Everything is SORE!

My brother's wedding was last weekend. It was great! I didn't expect to have as much fun as I did but I don't know what I was thinking. Mix booze with my family and the fun never ends...until the next morning. I was paying the price with an epic hangover! I had to drive home too. I don't now how I made it. I am just feeling better today!

Me and my brother. I basically walked around with booze in my hand all night.

Needless to say, I didn't have time for my workout on Saturday. It was a plyo challenge and I was really looking forward to it. I had a hair appointment in Corpus Christi at 9 am, which means I had to leave my hotel by 8:15 am, which means I had to shower at 7. I am not a morning person. I do not do morning workouts. You can't make me! When I used to sub for 9 am pump, I hated every minute. I know that is not very early, but it felt like that to me.

This week, my coaches have turned up the dial on our workouts. Not only are we required to do the WOD, we have to add 30 minutes of cardio. The cardio has to have our HR up to about 130, which means the elliptical machine at work won't cut it. Twice a week, they are incorporating HIIT. I do love HIIT workouts. Did the first one yesterday. Not too bad. I went right in to the WOD, which was back.

The HIIT workout was simple but effective. Three sets, 90 seconds long, three rounds. I did 9 total rounds of exercise for 90 seconds. The exercises were body weight based, so it was stuff like skaters, jump lunges, squat thrusts, high knees in to a side lunge and planks. We would do exercise 1 for 30 seconds, exercise 2 for 30 seconds and then exercise 1 again for 30 seconds.

Set 1:
Skaters (30 seconds)
jump lunges (30 seconds)
Skaters (30 seconds)
[90 second rest]
Set 2
Walking plank with jack (30 seconds)
squat thrusts (30 seconds)
Walking plank with jack (30 seconds)
[90 second rest]
Set 3:
Side jump with 90 degree turn (30 seconds)
8 high knees with side lunge (30 seconds)
Side jump with 90 degree turn (30 seconds)
[90 second rest]

Repeat twice - 9 sets total

I. Am. SORE! Every muscle in my upper body is hurting. The only saving grace I had were my legs, and guess what today is....LEG DAY! Can't catch a break.

I need to eat so I have energy to do this workout but I am not hungry yet. Who am I kidding...I am ALWAYS hungry. But I want a hamburger, not this turkey meat with asparagus!

I had my fun this weekend. Back to the grind!

The Benefits of HIIT

I have been saying this for years!

If you want to change your body, you have to put pressure on your muscles and tendons. Weights! Weights! Weights!

Now, I can officially say that incorporating HIIT in to your workout will give you quicker results. I am seeing toning in my legs and arms faster than ever by adding HIIT twice a week to my workouts. Of course, you can't eat bad and expect to burn it all off in the gym and you will never be able to work off a bad diet, so that is key. I am not a nutritionist, but there are easy ways to find good alternatives to your fave foods online. As I tell my classes, you get fit in the gym, you lose weight in the kitchen.

Take a look at this article for tips on food and why adding HIIT will help you reach your goals. I disagree that running with make you fat, but running alone won’t help you lose weight fast if that is your goal. I do know some avid runners that are not gaining weight. They are also cross training and eat clean. They love to run, but they know the benefits of confusing your body. Running won't make you fat! But cardio only won't help you get to your goals faster if you goal is weight loss. If you goal is completing a marathon, different story!

Please let me know your thoughts or comments on the article. Knowledge is power.