What an awesome trip and return home! Since this has been journaling week, I thought it appropriate to show off the work of someone who journals a lot: emotionally, her food, and her workouts. Go Maggie!

Making Changes

In our workshop we discussed the importance of journaling. We all know to journal so we know what we are doing, but now we want to look at it and then DO SOMETHING about it.

Your journals, my journals often show us all very useful information to keep getting results. Sometime it takes black and white (with or without numbers associated to food) to see the times of day that are pitfalls, when we typically can go with a little less food, and when our carbs might be needed most.

I told one of my clients today some stuff about carbs. She immediately argued with me that having a sweet potato or some brown rice at dinner makes her fat and she can't have them to lose weight. Of course, she craves carbs every night and once every three days she caves to pizza, chinese, or whatever else her family is having.

Hello? Is it carbs making you fat or the 1000+ calorie/carb laden junk fest every three days not letting the scale move. LOL. Yep, we both had a laugh and will try just eating a healthy carb with dinner every day. Common sense girls. It's pretty magical when you use it.

Journals for exercise, though, are one of the least utilized tools there are. I know most of you will wear that HRM and give me calories burned like it is a religion. Of course, we need to use those numbers for something other than Wahooies! :) The funny thing is so many people will know their calories burned but not have a clue how far they went, what level they worked at, how many pounds they lifted, or if it was any better than last week.

That's the magic in making your workouts COUNT. So review the workshop materials and let's discuss how you can and will use journaling even better for the LAST SIX WEEKS of our workshop!

Lastly, take a look at this if you need a journal idea.

http://astore.amazon.com/phitnphatblog-20/detail/0963796844

I've seen it before and it's handy! For awhile I've simply carried a three ring binder with all my workouts and such, but I did order one today to start using.