3 Ways to Spend Less Time at the Gym and Get Better Results

by Jessica Smith, REDBOOK

As a personal trainer, I am constantly approached by people at their wits end, complaining that while they are watching what they eat and exercising like crazy - yet they still can't lose weight.

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I have also watched these same people exercise at the gym - "exercising like crazy" means clocking in 60 minutes of cardio most days. They choose the same cardio machine, plunk down on it, and pull out their favorite magazine to pass the time. They'll do 60 minutes, the same way, everyday. And guess what? Their bodies look the same. Why? If you never change, you'll never change.

When it comes to putting together a fitness program, less really IS more.

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Here are three helpful tips to keep your workouts efficient and effective:

1. Think quality over quantity. A 20-minute interval workout can be as, if not more effective, than an hour spent at a steady state lower intensity.

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2. Challenge yourself. If you can do your workouts with your eyes closed, your mind isn't the only thing that is bored, so is your body. When your body is bored it stops working as hard to perform the movements you ask of it, so you end up burning less calories and reaping less benefits overall.

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3. Vary your workouts. If you always walk, try jogging. If you always cycle, try swimming. As they say, variety is the spice of life!

Jessica Smith is a certified fitness lifestyle expert and creator of the 10 Pounds Down DVD series.


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