HIIT ME!!! Part 1

HIIT? EPOC? Heart Rate Zones? You have heard these terms over and over again. Everyone in fitness is now talking about getting their HIIT on? Or getting excited about achieving their EPOC? Well what the heck do all these abbreviations even mean? How do they pertain to you our Fitastic community? Have no fear; Wild Will is here to break it down for you. I will explain what HIIT, EPOC and Heart Rate Zones mean.  So you will be able to fully understand the concept of this great style of cardio training. You will also able to put it into practice on your own. Get excited!

HIGH INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has become a popular way to burn more fat. It’s a training method that has been effective for many people

What is HIIT Training?

HIIT is a training idea in which low to moderate intensity intervals are alternated with high intensity intervals.

 HIIT can be applied to running or to exercises such as squatting. HIIT is considered to be much more effective than normal cardio because the intensity is higher and you are able to increase both your aerobic and anaerobic endurance while burning more fat than ever before.

“In research, HIIT has been shown to burn adipose tissue more effectively than low-intensity exercise – up to 50% more efficiently.” It has also been shown to speed up your metabolism which helps you burn more calories throughout the day

What is EPOC?

The science of interval training is the fundamental component supporting the goal of achieving excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), sometimes referred to as after-burn. When a cardio regimen consists of 12-20+ minutes of anaerobic activity, the estimated caloric expenditure within an hour typically falls between 500-1000 calories burned. When EPOC comes into play, calories continue to be burned at higher rate 24-36 hours after the workout is completed. EPOC occurs when 12-20+ minutes is spent in Heart Rate Zones 4 and 5 combined, and in simple terms, represents the increased calories burned while at rest after physical training at high intensity. Maintaining a heart rate of 84% or above for 12-20 minutes in a workout causes your body to (more…)

Cheat meal myths-HBombs

 Well first let me start off by saying I hate the words “cheat meal.” It’s not something that you should feel the need to hide or feel guilty about. I prefer to use the words “treat meal.” After all, it is nice to treat yourself to something good after working hard in the gym all week! So let’s talk about a couple of myths that come along with this.

 Myth #1: Treat meals will hinder your progress.

  Treat meals CAN definitely hinder your progress if you’re having them too often or completely gorging yourself every time. I have a friend who once told me their old coach said to go out to eat on Saturday nights and eat until you want to puke! Yea, DON’T do that. I generally have 1 SOMETIMES 2 treat meals a week depending on whether I’m in prep for a show or not. In prep I limit myself to one a week (none once I hit the 4 week out mark), and usually have it on a day where I am expending a large amount of calories to refuel my body. Also, I try to have it on a different day from week to week to keep my body from getting used to it. Treat meals can be a good way to shock the body and keep your metabolism in check. The morning after a treat meal I always wake up feeling tighter and more filled out believe it or not! They are also a good way to keep you from slipping up on your diet. When you have something to look forward to you’re more likely to stick to a structured plan in the meantime. Be smart about it. Remember portion control. Sure, have an appetizer with your meal OR dessert OR a drink or two. A treat meal is not an excuse to go on an all out binge!

 Myth #2: A whole cheat day can’t throw me off course. 

   Think about this. It’s the weekend and you decide to make a hearty breakfast at home with your significant other, meet for lunch at Applebee’s with your parents, snack throughout the day, head to dinner with your friends at Olive Garden, then out for drinks afterwards. Let’s just say on the low end you consumed around 3,000 calories between 3 meals, a breadstick, salad, and 4 jack and diet cokes. This isn’t including anything between meals, if you added an appetizer at lunch, a dessert with dinner, traded those drinks for margaritas, etc. For reference 3,500 calories=1 lb. Maybe in the grand scheme of things 1 lb doesn’t seem like a lot, but it will take you longer to burn off those calories than it did to consume them. Is one day worth the time it will set you back and the way it will cause you to feel? Again, be smart!

 Always have your goals in mind. What is most important to you? Enjoy things in moderation, but know when enough is enough!

 Cheat Meal Facts-Wild Will

 That’s our girl Heather laying the smack down on the myths behind cheat or as we now treat meals. It’s time for Wild Will to bring your facts regarding the ever controversial treat meal .

 Fact #1: A treat meal WILL keep you on a steady lifestyle meal plan

It’s not just about prepping for show. It’s mostly about prepping for life and (more…)

In the Kitchen Wild Will

Chocolate Mint Protein Ice Cream

You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream. Well we can scream for all we want but if we don’t want our waistlines to expand all we can do is scream for it. I don’t know many people don’t like Ice Cream, its creamy, it’s delicious and the flavors are endless.  Ice Cream is typically reserved for “cheat” meals or as a once in while snack for those trying to live a healthy lifestyle. All that cream, sugar and fat is not greatest for our bodies to handle in mass quantities. UNTIL NOW!!! This week I bring not only healthy ice cream that tastes amazing but it has an added bonus. It only takes 3 ingredients to make! Yeah, get excited for that. Now for you clever folk out there you can take this recipe and come up with your own flavors based on the whey protein you use and the toppings you want to add in. I kept it simple but feel free go nuts, literally add some almonds as a topping.

Here We Go!

Ingredients

1 Scoop of chocolate whey protein powder

6 oz plain 0% fat Greek Yogurt (I used Chobani)

1 TSP of Mint Extract

Directions

Mix all ingredients in a big bowl; blend all ingredients till all the protein powder is gone

Place bowl uncovered in your freezer for 1 hour

Pull bowl out of freezer and mix once again

Place bowl back in the freezer for another 30 minutes

Remove bowl, mix and ENJOY!

That couldn’t be any easier!

Macros

Calories 210

Fat 1 gram

Carbs 10 grams

Protein 39 grams

Remember feel free to add your own spin. Strawberry protein for strawberry ice cream; nuts for toppings; fruit toppings and more; just be sure to add it into your macros.

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HEY YOU!! Its not too late to incinerate that unwanted weight off!  No magic pill here just PROVEN results that has been kept secret until NOW!  The Adipose Incineration (weight loss / Fat Loss) Program is the answer you have been looking for!  Skeptical?  Try the very first week for FREE,  you will not be disappointed.

New workout gear is in for the summer season!  V-necks, tank tops, and racerback tank tops I guarantee you will want them all!  Remember to stay “sick N Thick” and always “Practice Safe Sets”

Remember to tag us on instagram #feelfitastic showing off your fitastic gear and results from the proven weight loss program, “Adipose Incineration”

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Fitastic Josh

The concept is bold, but you can actually avoid those daunting calories and lose weight over the holidays.  This can be done without missing out on all of the delightful foods that the season has to offer.   Rest assure you don’t have to carry around and whip out your food scale to log everything in your food journal at every holiday gathering or New Year’s Eve party you attend. So leave your measuring cup at home, and just follow these three simple steps when you are out celebrating this holiday season.

1. Check out the Potluck or Buffet table BEFORE getting in line – Doing a recon pass before you get in line at potlucks and buffets helps you avoid front loading when you visit the buffet table.  How many times have you gone to a buffet or potluck and noticed that your plate is already full before you are even close to the end of the buffet?  If you check out everything first, you can be selective and save space on your plate for the foods you really want to eat. (more…)

Though it’s a common way to temporarily boost energy levels, caffeine has also been shown to amplify feelings of stress and elevate sugar levels amongst other effects.  Most adults can tolerate 300 to 500 milligrams of caffeine (a six-to-eight-ounce cup of coffee can contain 95 to 200 milligrams).  Consume more than 600 milligrams and you may experience nausea, jitteriness, or a rapid heartbeat; extremely high intake can lead to a dangerous spike in blood pressure.  Children should avoid significant amounts of caffeine, whether in sodas or energy drinks.  The effects on growing bodies are uncertain from the long term consumption of caffeine, however it has been linked to sleep deprivation- and most kids need more shut-eye, not less. (more…)

Do your workouts include LUNGES, ROWS or PLANKS?  For many of you the answer is probably yes; after all they are fantastic exercises for working your legs, back and core.  The question remains, are you certain that you are performing these exercises correctly?  During our years of professional experience, we as a Fitastic Personal Training team have noticed that these three exercises are often done incorrectly.  Here is our advice about the common mistakes to be aware of when you do lunges, rows and planks, and how to properly perform them.

LUNGES

Q: What should people be aware of when doing LUNGES?                      

A: Lunges are a great lower body exercise when done correctly.  That being said, there are risks associated to performing the exercise incorrectly.

Mistake #1 – Letting the knee of your front leg travel forward when you are doing a lunge is a common mistake that you might not be aware of.

Correction#1 – Control your motion and the location of your knee. When you’re performing a lung, your knee needs to stay directly over your ankle, and remember to keep most of the weight of your front foot on your heel, not your toes. (more…)