Inspired Journey Fitness

The Lifestyles Fitness Center has been doing some remodeling this week. Over the past few weeks we’ve been painting, received all new treadmills, and last week we installed new carpeting.

Rather than close the center, we kept the center open and let our members know that some of the equipment would not be available. We have another location a couple miles away and members could go there instead. Alternatively, we promoted this as an opportunity for people to try something different with their program. It’s an opportunity to change from having a “routine” to something exciting and different.

The carpeting process was scheduled to last three days. On day 1, members came in at 5 AM and a few were shell-shocked. They wandered around trying to figure out what to do, randomly pulling a cable here and doing a rep there. A few said, “I can’t do anything today”. One nearly climbed over a few cardio machines that were pushed together just to get to the one machine he uses every single day. He looked quite relieved and proud that he did the same thing as yesterday, and the day before, and the days and weeks before that.

Your body is a pretty amazing system. It adapts to the positive stress of exercise. When you place a load on the body it adapts to that load by getting stronger. Soon, the body sees that load as normal and unless you place a different stress on the body it hits a plateau.

If you do the same walk on the treadmill, at the same speed, for the same distance, over the same duration, your results will not improve. That program will work at first, but the Law of Dimishing Returns says that sooner or later the result will be zero. My point is that you need to keep the body guessing as to what’s coming next.

Take a look at your personal program.

Are you still doing the same thing you’ve been doing for weeks, months, years? If so, turn it upside down, make it tougher, and get ready to see results!

• Are you doing just cardio? Add weights
• Are you just doing weights? Add cardio
• Are you doing your cardio at the same intensity? Maybe you’re ready for interval training?
• How about trying a total body exercise like swimming?

Need help creating a new program to get the results you’re looking for? Give me a call at (630) 269-8992!

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Cardio workouts have their place. A lot of people look at their cardio workouts as a weight loss tool only. Sure, cardio can help your weight loss effort, but the real benefit is to develop your heart and lungs, improving your energy and making your daily activity more efficient.

The body is a pretty amazing system. When you’re beginning your workout program, you might be able to only do 20 minutes at a moderately elevated heart rate. As health and function improves, you’ll be able to more work with the same effort. Many people hit a plateau with their cardio workout (and their resistance workout) where they’re comfortable and stay there though. I see people doing the same workout at the same pace and same intensity. At one time it might have taken their body 300 calories to perform that effort. Now that they’ve improved it might only require 250 calories.

Looking to bust through that plateau and make a difference? Try changing your intensity with interval workouts.

First, make sure you’ve built up a sufficient cardio base. After your warm up, bring your heart rate up to 65%-75% of your max for 5 minutes. Next, crank up the intensity to 85% of max for one minute. Repeat this cycle 3-5 times and then cool down. Try this once a week. If you have any heart or other medical conditions, make sure you’ve been cleared first.

Need help developing a results-driven program to meet your goals?

I can help. Ask me.

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