“Fit” It In

02 Jul “Fit” It In

Summer is in full swing and that means vacations and beaches.  It is also the time of year when we become a little more aware of our waistlines as we try to fit into that perfect swimsuit.

I reached out to Detric Smith, owner of Results Performance Training in Williamsburg, VA, for fitness tips for women on the go.  Detric is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and Certified Personal Trainer with over a decade of personal training experience.  In this three-part series we will learn how to manage our weight, make time for exercise, and stay fit while traveling.  So ladies, no more excuses…let’s go and “fit” it in!

1. Women have extremely busy schedules and may have difficulty finding time to fit in exercise. Are there two or three things that we can do when we don’t have time for a full workout? 

Detric: One of my favorite time-saving workouts that I often do with my clients is called met-con training. This type of training positions strength training in such a way that you’ll also reap cardiovascular benefits, so there’s no need to do additional cardio training on top of that. You can easily get in and out of the gym in less than 30 minutes when done properly.

That and start focusing on simply adding more activity. Remember that it’s not just gym activity that counts here. All exercise will add up and contribute to helping you reach your goal body weight

2.  Exercise frequency versus intensity – which is more effective in regards to weight loss? Maintaining weight?

Detric: Frequency is more important, but what I really mean here is that staying consistent trumps everything. You can have the best program in the world but if you aren’t doing it regularly, you aren’t seeing results.

High intensity exercise is beneficial if you have less time to workout but you need to be at the fitness level to do these workouts or they will only lead to injury. You need to gradually increase the intensity of your sessions as you go so that you are building up to the level you want to be at. If you rush the process and try a very intense workout right out of the gates, you’re likely to only wind up injured.

3. Some of us love both carbs and sweets. If we had to give up one to optimize our health/weight, which should it be?

Detric: I think moderation is key. I always base my plans off the individual. Someone who is more active can eat more carbs and not see weight gain. One thing to remember though is that you are getting no nutrients in terms of vitamins or minerals from sweets, so your body wants to keep eating. The body knows it’s not getting anything of value from these foods as opposed to foods that have protein, fiber, water, vitamins, and minerals. Quality foods sends a signal to your brain that you are full and therefore you eat less without thinking about it.

Heavily processed foods set you up on a cycle to keep eating more and more. If it’s man-made, it was invented to sell and is usually not the healthiest option for you. The best business model is a repeat customer and organizations that sell these fast foods and sweets are focused on you coming back for more, not on helping you live your healthiest life.

For more fitness tips or to find out more about Detric and Results Performance Training visit the website: 

www.resultsperformancetraining.com