It is time for spring cleaning.
Why not spring clean your body this year?
This is more than just a thorough shower, this is about getting your spring shape up started. Over the next six weeks we will be focusing on workouts and lifestyle changes to help you shape up your body. Now is the time of year to allow a little vanity in as swim suit season is just around the corner.
First, get a journal tool. A notebook, index cards, calendars all work. Figure out what will work for you and put it where you will use it everyday. You need space to journal your food and exercise for each day. If weight loss contains an emotional component for you leave space to journal your feelings surrounding eating, exercise and your overall day. These tidbits will be helpful uncovering any patterns and routines which may no longer be working for you.
Spring shape up week one:
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Saturday: Cardio, strength, flexibility
Monday: Cardio, flexibility
Tuesday: Cardio, strength, flexibility
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Cardio, strength, flexibility
Friday: Off
Sunday: Cardio, flexibility
You may take any two non-consecutive days off each week. If you are a regular exerciser you may prefer one day off per week. Rest is important and your body needs time to recuperate. If you are training for an event, such as a marathon, it is important to take enough days off especially the week of your event. See a personal trainer to help you determine your event training schedule.
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To see exercise form and explanations go to www.superiorworkout.com . Click on members and enter this login and password at the top of the page: Login: Telegram Password: icandoit
Each week this password will change and the exercises will be posted.
This will open our homepage. Click on workouts to view the exercises below. If you do not have access to the Internet the Superior Public Library has free access to area residents and many locations, including Superior Balance have free wireless Internet access.
Strength exercise: Complete three full body strength training workouts this week. Eight to 10 repetitions. If you can do more than 12 you must go up in weight. We are building conditioning strength this week. If you are an experienced strength trainer you may want to cycle back to conditioning phase this week or take the exercises and modify them to your level.
Lower body: Basic squats, leg extension, leg curls
Upper body: Push-ups, bent over rows, frontal raise, bicep curl, and triceps extension
Middle body: Basic abdominal crunch, oblique crunch, superman back extension
Cardio exercise: 15-30 minutes of cardio work this week. Anything that raises your heart rate for an extended period of time. This could be walking, running, biking, hiking, swimming or aerobics. You should be breathing heavy but still able to carry on a short conversation. On a scale from 1-10 1=easy 10=too hard work between a 5 and 7. Check in often with yourself to make sure you are working hard enough.
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Flexibility exercise: Flexibility training comes at the end of your workout when your muscles are warm. Spend 10-15 minutes stretching each muscle group. Hold your stretch for 10 seconds and repeat three times.
This week your task is to begin identifying your habits. Journal what goes into your mouth and what movement you are doing. It is not necessary to make major changes this week. What is important is to begin understanding your patterns. It is the no longer working patterns we want to change. In your journal each day I want you to write your reveling date: June 16.
Every day you'll write this date on the page you journal your food and exercises. This will help keep you focused on your goals. It is only six weeks out. You can do anything for a short period of time. Six weeks is nothing to get health for the rest of your life.
Lifestyle challenge
In addition to the above workout and journal techniques. Ask yourself why you want to be more healthy. What is the driving force behind your motivation? Does it come from deep within you? Do you want to see your grandchild grow? Your children marry? Your career reach its potential? Why do you want to be around this world? And would you like more than to just be around, but be able to be around and participate?
Stacy Reuille-Dupont is owner of Superior Balance Fitness Center and Personal Balance Consulting. She can be reached at stacy@superiorbalance.com and stacy@superiorworkout.com or 392-9860.
