Showing posts with label LISS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label LISS. Show all posts

Friday, August 4, 2017

That's Not the Fat Burning Zone!

That's what I thought when I looked down at my watch during my run.


This morning I set out to do an easy two mile run. My goal? Stay in my fat burning zone. My zone is between 108 and 126. I don't normally focus on my heart rate during a run, but on FASTer Way to Fat Loss® low calorie days our workout is supposed to be low intensity.

I did my usual loop which starts off with a gradual and mostly down hill but then ends with a giant climb up a hill to get back to our apartment. It was muggy (partly the stormy weather and because it is pretty much always like that here), but there was a small breeze (a little relief is all I need).

It took me a few tries to check my heart rate because I don't know how to work the screen on my watch very well. Turns out two clicks will toggle between apps. I found that out completely by accident. Maybe I should have planned a little better. Anyway, my heart rate was way above my fat burning zone. I made myself slow down, but it stayed too high. Once I hit the hill I knew it was going to stay up there.


Well, I tried. I'm thrilled that I was even able to get out for a run. This is what it looked like before and after. Torrential rain? No thanks.


In the end, I had a good run. Here's why:

1. I liked listening to my playlist on my wireless earphones (available on Amazon) which I hadn't done in a long time. It had been so long that I forgot how to connect the earphones to my phone.

2. My shoes earned another two miles and I'm still very happy with the way my knee feels since I started running in them.

3. No intervals! I totally ran by feel. I took breaks when I needed (or wanted for a photo). Once or twice I stopped to stretch my quad and hamstring because that is what makes my knee happy.

4. I didn't want to die, haha! Sometimes the two mile loop that I ran can feel overwhelmingly hard. There's a tunnel and if there's no breeze, it can feel like an eternity running through it. Then there's the hill at the end. Today it didn't feel that long. I'll be holding onto that for awhile!

5. I did it. It's not easy going out alone when I worry about my knee ALL the time. Add to that, I worry about the weather. Not because I'm afraid of getting wet, but because I'm afraid I will slip and fall and hurt my knee. So getting out there alone is a pretty big deal these days!


I used to stretch in the car on the drive home after a run. Now I'm multitasking in the elevator. We live on the 20th floor, so I have some time to kill. I figured I might as well make the best of it!


Low calorie day - the meals

Broke fast at 11:15 (while watching the USWNT defeat Japan) - scrambled eggs with ham and PB&J rice cakes.


Lunch - Left over cheesy quinoa and tuna plus a snack bag of Cheez-its


Dinner - shrimp carbonara and green beans!



Do you listen to music when you run/workout?
Strangest place you have ever stretched?
Are you a soccer fan?


I'm linking up with Lacey and Meranda and Rachel for the Friday Five 2.0!




Monday, May 29, 2017

Speed, HIIT, LISS and Swim

I signed up for another carb cycling intermittent fasting program and we started today.

I say "we" because mrC is doing it too. This time he is in the men's group. Previously he followed along with what I was doing and eating. We were thrilled with the results the first time we did the program a little over a year ago and we're hoping for a repeat performance.

Some rules for the program: do the daily workouts, track your macros using My Fitness Pal and post in the Facebook group, try to be gluten free and dairy free, and have a positive attitude.

Low Carb Day 1 - the workout


Warm Up - We walked about 15 minutes from our apartment to the fitness center.

Speed Bursts - We choose the 4 Cone Drill. Since we don't have cones, we found a space outside the fitness center and made an imaginary square. Sprint, shuffle, backpedal, shuffle. Repeat for 10 minutes.


Circuits: HIIT and ABS - We did these in the fitness center. We made modifications because honestly, these workouts are tough! We could only do 20 out of 40 in and out back kicks and we only did the HIIT circuit 2 times instead of three. The fitness center does not have an ab machine, so we had to modify the ab machine set to crunches. And I could only do sets of 5, not 10, on the leg lifts.


Cool Down - (low intensity cardio) walked 15 minutes back to the apartment up the big hill.

Low Carb Day 1 - the meals

The goal on low carb days is to keep our carbs below 50 net grams but consume your normal daily calories. Net grams means carbs minus fiber.  

Broke fast at 11:00 - 3 scrambled eggs and two sausage patties. This was too much food for me.


Snack - lid full of peanuts (about 30) and chocolate protein shake made with almond milk.

Lunch - 4 turkey rollups ---> should have had more to eat here

Snack - nothing ---> should have had another protein shake

Dinner - bbq chicken breast and steamed broccoli. Delicious! 

Overall, I nailed the low carb goal, but left about 500 calories on the table. 


One thing I like about this program is the flexibility. Each day there is a workout to match what day of the carb cycle you are in. You can choose the workouts that fit your lifestyle: beginner, gym, at home. The program also implements an 8 hour eating window, but you can choose your window. Most people go 12-8, but mrC and I are doing 11-7.

Today I also had a bonus little workout - swam 6 laps. It was such a pretty day that I went to the pool while mrC went to the airport. He met me there later.



At the end of the day, it's good to feel sore, right?
How do you feel about carb cycling/intermittent fasting?




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Friday, September 30, 2016

Low Impact Activities Give Me Balance

A morning walk after a few days of HIIT workouts felt pretty good, especially with views like this. I walked the hilly route yesterday for my low intensity sustained state workout and enjoyed every step.


When I got back, I spent some time outside with my SIL's dog. I'm trying to teach her how to take selfies like Booney. She's a little camera shy.


It was so nice outside that I decided to do some backyard yoga. Earlier in the week, the weather forecast said it was going to be grey and rainy all week. I wasn't going to spend an extra second inside if I could help it!

My look: tank and pants and flip flops

My backyard yoga flow focused on poses that give me a good stretch and open up my hips and shoulders. Then I did some poses that are challenging to me. They challenge my flexibility and my balance. My left heel is still bothering me (so I have to say on my toes), but I can still move through my go-to yoga sequence without much pain.


Not wanting to go inside, I helped my SIL out by watering the new lawn. It's amazing how fast the grass is coming in.


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Yesterday was the kind of morning that runners wait all summer for. I would be lying if I said that I didn't miss it. I found myself thinking about it a lot on my walk yesterday. But I've also come to really enjoy taking walks and I do a lot more yoga than I ever did pre-knee issues. Walking and yoga give me a feeling of balance that I think was missing from my fitness before.

Balance: An even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady. Stability of one's mind or feelings. 

My workouts ---> high intensity and low intensity combined make me feel balanced both physically and mentally. During HIIT workouts I'm in the go, go, go frame of mind and pushing my body to its max. There's no room for reflection. Even when I was running, I was always thinking more about the distance, the time, my body. LISS workouts let my mind and body rest. I'm able to connect with myself more emotionally. I feel more aware and STABLE doing both types of workouts.

Speaking of awareness...October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. I'm joining up with FitApproach and AfterShokz to get #AwareWithPink and I challenge you to join in too!


Until October 31st, AfterShokz is donating 25% of proceeds of every unit sold on aftershokz.com to Bright Pink, a nonprofit organization specializing in breast and ovarian cancer awareness and education. AND every time #AwareWithPink is used on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, AfterShokz is donating an additional 25 cents to Bright Pink! So get to hashtagging, sweeties!

All month long you can help spread the #AwareWithPink message. Follow FitApproach on Instagram and Twitter and look for the weekly prompts every Wednesday and Friday and help raise BCA awareness.


How do you find balance?
How will you challenge yourself to raise BCA?











Monday, September 19, 2016

A Two Part Workout: HIIT and LISS

The day started off rainy today, so we ran some errands hoping that the rain would pass. While we were out, we picked up a little something to take back to China with us and I'm so excited! It's the same resistance band system that I talked about here.


Today my goal was to do my workout in two parts: HIIT (high intensity interval training) followed by LISS (low intensity sustained state). I read this article and according to Jake Peterson, '"The HIIT style of training is great at breaking up the triglyceride bonds within more stubborn adipose tissue (the hard-to-burn fat), but it is not very effective at metabolizing it out."' LISS workouts are good for that.

Today's workout

Part 1 HIIT: Sweat with Kayla arms and abs resistance workout. This workout was SO HARD! It was wet outside from the rain, so I had to do it indoors and my SIL does not have AC (yikes!), but the exercises were also seriously tough too. The ones that I struggled on were: 15 regular push ups, 4 mountain climbers and 1 push up repeated 15 times, and up down planks - 10 on each side!! It was hard enough to do them just once, but you have to repeat the exercises until the circuit is over. Let's just say there were lots of breaks!


It started raining again, so I killed some time with a post workout smoothie in a brand new smoothie cup. I'm one of the weird people who need to drink smoothies through a straw.


Part 2 LISS: A couple hours later the rain finally stopped so that I could take a 40 minute walk for my LISS workout. My goal was to beat my previous distance, so I focused on keeping up my pace although I did stop to admire one of the first fall leaves. Total distance 2.51 miles (.40 more).


This little girl pretended to be happy to see me when I got back. She's the sweetest.



Do you combine different types of workouts?
Smoothies: straw or no straw?



Sunday, September 18, 2016

Weekend Wrap: LISS, Resistance Training, and Ab Carving

We had a busy weekend with lots of family time and plenty of fitness.

Saturday:

mrC and I eased into our day with a little 2 mile walk. The weather has turned so that mornings are comfortably cool under bright sunny skies. We did this walk as a low intensity steady state workout, aka LISS, a term that is new to me.

LISS is a great activity to use when you are trying to burn fat because fat needs oxygen to metabolize into energy. During low intensity exercise your body has the most oxygen available. This works most when your activity is 30 minutes or longer.


We hung out with my mother-in-law for awhile on Saturday afternoon.


For dinner we had cheeseburgers off the grill and my SIL brought another really good cookie, chocolate chip and caramel chunks.


Sunday:

We went to 10:30 Mass and ran into some of mrC's family. My brother-in-law was recognized for his volunteer time with CCD classes and I'm glad we were there to congratulate him.


After church we went to the in-laws to move around some furniture. This is the house that mrC grew up in and his parents still live here. I love that.


Back at my SIL's, I got in an afternoon resistance leg workout. It's mostly body weight exercises, but hand weights can be added on certain exercises to increase the resistance. I like the mix of static and dynamic moves in each high intensity circuit that you keep moving for 7 minutes.

My two favorite moves from today's workout ---> step up, knee ups. My legs and booty are probably going to be feeling these tomorrow.


---> sumo squats. My inner thighs really need toning and this is a great way to hit all the leg muscles at one time.


I'm pretty excited about the workouts offered in the Sweat with Kayla app and how many calories I can burn.


Did you notice the orange and black in my workout gear? Since my beloved Cincinnati Bengals played today, I had to support my team.


I received this Ab Carver Pro from Perfect Fitness as a prize for participating in the Fit Challenge and today I finally got it out of the box. Then I found a 21 day ab carving plan on their website and made today Day 1!



Are you familiar with the term LISS?
What were your weekend workouts?
Ever tried an ab carver?


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