Interval training: It can boost your calorie-burning power!

Are you ready to shake up your workout routine? Do you wish you could burn more calories without spending more time sweating? Consider aerobic interval training. Once the domain of elite athletes, interval training has become a powerful tool for the average exerciser, too.

What is interval training?
It's not as complicated as you might think. Interval training is simply alternating bursts of intense activity with intervals of lighter activity.

Take walking. If you're in good shape, you might incorporate short bursts of jogging into your regular brisk walks. If you're less fit, you might alternate leisurely walking with periods of faster walking. For example, if you're walking outdoors, you could walk faster between certain mailboxes, trees or other landmarks.

What can interval training do for me?
Whether you're a novice exerciser or you've been exercising for years, interval training can help you jazz up your workout routine. Consider the benefits:

■You'll burn more calories. The more vigorously you exercise, the more calories you'll burn — even if you increase intensity for just a few minutes at a time.
■You'll improve your aerobic capacity. As your cardiovascular fitness improves, you'll be able to exercise longer or with more intensity. Imagine finishing your 60-minute walk in 45 minutes — or the additional calories you'll burn by keeping up the pace for the full 60 minutes.
■You'll keep boredom at bay. Turning up your intensity in short intervals can add variety to your exercise routine.
■You don't need special equipment. You can simply modify your current routine.

How will my muscles respond to interval training?
During intense exercise, muscles produce waste products that can contribute to muscle soreness. Too many accumulated waste products can make exercise painful and exhausting. But by alternating bursts of intense exercise with easier intervals, you'll help reduce the buildup of waste products in your muscles. The result is more comfortable exercise.

Are the principles of interval training the same for everyone?
Yes — but you can take interval training to many levels. If you simply want to vary your exercise routine, you can determine the length and speed of each high-intensity interval based on how you feel that day. After warming up, you might increase the intensity for 30 seconds and then resume your normal pace. The next burst of more intense activity may last two to three minutes. How much you pick up the pace, how often and for how long is up to you.

If you're working toward a specific fitness goal, and you feel you are ready for something more, try Shaun T's Insanity or Chalene Johnson's new workout, TurboFire! Both are HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts.

Would you let your child eat 12 teaspoons of sugar?

We’ve all heard the statistics that childhood obesity in the United States has increased at alarming rates and are higher than in any other country in the world. Recent studies suggest that the yearly increases appear to be leveling out but the fact remains childhood obesity has tripled in the last 30 years. Currently, 1 out of every 3 kids in the United States are considered overweight or obese.

It Starts with You!
Genetic testing continues to uncover new information about obesity. How large of a role genetics play is debated among leading researchers. It is widely agreed upon that environmental and behavioral factors play the most immediate role and are the best predictors for obe sity as an adult. Overweight and stationary adults are more likely to have children who struggle with weight issues throughout their lives.

Adapting a healthy lifestyle and participating in sports or being an active adult/parent demonstrates that you value your body and that the children in your life should also value theirs. Planning family time around activity versus television, outdoors versus indoors and simply moving as a family builds the foundation for their future health.

Childhood obesity impacts immediate and long-term health issues:

• Obese youth are more likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure. Studies show that in kids age 5 to 17, 70% of obese youth had at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
• Obese and overweight children are at higher risk for bone and joint problems and sleep apnea.
• Obesity can result in social and psychological problems such as poor self-esteem and isolation.
• Since obese youth are more likely to become overweight or obese adults, they are at higher risk for health problems associated with adult obesity; heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, cancer, and osteoarthritis.

Children are What They Eat and What They Watch You Eat! The fight against obesity is never easy or simple. Many factors play a critical role in the outcome of each person’s own individual battle with extra weight or obesity. Teaching children to make health a lifelong habit is substantially easier than battling to lose weight, time and time again.

Making small changes and learning together to make better decisions can drastically impact the health and happiness of your entire family.

Eat Smart!
www.sugarstacks.com shows how much sugar is in foods that many of us commonly eat every day. It begs the question why anyone would ever knowingly sit down and eat this much sugar and yet we all do. Awareness of what is in our food is the first step in eliminating foods from our diet or making changes to diet, light or sugar free alternatives. Making small changes over time versus trying to change everything at once has proven to be more successful in long term weight loss and maintenance for children.

12 oz. can of Coke or Pepsi = 10 teaspoons of sugar
8 oz glass of chocolate milk = 8.5 teaspoons of sugar
Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino = 12 teaspoons of sugar
Medium McDonald’s Chocolate Milkshake = 21 teaspoons of sugar
1 Oreo Cookie = 1 teaspoon of sugar
1 pint of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream = 21 teaspoons of sugar
Package of 2 Pop Tarts = 9.5 teaspoons of sugar
Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll = 14 teaspoons of sugar
1 Bag of Skittles = 11.75 Teaspoons of Sugar

Move Smart!
If your child is overweight, finding ways to incorporate 60 minutes of physical activity throughout the course of the day will help to maintain or lose weight. This in conjunction with incremental changes in diet can help reverse the path to a lifelong battle with obesity, health problems and self esteem.

Children, just like many adults, resist the idea of exercise or “working out” so help them find activities they enjoy and do them together. Family walks, washing the car, a nightly game of wii, etc. can all add up to more movement throughout the day. Any activity that gets them up and moving is better than sitting around and watching TV. Experts suggest that gradual changes over the course of a few weeks is the best recipe for success and to never “force” a child to exercise or they will likely rebel against the idea. Small changes and before they know it, they will have created healthy habits without even knowing it! Pretty sneaky, huh?

The Truth About Belly Fat

When should you become a Beachbody Coach?

There have been many of you who have emailed me about the coaching opportunity lately and wondering when the best time would be for you to get involved.

Short answer, it's when you find yourself recommending Beachbody products and programs and talk about it ALL the time! When I was going through my first round and started seeing results, that's all I talked about, and I got so many people to purchase the program because I knew that it would work for them. Then I realized that I should probably become a coach so I can earn commission for recommending those products! I haven't changed one thing since I've become a coach, and still recommend products like I did before I was a coach, which is the main reason for my success.

If you're interested in becoming a coach, email me and we can either set up a call or you can listen in on our Business Opportunity Webinar.

Carmen@xtremequeenfitness.com

Ten ways to prepare for P90X

Your excited, nervous, anxious and a little scared, but ready to do whatever it takes to finally get into shape and you have decided that P90X is going to be your rocket to take you on your journey. P90X has arrived and you are ready to bring it, but first there are some things that need to be covered to insure that you stay true to your journey.

1. Make your decision pubic!

Tell your friends and family that you have made the choice to become fit and healthy and you are committed to changing your lifestyle. Most are going to support you in your decisions and some might roll their eyes at your decisions, just use the eye rolling to fuel your motivation. Do not try and change the ways of anyone else this is about you and its time you foucs on yourself you can worry about the others later and you might find that when the others see your commitment and determination they will appraoch you.


2. Take your time read the fitness guide and Nutrition program.

Understand how P90X works, understand the workout schedule and nutrition program, these are key to insuring that you will get the results that you want. You must understand that nutrition is 70% of having awesome results and the workouts are only 30%. The amazing P90X results that you see on tv and on the web are obtained from those people following the nutrition program. If you need additional help with understanding the nutrition guide please see my detailed post called "P90X Nutrition Program explained & Nutrition 101"

3. Take the Fit test!

To many people skip this very important part of the program, the fit test gives you a good idea of your current fitness level and is also a great way to show your physical improvments over the course of the program. Its amazing how quickly your physical condition will advance and you need a having a starting point to refect back on is very important.

4. Take your before pictures.

This step is crucial and if you want ultimate motivation take your before pictures. When I first started P90X I was so embarrsed with myself I didnt want anyone to take my pictures for me and I took them myself in the bathroom mirror, thinking there is no way on earth that anyone will ever see these pictures but me. I rolled out of bed on day one in my boxers and took the pics. Never would I imagine that I would be happy to show them off to others when I completed P90X to prove how much I had changed and to show the world the greatness of P90X . So take your pictures, hide them and only use them for you, but understand your outlook on your before status is going to greatly change with your after results.

5. Choose your start date wisely

P90X is six days a week with one rest day. Choose your start day after the day you want to be your rest day. I always start P90X on Monday so that Sunday can be my rest day, this works the best due to my schedule and allows me to really enjoy my rest day and your rest day needs to be just that a day of resting and recouping from kicking your own ass all week long.

6. Surround yourself with others on the same journey.


Surrounding yourself with others that have the same goal in mind greatly increase your motivation and accountability and is key to your own success. To start join Team Fitness Journey for free and receive my personal coaching. Next make sure to join our Facebook group to help you find others that are also commited to reaching thier goals.

7. Watch the DVD learn how to Bring it first.

Tony H. talks about what it takes to bring it and how p90x works, he explains muscle confusion and why it is so imporatant to your P90X success. Most important Tony explains that P90X is proven to work the entire program is designed to work together. All the guess work about fitness and nutrition and been removed and the program is listed out for you in great detail. So trust the plan and work the plan and know that it will work. The only thing that is in your way is you.

8. Equipment you need.

You need atleast a pullup bar and resistance bands to perform the p90x workouts. I recomend that everyone start P90X using resistance bands, this helps you identify what weights you will need for specific routines in P90X. Dumbbells are the better of the two, but are much more expensive. Using bands will help you decide what weight dumbbells to purchase. I use resistance bands for all of the tricep and lower weighted routines, and I use dumbells for the heavier routines like curls and shoulder presses.

9. Equipment that is nice to have but not a necessity.

Yoga Mat, yoga blocks, and heart rate monitor. Don't get me wrong they are recommended by me but they are not must haves to do p90x, and if you are on a budget you can skip them.



•A heart rate monitor is great for knowing if you are pushing yourself to hard or not pushing hard enough. Learning your heart rate zones and then staying in the "Zone" for the majority of your workout will help you maximize your results.


•If you have never done yoga you will soon understand why yoga mats are so nice. They prevent your hands and feet from sliding, they also add an extra layer of padding between you and the floor. I workout in my carpeted living room and after doing YogaX for the first time without a mat I quickly ran to the store to pick one up.


•Yoga Blocks are great for those like me that are not flexible at all and help you get into some of the pretzel like positions that Tony demands. Yoga blocks also offer added flexibility for those of you crazy flexible people.


10. "Bring it" every workout, every move all the time!

When you push play, you are committing yourself to P90X for the entire workout. Give your all every workout, each move has to be intense and you have to really push yourself. That does not mean that you have to keep up with Tony and the kids, it means that you are honest with yourself and give everything each exercise. "It does not matter what your best looks like just give it." Over time you will be amazed how your fitness levels will increase and before you know it you will be keeping up with Tony and the kids.

The above ten tips will help insure that you obtain the best possible results with P90X and that you stick to the program.