ELECTRONIC CARDIO MACHINES CAN BE A REAL TIME WASTER!

Hi There

OK so you don’t have a lot of time on your hands right!  You want to make sure everything you do, counts. Isn’t it a bummer when you find out that you have been following a routine thats a waste of time or spending your hard earned cash on a practice that will never work.

Here is the low down on fitness methods you may think are beneficial but hey - they aren't.

The electronic cardio machines that appeared in gyms in the 1970s featured low intensity, long duration and "fat burning" programs. Many still do today but this slow-and-steady approach to working out can be a real time waster.

You do burn a higher percentage of fat during a long, slow workout but you burn more fat and calories overall when you push the intensity.  The talk of the town is to do interval training where you alternate periods of hard and easy cardio. This helps to speed up the calorie burn while helping you avoid injury and burnout – cool!

Numerous studies show that stretching a cold muscle decreases its endurance and power and makes you feel like you're working harder and more importantly, it ups your risk of injury.

Instead, you need to save your stretching for the end of your workout when your muscles are at their most supple. You probably only need about five minutes of stretching. All it takes is one move for each major muscle and hold each stretch for about 30 seconds."

Developing "long, lean" muscles or "strength without bulk" are promises you'll often see advertised by studios and trainers who teach yoga, pilates and dance – but it is impossible to change the length of your muscles.

You are born with a certain body type, and no matter how much or what kind of exercise you do, your muscles will develop into their natural length and shape.

OK so who thinks that succumbing to the temptations of a Bit Mac or Double Cheeseburger can be fixed by taking a kickboxing class or working out at the gym for an hour? Hmm, I don’t think so, sorry!

When you believe that a bout of exercise grants you "permission" to eat an extra portion of food, the extra calorie intake is less about hunger and more about your mind having a desire to eat.

You do need to exercise for long-term weight maintenance, but it's nearly impossible to burn off a full day's worth of eating - especially if you over indulge. I would advise that you should keep an exercise and diet log so you can't escape the fact that one extra doughnut is equivalent to an hour's jog.

Heeding the advice to be more active is wise but doesn't require a special drink.

I hate to tell you this but guzzling on your sports drinks may pack on the pounds. They're not for someone who is doing a light 15-20 minute workout or no workout at all and they really aren't any better for you than soft drinks.  But more bad news, studies show that sports drinks may soften tooth enamel even more than sodas, leading to cavities and tooth decay. I would recommend that you limit all sweet drinks including sports drinks and fruit juices. Stick to plain water instead!!

Some people recommend eating six small meals a day is a standard aspect of many diet plans. However, some experts now say this tactic can backfire!!

So for example, a small meal could be 500 calories, so at the end of the day you have eaten over 2500 calories - certainly not enough to lose weight and enough to gain weight.

Recent studies, show that some people who eat constantly will experience continuously elevated insulin levels, which may promote fat storage further adding to weight issues. You are better off waiting longer between meals to give your insulin production a break.

Thanks for reading my blog, all the best.

Please feel free to share with your friends. 

Have a great day!!

Andrea