Cardio Comparison

While I fully believe in the value of weightlifting to achieve your best body...I. Love. Cardio. For me, it's an opportunity to zone out and really think, listen to some music, while getting a workout in. Multitasking makes me happy. Whether you're stuck in a gym or have access to some awesome scenery, I have two favorite types of cardiovascular exercise - fasted cardio and high intensity interval training.

Fasted Cardio

Picture this: wake up, don't hit snooze, roll out of bed in your workout clothes and literally hit the ground running. Maybe drink a glass of water first if it's going to be toasty outside. It sounds mildly torturous, but I love it. Fasted cardio not only gets your workout completed early and wakes you up better than any cup of coffee, but has also been shown to burn more fat. Who doesn't want that?

HIIT

If you're looking for serious calorie burn, hanging out on the elliptical while flipping through Vogue probably isn't going to cut it. Plus, who has time for that? Studies show that you can achieve more progress with 15 minutes of interval training that you can in an hour jogging on the treadmill. In addition to being super efficient, HIIT has many other benefits. Basically any type of cardio can be converted into HIIT - even the aforementioned elliptical.

One final note: don't try to mix the two. Running fasted sprints in the morning is a recipe for disaster (and muscle loss). Keep your fasted cardio at a steady level, and fuel your HIIT.

Here is an example of my typical HIIT workout:

 

Cheers,

Rachel

My "I Have a Life" Workout

The last thing I want to do in the summer is spend hours in the gym, so I created this at-home cardio + toning workout that requires no equipment. I really love health and fitness, but being stuck indoors in beautiful weather is zero fun. It lets me get in a calorie-torching 22 minute workout anywhere, and then get on with enjoying my favorite season. Because really, summer slips away too quickly.

Too easy? Add free weights wherever you can (i.e., shoulder presses with squats, front raises with side lunges).

Too difficult? Take a 30 second breather after minute 5:00. Focus on form with each of the steps until you get it down perfectly. A quick Google search for any of the moves will provide photos/videos/instructions on how to best complete them.

 

*Disclaimer: I am not a fitness professional, and you should consult your doctor before beginning any workout program. I'm always happy to share what works for me, however!

Cheers,

Rachel