Two New Cardio Workouts!
If you love your fat burning cardio, get excited. My newest post on Crushing The Course has two new intense cardio workouts. Your challenge for this week is to follow along with me and do the same workouts! Get the full details over at CTC or if you are a pro, jot down the workout from below. Don’t forget to strength train on Wednesday and Friday. You can also take a fun class at your gym.
Here is your schedule for the week
Tuesday:
Warm up: Three to five minutes at an RPE of 2.
Work Interval #1: 60 seconds of Running at an RPE of 8.
Recovery Interval #1: 4 minutes of Jogging at an RPE of 3.
Repeat the intervals six to seven more times.
Cool Down: Three to five minutes at an RPE of 2.
Thursday:
Warm up: Three to five minutes at an RPE of 2.
Work Interval #1: 60 seconds of Running at an RPE of 6.
Work Interval #2: 60 seconds of Running at an RPE of 8.
Work Interval #3: 60 seconds of Running at an RPE of 7.
Work Interval #4: 120 seconds of Running at an RPE of 6.
Recovery Interval #1: 5 minute of Jogging at an RPE of 3.
Repeat the intervals 3 or 4 more times.
Cool Down: Five minutes of Jogging (or Walking) at an RPE of 2.
Saturday:
Long Run for 30-60 minutes.
Intervals are the most efficient workout when it comes to losing body fat! What are you waiting for? Get out of your comfort zone, and the fat burning zone for that matter. Start kicking your own butt to achieve the results you dream of.
Day 1 of My New Training Program
This morning I could not get out of bed. I started with my usual routine: Drank 32 oz of water, made myself some instant coffee (because I am lazy), whipped up the Tone It Up protein pancake and cut myself a 1/2 a grapefruit. (This pic is from last weekend when I substituted the grapefruit for strawberries, YUM!)
After breakfast I brush my teeth and about a 1/2 hour later usually pop in a piece of Orbitz Sweet Mint gum. When you work from home your kitchen is always open. The gum distracts me and a recent study did show that a piece between breakfast and lunch helps promote weight loss by minimizing unnecessary snacking. Let’s hope this puts my day in full swing.
Today is the start of my Urbanathlon training program. Here is what’s on tap for today. It’s day 1 of energy system training which is also known in the blogging world as cardio. 
This program if you choose to follow along with me is designed to prepare me for a 10K at the end of 4 weeks. At the end of the entire program, which is in mid October, I will be ready for a half marathon. If you have a half to run in the fall, I strongly encourage you to follow along or run the Urbanathlon with me! The heart rate chart is based on my fit test results. I’m very nervous for the workout above. The 3 minute cool down is also part of the recovery interval. So it’s 5 minutes of “work” followed by a 3 minute recover jog, repeat! Joe didn’t give me a time frame so I’m going to set my own goal of 4 intervals for a total of 34 minutes.
Also, the deadline to enter your UPC code from Laughing Cow products to donate a $1 to health and wellness initiatives is over in less than a month! If you have some products in your fridge, go crab the label and enter the codes now! The Life Well Laughed initiative is amazing. Help them reach their goal of $500,000!
Pancake Breakfast Again, Kick Ass Workout
Every Monday, as most of you know, I make sure to start my day off right with a healthy breakfast. I’m still obsessed with the TIU Protein Pancake (recipe). It satisfies me and doesn’t give me the carbo-load hangover I get when I have too many carbs in the morning. It’s super easy to make as well. All you need is 1/2 banana, 2 egg whites and scoop of protein powder really. I like to add a splash of almond milk, cinnamon and flax seeds but have been known to experiment.
Typically on Mondays, I go for a long run but given the heat expected later today, this may be difficult.
What’s a girl to do? You take those lemons and made some delicious lemonade (sweetened with stevia of course!)
Numerous studies have shown that long distance exercise for a prolonged period of time burns the same amount of calories as shorter interval workouts. Since the intensity is amped up, so is the calorie burn, creating a more efficient workout for you and me!
Here is your workout challenge for today (or sometime later in the week). It is 40 minutes and will burn about 400* calories.
- 10 minute Warm Up Jog - Go slower than you think
- 2 minute Regular Speed
- 45 second Fast Sprint
- 1:15 minute Walk (Repeat this 2 min, 45 sec, 1:15 min interval sequence 5 times)
- 10 minute Cool Down Jog - Go as slow as you need but try to jog, not walk
*Calorie expenditure is an estimate based on a 135 lb woman.
I am going to do this workout shortly and will let you know how it goes, as I always do! Enjoy.
If you liked this post, you may also enjoy:
TIU Pancake Breakfast Again, Kick Ass Workout
Every Monday, as most of you know, I make sure to start my day off right with a healthy breakfast. I’m still obsessed with the TIU Protein Pancake (recipe). It satisfies me and doesn’t give me the carbo-load hangover I get when I have too many carbs in the morning. It’s super easy to make as well. All you need is:
- 1/2 banana
- 2 egg whites
- 1 scoop of protein powder (vanilla).
- 1/2 tbsp ground flax seeds
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon (or a dash, you don’t really need to measure this out)
Typically on Mondays, I go for a long run but given the heat expected later today, this may be difficult.
What’s a girl to do? You take those lemons and made some delicious lemonade (sweetened with stevia of course!)
Numerous studies have shown that long distance exercise for a prolonged period of time burns the same amount of calories as shorter interval workouts. Since the intensity is amped up, so is the calorie burn, creating a more efficient workout for you and me!
Here is your workout challenge for today (or sometime later in the week). It is 40 minutes and will burn about 400* calories.
- 10 minute Warm Up Jog - Go slower than you think
- 2 minute Regular Speed
- 45 second Fast Sprint
- 1:15 minute Walk (Repeat this 2 min, 45 sec, 1:15 min interval sequence 5 times)
- 10 minute Cool Down Jog - Go as slow as you need but try to jog, not walk
*Calorie expenditure is an estimate based on a 135 lb woman.
I am going to do this workout shortly and will let you know how it goes, as I always do! Enjoy.
If you liked this post, you may also enjoy:
Happy National Running Day
Today, June 1st, is National Running Day. What does this actually mean anyway? If you go running, are you really helping support a specific cause? Will more people be out and about getting their jog on?
Here is what the official running day website says:
You may run alone, but on National Running Day, we celebrate together! On this day, runners everywhere share their passion for a lifestyle that is one of the best, and simplest, ways to stay fit—and so much more. You can head out solo to clear your mind, gab with your regular running buddies, or turn an unsuspecting friend into a running fiend. This day is for us!
National Running Day, held annually on the first Wednesday in June, is a day when runners everywhere declare their passion for running. Wherever we are and whomever we’re with, we run—fast or slow, alone or with others, all over town or just around the block. It is a coast-to-coast celebration of a sport and activity that’s simple, inexpensive, and fun. It’s the perfect way for longtime runners to reaffirm their love of running and for beginners to kick off a lifetime and life-changing commitment.
Ok, I get it but still how does this really make any difference?
If you live in NYC or Arizona you can actually run to a “check point,” tell them why you run, and they will donate money towards the charity “Shoes That Fit”. You can also donate to a variety of other charities here if you do not live in NYC or Arizona.
I feel bad, but I was going to go running this AM but then a thunderstorm came. I decided to do Yoga before I realized it was National Running Day. I’m headed to NYC shortly so I can’t run but I am a runner and I support this day :)
Race Recap: Girls On The Run 5K Boston
This past weekend, I volunteered at the New Balance Girls On The Run 5K on the Esplanade. Although I am not a coach for GOTR, I was invited to help out after my little gig with The Life Well Laughed Project.
Read about my experience here.
I would love to be a coach next semester but it seems like it’s the best gig going on. All the volunteers there were helping out in hopes of getting the chance to help out with the organization.
Originally I was not going to run, but at last minute I signed up and grabbed myself a number. Before the “gun” went off, I was assigned to the Happy Hair table sponsored by Goody who donated some amazing hair accessories. We decorated the girls’ hair before their big year end race.
Most of the girls were between ages 5-10 but we were happy to work with clients of all ages :)
Over 200 people registered to run! While many were the girls involved with GOTR and their coaches who ran with them, there were high school athletic teams and many parents who got in on the fun. Having run 6 miles on Friday, I wasn’t in tip top racing condition but pulled off a decent 24:30 for time.
There was face painting as well which shown here had no line. It was later 15 girls deep at many times. They were a bigger hit than the hair! However, my favorite moment with the Hill House Dash which featured children ages 1-3 in a 40 yard dash. Every toddler began running when told to do so. When they got to the finish line, every single one stopped short afraid to break the ribbon! It was so cute and you can see they stopped long enough for me to snap this picture! This was the first spring 5K put on by the Suffolk County GOTR and was an amazing success. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for becoming a coach in the Fall.
I love to volunteer. Not only does it make me feel good, but it also is a great way to meet young women who live in my neighborhood and love to help out as well. Do you volunteer in your area? If so, what do you do?