How to Make the Most of Your Workout
Whether you're headed to the beach or going to a summer wedding, the heat is on when it comes getting in shape. We hit up Jessi Kneeland, trainer at Peak Performance, to find out how to get the best results.
1. Early Bird Gets the Worm: Try to hit the gym or do your run in the morning. As the day goes on, things like work projects, family responsibilities, and happy hour start to edge out your well-intentioned post-office workout plans.
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2. Big moves: For a sculpted upper body, try multi-joint moves like proper push-ups and chin-ups. They'll hit multiple muscle groups and increase the metabolic demand, burning more calories and building more lean muscle.
3. Coffee: Have a cup of black coffee about about half an hour before your workout. It's not for everyone, but if you give it a try you'll likely notice a steep increase in motivation, strength, and endurance.
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4. Hills: Run up them, walk down them, and repeat as many times as you can! This is a killer workout that burns a ton of calories and will help you get those gorgeous gams you're after. If you don't have hills in your area, you can run intervals with a treadmill on an incline.
5. Slow down: People have a tendency to rush through each rep, which leads to a far less effective workout. Be sure to take one to two seconds to lift the weight, three to four seconds to lower the weight down, and pause for one to two seconds at the bottom before lifting again. You don't have to go this slow forever, but stick to it for a month and you'll definitely see results.
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6. Sprints: Whether done outdoors, on a treadmill, or an elliptical, short bursts of very hard work followed by a period of recovery is the best bang-for-your-buck workout. Try running (or pedaling or stepping) as hard as you can for 60 seconds, followed by two minutes at an easier pace. Repeat eight to twelve times.
7. Post-Workout Nutrition: In order to start repairing your muscles, your body needs a combination of protein and carbs within 30 to 45 minutes after finishing an intense workout. These repairs are what add the lean muscle to your frame and increases your metabolism. Take advantage of that post-workout window to fuel your muscles with a protein shake with a banana and berries, or yogurt and an apple.
For More From Real Beauty:
Get Sexy Legs for Summer
10 Tips to Look (and Feel) Great by Summer
How to lose 5 Pounds Now
12 Ways to Boost your Metabolism
Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc.
