Setting Up a Workout Plan

 jogging

Getting Going

In planning a workout program, take into account the following: lifting

Options

A good workout plan includes four fitness components (as will be explained in the first few weeks of the class): sit

Too often people focus on just cardio or just weights. It is fine to make one or the other your primary mode of exercise, but don't do one thing exclusively.

If your goal is to lose weight, don't worry about adding bulk with the weight training.
Lifting weights or doing strengthening activities like push-ups and crunches on a regular basis can actually help you maintain or lose weight. These activities can help you build muscle, and muscle burns more calories than body fat. So if you have more muscle, you burn more calories-even sitting still.

Doing strengthening activities 2 or 3 days a week will not "bulk you up." Only intense strength training, combined with a certain genetic background, can build very large muscles.

On the other side of the fitness mode are those who only lift weights, fearing that doing cardio will just burn up all that muscle they've tried so hard to build.
Reality: If you don't work the heart and lungs, you may be able to bench press an impressive amount - yet have heart trouble. Adding some cardio will not "burn away" the muscle - but will help ensure a more total body fitness level.

Tip: In addition to doing at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days of the week, try to do strengthening activities 2 to 3 days a week. You can put the two together: 30 minutes running plus 30 minutes weights/calisthenics or do them on alternating days. stretching

Stretching and flexibility are often neglected. Doing a warm-up and cool-down with some stretching is one way to go, but it won't do a whole lot (but it's better than nothing).
A better option is to add some yoga, martial arts, dance, or pilates to your workout regularly. These types of activities use more dynamic stretching and are much more effective than a few minutes of static stretches before going off on a run. cardio

Intensity Matters

Walking as a form of exercise is great when starting out. People who have been inactive can improve their fitness level by brisk walking. Once they get more fit, though, just walking lacks enough intensity to stress the cardiovascular system. Running or maybe walking uphill will help increase intensity.

If losing a few pounds is one of your goals, intensity really is the key. It's a myth (to be discussed later in the class) that slow exercise is the way to lose weight. You need to push it. Not only will this burn more calories but it will also increase metabolism - burning more calories even at rest.

It's fine to have easy days but also include some intensity - really pushing it - on other days. Alternating hard days and easy days and mixing up the exercise mode is the way to go if you exercise every day.

Making the Plan

There is no one-size-fits-all exercise plan. Below are three plans, each based on a different fitness level, that might provide some guidance in making YOUR plan. Remember, too, that only non-motorized workouts (no snowmobiling or mowing the lawn with a motorized mower) count for this class.
Also, your employment (say as a waitress or nurse) does not count. Shoveling the walk, doing housework or shopping at the mall also DON'T count for this class. They are "life" - daily activity. It is great to get daily activity in but that does not count as the workout for this class.

For this final workout, the cardio modes should be mixed up, depending on your goal. Cross-training can help reduce the risk of injury. If you bike one day, run the next, or add some swimming. If, however, your goal is to run a marathon, then running should be the focus. Just don't do high intensity on consecutive days and don't increase mileage more than 10% from one week to the next. If your goal is more into the weight training mode, switch around the times on cardio and weights so you do 1 hour in weights and 30 minutes cardio. Don't do the same muscles on consecutive days.

Comments from the Instructor (Amber Travsky):
The reason I enjoy teaching this class is in helping and hearing from students about how the class helped them improve their fitness. I've had students go from no fitness, to a regular fitness program and also those at a high level of fitness get ideas and guidance on how to make their workouts more effective. The best way to help you, though, is for you to ask questions and provide feedback. I am here to help with whatever your goals might be.

I have run marathons, swam across the Chesapeake Bay and Alcatraz, as well as biked in many multi-day bike tours. Due to some issues with my feet and back, the long distance events are not in the cards for now. Instead, I enjoy competing in sprint triathlons - shorter distance swim, bike and run events. I like racing and entering events because it gives my training more focus. I'm not fast but I like the energy at races. Entering events gets me out the door even on days when I prefer sleeping in. I workout for about 2 hours every morning. To have the time to do that, I get up very early. On weekends I either go on long hikes, bikes or cross-country ski outings, depending on the weather and my time. I also teach and practice the martial arts. I am a 7th degree black belt and teach karate for the University of Wyoming and also run my own karate school. With that, I do my stretching and flexibilty training nearly every day - by teaching.

I mention what I do so that you know I practice what I preach. Getting a fitness habit going is the best thing you can do for yourself. If you smoke, quitting smoking is probably even more important than getting exercise. Eating right is also a part of the fitness puzzle - a very important part.

Like many of you, though, I battle to keep the pounds off. I like chocolate, too. I can relate to constantly striving to keep the pounds off. But you CAN do it. Not only can you do it, you can learn to enjoy it. For me working out isn't a chore, although those first few minutes when I get up at 4:30 a.m. can be tough. Once I'm going, though, I very much enjoy my workouts. More importantly, I like that being fit means I can do whatever I want to do. Go for a hike? Ski for a day? Climb a mountain? No problem! Being fit means never having to say "I can't do that because I'm not fit enough." Life is much more interesting when you're fit enough to enjoy it.