SHAKE OFF WINTER WITH THESE 4 TIPS
SEPTEMBER is here and that means Spring – followed by a long hot summer. It’s time to Shake off Winter (y’all). You could “Shake it Off” like a Swifty, but here’s the real deal: Planet Fitness ft. USN It’s music to your ears
To ensure you start out properly straight out of the gates, here are some myth busters:
#1: The longer the workout, the better?
Not necessarily, especially if you are time challenged! Yes, a good long sesh is great, but you can cut back the cardio and still make progress. HIIT (high-intensity interval training) classes are the way to go when you need to shake off your winter lockdown bod and still fit in that “to do” list in your spare time. HIIT the Floor with a 30-minute workout where you cross train between strength, cardio, plyometric and functional movements. HIIT the Track where you sweat, lift, run and explode into a short 30-minute workout, which incorporates track and field training techniques.
#2: Will weights make me bulky.
Nope. The reality is that building muscle actually enhances your metabolism, which means you’ll burn off additional calories by lifting weights. It starts to make sense when you consider that your body will need more calories to sustain this new muscle mass, so if you maintain your current intake of food/calories, you will lose body fat. Here’s the thing: muscle is much denser than body fat so you could end up weighing the same as before you started lifting weights. The upside is that your body is going to be a whole lot smaller in all the right places, and you’ll come out the other side with a healthy, toned look for summer!
#3: Doing only cardio will make Me lose fat
Shake off the thought! If you want a toned look (and more importantly, a great metabolism), consider adding some resistance training to your routine. Otherwise, “cardio only” is a ticket to putting body fat back on as quickly and easily as you lost it L
#4: Do I have to exercise every day for at least an hour for a result?
It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Science shows that three 10-minute sessions broken up throughout the day can be just as effective as one 30-minute session. You don’t have to spend hours at the gym to get into shape. On non-gym days, break up your cardio into smaller bites by parking further away for a longer walk to your destination, do a couple of squats instead of couch surfing while you’re watching Netflix, or turn up the music and shake down to your favourite tunes while you’re making dinner. Lots of little activities during the day can add up to a big calorie deficit.
And while we are busting myths, health clubs are NOT on the hotlist for spreading coronavirus. They are in fact, one of the most sanitised and safe environments – and that’s from data gathered by IHRSA, one of the world’s leading international authorities on the health club industry.
So, there you have it: EVERY reason to get started, revved up and motivated to shake off winter!
