Workout Tips:
Less Running, More Free Weights & Resistance

Over 35? (Me!) Here's some tips from a trainer about a general exercise outlook that's been working well for me. I'm not a runner -- I do bike though -- and I'm going to focusing more on weights than cardio based on this below.

Add to this a renewed focus on your food plan by tracking your calories with fitday.com (guys, 2,000 cals a day, ladies 1,600), and consider adding Shakeology to your daily food intake -- it's like going to the salad bar with five plates. I'm into my first 30 full days of using this shake and I've maintained my weight overall, and am down 3 for the period, even with two vacations.

What exercise maximizes weight loss?

...Your muscles stay alive by tapping into the readily available stores of fat during your everyday activities. Therefore having more muscle on your bones means you constantly burn more calories during your everyday activities, and this keeps your metabolism raised permanently. All you have to do is visit the gym 3 times a week for 45 minutes and perform between 8 and 12 repetitions of a wholebody or compound exercise, preferably using freeweights, not machines. Use enough weight to challenge your muscles while maintaining good technique and posture.

Take enough rest between sets so that your heart rate drops to below 90 beats per minute, and then do another set of the same or another exercise. When your 45-minutes is up then you're finished. Go home or stretch gently if it makes you feel better.

Let's be clear. Muscle subjected to weight training burns calories 24/7. In comparison, the metabolism boosting effect of higher-intensity cardiovascular exercise (where the heart rate is more than 90 beats per minute) wears off after 15 hours.

Your weight training sessions give your round-the-clock fat burning benefits, but running, cycling, or doing continuous exercise uses less fat and for a shorter, temporary period of time. This is why I tell runners or cyclists that if they stop for a prolonged period of time, because of injury or busy schedule, then their body will change, especially if they're a woman.

Excess free radicals [produced when you run/cycle/do cardio] will age your skin, give you wrinkles, induce more premature greying of hair, reduce immune system activity, raise inflammation levels, destroy brain and nervous system tissue, and if you're woman, it's a fast way to unbalanced hormone levels if you're over 35 and have a contantly stressful life.

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P90X: Take Action!
Jimmy Hays Nelson is a Beachbody Coach. He's done P90X and worked with Tony Horton, the inventor and host of the workouts. Let Jimmy inspire you like he's inspired me! (2006 vs. 2009 photo P90X review proof.) Buy your copy of the P90X DVDs, then sign up (free!) to get Jimmy as your personal BB Coach. Bolster your food plan by tracking your calories with fitday.com (guys, 2,000 cals a day), and consider adding Shakeology to your daily food intake -- it's like going to the salad bar with five plates. If you're already a P90X user, take the next step and be a coach with Jimmy's help. Keep pushing play, bring it, A+ P90X review!

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