Staying Lean In Lockdown

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Did you know that learning new ways to work out is one of the best ways to stay motivated to keep exercising? We all need to keep learning new ways and doing our best when it comes to keeping our bodies moving, which is the only way to keep the metabolic fires burning HOT.

Even if you're one of the rare few who have the time, space, and money to build a killer home fitness studio complete with dumbbells, kettlebells, and maybe even a few machines, we all need to keep learning new ways to challenge our muscles in order to keep getting the results we seek.

We've all been in situations in the past where we're forced to seek other methods to try and stay fit. If you’ve been injured, I’m sure you're nodding “yep,” knowing all too well you needed a few tricks up your sleeve to stay fit.

Lastly, if you're a woman who doesn't want to bulk up and is trying to lose weight, you'll really want to listen up because your exercise habits may be preventing you from losing weight. And, they are most likely bulking up your legs or arms, which I’m guessing was not your intention. I hear these stories all day long, and it happened to me, so today is the day we turn things around for you!

Are you ready for your "trim it down" transformation? If so, here are some solutions to your biggest workout and weight loss bloopers. Make sure and keep in touch with us on Facebook over the next couple of weeks as I give you even more tips to help you achieve "Lockdown Leanness."

SLOW DOWN

A simple, yet effective way to make any weight or workout tool feel heavy enough to work is to slow down and perform your reps in slow motion, lowering them in a controlled fashion. Try lifting taking 3-4 seconds on the “positive” (ex: pushing the weights up), squeeze the muscle, pause in that position for a “1 Mississippi count,” and then slowly begin to lower the weight, or whatever you're using, to a 4-6 count pace. This will tap into the effectiveness of this method, which is called “Time Under Tension Principal.” This technique is used to create those amazing transformations you see happen so quickly. It's never just moving weights around.

FULL STOP REPS (COME TO A FULL STOP)

Most of us simply move weights around seamlessly, giving little or no thought to the back and forth, up and down movement, with no pause to focus on the contraction, which is what makes the muscles tone up and take shape. It also tightens them, which is why most of us work out in the first place, right?

Take the momentum out of the move and force the muscle you're targeting to overcome the inertia on every rep. You'll find that very quickly you're able to achieve that same level of intensity, fatiguing the muscle, using significantly less weight than you would by just doing the same old workout.

STOP RESTING (NO REST)

If you've been indulging in rest periods... STOP! The easiest way to spark some new results and changes that you can actually see is to STOP resting!

The only reason to rest is if you're trying to add bulk or size to your muscles. All exercise works muscles and tightens them, and sure there is a time when you should rest, but rest is what we all do all day long. Workouts are for movement, and we need to keep moving if we want to melt more fat.

Don't let the lack of rest scare you because you'll be working different muscle groups. While one muscle is resting, you're working the opposing muscle, which makes it doable. It also saves you lots of time. This is also why working out at home gets better results than going to the gym. You won't need to stop and wait, which is a waste when you're trying to boost metabolic function and melt off stubborn fat.

Note to workout addicts: If you're working out so hard that you need to rest, you're working too hard for your metabolism and may be causing it to slow due to cortisol secretions caused by the stress of pushing yourself too hard.

Keep in mind that while you may be accustomed to getting high from your workouts (yes, it's a thing), that doesn’t mean it's the right thing to do, or that you should be doing it. Eventually, these types become injured. No judgment here... I was one and even tried powerlifting and lifted with pros as a way to lose weight, only to end up heavier and bulkier than before, which was never my intention. Don't just take my word for it, try it for yourself.  

When it comes to boosting your metabolism, doing whole-body workouts three days a week is the best way to do that. You'll want to aim for 7-12 repetitions, no more or less, and by using shorter rest periods between sets, you'll be doing this organically.

Did you know that using exercise bands for "shoulder day" is one of the best ways to spark change and define your deltoids because they create a natural resistance?

PRE-FATIGUE IT

If you want to spark change, you’ve gotta make a change. This pre-exhaust technique is a game-changer if you're trying to tighten and tone without bulk. I used this technique to reduce my arms and legs, so they now fit into my clothes better.

For men who may want some bulk, this is used to jumpstart muscle growth, and when combined with rest, can allow the opposite to (growth) to happen.

Pre-fatiguing also elicits one of the best "pumps“ you'll ever feel, which also helps you connect with muscles you normally don't connect with. This is often the reason we overwork some muscle groups and end up enlarging muscle groups we were trying to tighten and tone instead (of course, an over-caloric diet also needs to be in place in order to grow your body).

I suggest you perform this technique with an isolation move for a target muscle group and follow immediately with a compound move that brings more muscle groups onto the scene to assist the now fatigued muscle.

There are many different ways do use this technique, for instance, you can pre-fatigue your legs by doing leg extensions (home with weights is even better than machine extensions) before doing squats. Another example is pre-exhausting the shoulders by doing dumbbell lateral raises and overhead shoulder presses or dumbbell flies paired with push-ups. 

This technique is used in transformations of women's legs before performing lunges, or any exercises, to prevent overgrowth, which normally is not what women want.

Because the target muscle group is now tired and pre-fatigued from the single joint movement, you won't need as much weight on the compound leg move to send it into deeper exhaustion, which is where the best changes can occur when you're trying to whip your body into shape.

These are just a few methods used to boost metabolic function and transform out-of-shape, and even the most in-shape bodies into shape quickly. These techniques can be used at home to make whatever you have lying around into the most effective gym you’ve ever used, making the gym look like a huge waste of time and money.

Now you know some of my trade secrets! If you wanna lose weight or get in shape, the science is still the same. We don't need more calories, we need less, but we do need the nutrients. If you're still doing the weight loss research, trying out every method without success, it's time to take better care of your body. The side effect is you'll be in the best shape of your life, no matter how old you are or what metabolic dysfunction you struggle with.

If you're finally ready to lose that weight and get into shape, here is the protocol. No, there really isn't anyone who can't do this, so #noexcuses! Start right here, and here is what you need.

  • Metabolic Weight Loss System (I suggest the 5pc. System). I also suggest that you pick up an extra Protein Shake (or two or three) to make very sure you never run out. It’s the core of your weight loss and fat burning plan. Don't forget... it's food for your muscles and the only food that prevents metabolic slowdown. 
  • Lean Bars. I’m not proud of this, but I eat two each day because they keep me away from the not-so-healthy foods that stop weight loss and cause weight gain. Grab them before they're gone. They will save you money in the long run, along with time and a whole lot of frustration!
  • Download the Fit in 5 Workouts and perform ALL of them on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Break them up if needed to accommodate your time schedule.
  • Walk, bike, or do something, even if it means vacuuming or mowing the lawn every day. Whatever it takes to allow you to get your 10,000 steps every day.
Onward and upward you go. Change -- good change -- is about to happen for you. Are you ready?

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  • Lisa Lynn