Workout Wednesday and A Sneak Peak of Me in White

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It's Wednesday again, folks! After an eventful evening of dress fitting in the suburbs (there were some issues... that's all I'll say...), I'm back in Chicago!

While I'm obviously not about to share any images of my dress, here's a little sneak peak from the fitting appointment:

That robe is so freaking comfy. I want it in a million colors. I want to live in it.

Anyway... workout time.

Pre-class. You use a wooden bar in 98+ degree heat.

Wednesday

30+ Minutes Running

Barre Fly Class @ The Mercury Method

My plan for Wednesday was to head over the The Mercury Method to try out one of their new classes. I ended up coming from home, so I ran over (takes about 17 minutes, so precise). I was worried that I'd be late, so I had to run pretty quickly and my heart was PUMPING by the time I got there. That translated to a high heart rate during the entire class. By the time I got out, I was exhausted and could hardly run jog walk home.

Marry Me!

The class, itself, was pretty intense. It incorporates a bit of dancing, a lot of abs, and a lot of arms. As it turns out, I must have been pulling the bar too far back, because I actually injured the area around my sternum (it happens to me in Bodypump if I have lazy form on the chest fly). I was in pretty severe pain during the night on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Tisk tisk. Bad Carly.

Thursday
30 Minutes Stairmaster
15 Minute Dog Run
I usually do BodyPump on Thursday mornings, but after spending most of the night unable to sleep because of the aforementioned chest pain, I decided it wasn't worth it to wake up at 5:30 for a hard weights workout. Instead, I did a pretty painless stairmaster workout on my lunch break, and also took the dog for a short run before getting ready to meet my parents for our menu tasting.

Friday
15 Minute Interval Sprints
15 Minutes Abs
60 Minute Spin Class
On Friday, I tried my first Friday afternoon Spin Class. I was slightly worried but ended up LOVING it. It felt so good to get out of a class at 6:50 and be so worked out. I walked home afterward and made my fiance and I a delicious meal of lemon and pepper salmon with a side of broccoli. #YUM

Saturday
Skip
After having some bad pain in my sternum/chest area on Friday night/Saturday morning, I decided to forgo a workout. Plus, I had lots of exciting wedding meetings!

Sweaty hair post-Bodypump-and-CXWORX

Sunday
BodyPump (60 Minutes)
CXWORX (30 Minutes)
Sunday is fast becoming one of my favorite workout days of the week. Once I realized there were back to back BodyPump and CXWORX classes, I was sold. They're in the same room at the gym, so I don't even have to do any work or hustle to get to the next one.

Monday
Muscle Definition (60 Minutes)
I went to a muscle definition class that was pretty fun. The trainer does his own music mixes and it was pretty awesome. Like taking a class to clubbing music. Lots of energy.

Let's go, pup.

Tuesday
30 Minute Run
I had to get to work pretty early, so I didn't have a lot of time in the morning to make a workout happen. I ended up just taking the dog for a run. We went about 4 miles in 30 minutes, which felt like a decent workout because I'm still kind of new to running outside so it always works new muscles in my legs than the treadmill.

If you're ever wondering why I take my dog on a lot of my outdoor runs, it is for two reasons. First, she makes me feel VERY safe. I feel like I can run through any neighborhood because, if anyone tried to mess with me, she would protect me. Second, I cannot explain how happy it makes her to be taken on a run - which in turn makes me so happy. Her smile throughout the run makes me want to run more. This picture, taken ten minutes after getting back from a run, should explain it all...

I love you, I love you, Yes I do, Yes I do.

Wednesday
20 Minutes Stairmaster
20 Minute Run
I slept at my parents' house in the suburbs on Tuesday night, because I had been up there to have my first dress fitting. I have to catch a 7:05 train to make it to work on time, so I got up at 5:15 (ouch) for a run in the basement.

The unfinished part of my parents' basement is where the elliptical and treadmill are. It's kind of scary and makes me feel like someone's going to sneak up on me and try to kill me. Seriously. It's sometimes a huge distraction and I find myself looking over my shoulder.

Nothing an episode of The Bachelorette can't fix, though!

You're creepy.

What about you?

• Do you ever find yourself having weird pain after new workouts?
• How many skip days do you typically have per week?

Workout Regimens are Always Tentative

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Last week, I shared my tentative fitness plan. Well, you know what they say. The best laid plans of mice and (wo)men... often go awry when you're having fun?

I actually didn't stray too far from the plan, but there were a few deviations. On Saturday, instead of Spinning, I did a leisurely 4 mile run. I was in recovery mode. You know why...

Then, instead of taking a Muscle Definition Class on Monday, I opted for a 3 mile walk/run because my sister was in the city for an interview. How can you not hang out with your sissy? Not possible. So, instead of going to the class, we had hummus and salads in the beer garden at Grandview Tavern.

Other than that, I think I pretty much nailed it.

Wednesday: 3.5 mile interval run
Thursday: Bodypump (60 minutes), 15 minute Stairmaster Sprint, Body by Science (BBS)
Friday: Mercury Method Hot Pilates Class ("Control" class, 60 minutes)
Saturday: 4 mile run
Sunday: Bodypump (60 minutes), CXWorx (30 minutes ab class)
Monday: 3 mile walk/run
Tuesday: Pilates (60 minutes), 3 mile run
Wednesday: Treadmill HIIT, 4 mile total run

Some thoughts... I apparently have done a lot of short runs this week. I'm not exactly sure why or how they slipped in there, but 3-4 miles seems to be my go-to. It's easy to squeeze that amount of time in, I guess.

Also... I love bodypump. Planning to post later about how I've managed to increase my weight, but let me just say... you can always do more than you think.

QUESTIONS:

• Do you set an exercise schedule in advance or just wing it?
• Have you ever tried Bodypump or another weights class?

Cardio Mash Up Workout - Free Workout Printable - Burn 600 Calories

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If you're like me, you get bored. Sure, you could probably stay on that elliptical for longer -- if you wanted to. But you don't. And you get bored. So you leave.

Nevermore, my friends. This is the ultimate workout for people with exercise A.D.D. You won't have to be on any machine for longer than 15 minutes, and you won't have to do a single thing for longer than 5. You can do anything for just 5 minutes, right?

This workout specifies which machine to be on and breaks each 15 minute machine segment (treadmill, stair master, elliptical, bike) into 5 minute chunks. Try not to take breaks in between machines, other than a very short stretch if you're feeling too tight or a sip of water.

Before I give you the workout, here are a few additional tips:

• Be honest with yourself: focus on the perceived exertion/difficulty level. If the workout specifies that you should be pushing yourself to about 90%-100%, then force yourself to work that hard.
• Don't stress the hard parts: Each 15-minute segment starts out moderately difficult and ramps up, ending with the most difficult part of that segment. Don't worry - just keep in mind that, as soon as you get off that machine and start on another, it'll start over again and things will get easier (at least for a few minutes!).
• Mind the order: If you can't manage to do these segments in the specified order, it is okay to change the order up. That said, it is designed this way for safety, to protect you from mistakes and joint damage that can result from fatigue, so keep that in mind.

Without further delay, here's your workout! Click on the image to enlarge and print!

Click the workout to enlarge and print

Kanye's... or Carly's Comprehensive Workout Plan (And How To Build Your Own)

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Many of you have written in asking for my workout plan. Since it was part of my New Years Resolution to actually write out my plan and stick to it, I created a spreadsheet document that includes my workouts. Thus, I'm able to finally share with you a consistent plan!

Workout Schedule - Click image to enlarge.

Here are a few notes for those of you who are either trying to understand this plan or just plain copy it!

• Choice Days: These are days that I build into my workout routine for two reasons. First, so that I am able to try new things, challenge my body, and keep things fresh. Second, so that I am able to build in optional skip days (See Next Bullet Point). What is a Choice Day, you might ask? On Choice Days, I can do anything. In this workout plan, I've given myself a few workout "suggestions," so that I don't have to think or plan too much... but if I suddenly have the urge to take a boxing class, go on a run, or do yoga, I will absolutely go for it and change things up.
• Skip Days: During any given week, I can only skip one or two of these Choice Days. I aim to only skip one, but depending on how hard I've been pushing it, sometimes my body needs a bit more time to heal. Thus, out of the three Choice Days I build into my week, I try to skip only one, but sometimes two.

The workouts themselves:

• Full Body Blast: This is a 30-minute exercise class at my gym that combines cardio with a weighted bar. If you're trying to follow this plan, but do not have a similar class at your gym, try this 25 Minute Full Body Workout with Light Weights.
• Spinning: This is a 50-minute exercise class at my gym that uses spinning bikes to challenge your muscles and amp up your heart rate. If you can't find a spinning class near you, try the bike version of this Megan Fox butt workout, and try to go through the entire workout twice within 50 minutes two an hour.
• Bodypump: This is a 60-minute exercise class at my gym that uses moderate weights with high reps, isolating one or two body parts for each song or "track." If you can't find a Bodypump class, I would suggest combining this 25 Minute Full Body Workout, this 10 Minute Full Body Workout, and this 10 Minute Abs Workout.
• CXWORX: This is a 30-minute exercise class at my gym that focuses entirely on your core (not only abs, but also back and upper legs). If you're looking for something to do that can simulate this class, there are a few options. First if you have Ab Ripper X (from P90X Series) or Core Cardio (from Insanity Series), you can substitute with those. Otherwise, try this Ab Workout.
• Body By Science: This is the Holy Grail of workouts. There is no replacement, but it's fairly easy to learn. Read about it here.
• Pilates & Yoga: These are classes at my gym, and I use them almost interchangeably  They are definitely different, but their benefits for me are very similar. They focus on lengthening and strengthening your muscles (whereas a lot of weight lifting will shorten and strengthen). In addition, they help me stretch out and find some mental peace. You can typically find Yoga and Pilates classes online or via your TV provider, but here is a link you can use for free Yoga workouts.
• Stairmaster Workout: On my Stairmaster days, I use this Stairmaster Sprint Workout.
• Cardio Mash Up: On my Cardio Mash Up days, I start with the most difficult cardio machine and work my way down, switching machines every 15 minutes. So, I start on the Treadmill for 15 minutes, alternating as I please between sprints and slow jogs. Then, I switch to the Stairmaster and try to build up my pace steadily on there for 15 minutes. Then, I switch to an Elliptical machine and try to go at a solid but steady pace for 15 minutes. Last, I switch to a bike and move at a fast pace for 15 minutes.

I would encourage those of you who are interested in doing something similar to take this template and adjust it to meet your own needs. Here are my rules of thumb for creating your own workout schedule:

• Give yourself some Choice Days! You need to be able to change it up and surprise your body or you won't continue to see the great results you want!
• Take a skip day! It's good for you - I promise!
• Include the following: At least one pure weights day, at least one pure cardio day (I have two), and at least two days of mixed weights and cardio (I have three). Also, try to add at least one day for heavy stretching per week. I occasionally skip this day (bad Carly!), so try to do better than I do!

Looking for additional resources? Check out my fitness page! And don't forget that no fitness plan is complete without a healthy nutrition plan - you can eat through any workout you do if you're not careful!

Change Up Your Workout (Playing Hard To Get with Fitness Plateaus)

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We're human and are thus creatures of habit. We get stuck in the same routine of running three days a week and weight lifting in between... or we get hooked on our yoga routines. Whatever your workout poison, you've probably settled into a routine. 

You've probably noticed that, each time you begin following a new workout routine, you tend to see positive and often quick results. You've confused your body and caused it to adapt to something new. That takes work and work requires burning calories and developing the corresponding muscles to complete the new tasks your body is faced with. Over time, however, as you repeatedly complete the same (or very similar) workouts, your body gets used to the same tasks and learns how to complete them with less exertion (meaning burning less calories or doing less work). Ultimately, if you continue the routine, your progress will slow and you may find yourself stuck on a fitness plateau (or, worse, sliding backward!). 

Today's the day to break the cycle! By surprising your body at least once a week with new, unfamiliar exercise routines, you can play "hard to get" with fitness plateaus and keep your body guessing.

Looking for new ways to change up your workout? According to Livestrong, here's how to do it...

Livestrong.com keeps track of workout activities and how people reportedly use them. Apparently, Jazzercise is out. I wonder why... maybe because we're tired of terrifying images like this:

I know. Who knew that horrific outfits, heavily made up faces, and way-too-excited-looking facial expressions would ever go out of style?

But Pilates, Boxing, and Stair Climbing (at least on the Stairmaster)? I beg to differ, Livestrong. I don't care how many readers you have, Pilates, Boxing and Stair Climbing are not only terrific for your body but are also pretty darn popular.

Okay, so what's "replacing" Pilates, Boxing, and Stair Climbing? Apparently, Golf (yawn), Softball (ouch my face), and something called "carrying" which better not mean carrying your baby around the house. I'm not convinced.

Looks like I'll be "changing it up" in some different ways, for now. Most of us have a few "plug-in" workout routines that we throw in every once in a while, when we're ready to change things up (and perhaps when we're feeling brave?).


For those of you who haven't yet found your "plug-in" workouts, so to speak, here are a few resources...

• City Running Tours: Going on vacation or living in a new city? Check out these running tours in Austin, Boston, Charleston, Chicago, Minneapolis, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.
• Find a Fitness Event Near You: Use Fitness.com's widget to plug in your location and find a few events coming up in your area. For the most part, you'll find 5ks/runs and bike events... but don't forget that the adrenaline (as well as weaving in and out of other bodies) during a race will amp up how many calories you burn during the run!
• Whole Body HIIT Workout
• Stairmaster Sprint Workout
• Bike/Elliptical/Treadmill Interval and Coast Workout
• TV Show Workout: Turn this into a workout while watching TV for a 30 or 60
• Cardio Boxing Workout

Image Credits:
Livestrong, XtinaCooke

Stairmaster Sprint Workout (Low Impact, High Intensity Fat Burning)

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Sprinting does wonders for your body. It pushes your muscles and cardiovascular system to their maximum fat burning potential. Unfortunately, most workouts that allow for sprint-like exercise also involve a lot of impact. That means that, while you're undoubtedly doing some major fat burning, you may also be doing damage to your joints and bones.

This workout takes the cake (how cruel of me to mention cake in a workout routine post). It can be done on any stair master that will monitor your heart rate (or you can use a heart rate monitor). The great thing about this workout is that you can get all of the benefits of sprinting for over ten minutes... without the impact.

In addition to an amazing sprint period, this workout maximizes your fat burning potential. Most of us skip over our body's fat burning phase and settle into aerobic or steady state workouts... yet, the most crucial parts of burning fat are hitting your fat burning phase and your anaerobic phase. This workout ensures that you burn fat the entire time, both before and after your sprint.

Here's the workout!

0-3 Minutes: Warm Up in Fat Burning Zone

• Begin at level 5. Watch your heart rate slowly climb as you increase the speed (but try to stay between 5 and 8). Your goal should be to meet your 50-60% mark, then keep it there.

3-8 Minutes: Heart Rate Climb in Aerobic Zone

• Begin at level 8. Watch your heart rate slowly climb as you increase the speed (but try to stay between 8 and 10). Your goal should be to meet your 60-70% mark, then keep it there.

8-12 Minutes: Stairmaster Sprint in Anaerobic Zone

• Begin at level 10. Each time you increase the speed, your heart rate will slowly rise for a bit, then it may plateau and begin to fall again. This is normal. Watch for your heart rate to start slowing down, then speed the machine up by 1 level. Try to stay between 10 and 12, aiming for the lower part of your Anaerobic zone (but if you're climbing higher and have the energy, feel free to let this blend into the next segment).

12-22 Minutes: Stairmaster Sprint in Anaerobic Zone

• Begin at level 12. Each time you increase the speed, your heart rate will slowly rise for a bit, then it may plateau and begin to fall again. This is normal. Watch for your heart rate to start slowing down, then speed the machine up by 1 level. Try to stay between 12 and 16, aiming for the higher part of your Anaerobic zone.

22-26 Minutes: Cool Down in Fat Burning Zone

• Keep the level somewhere between 5 and 8. This will allow your body to cool down while keeping it in fat burning mode to burn the fat cells just released by the intense segments of the workout. Your heart rate may initially speed up, as your body realizes it no longer needs to conserve energy for the rest of the workout. By the end of the 4 minute cool down, however, your heart rate should be slowly but steadily dropping.

Some Notes:

This workout is based on spending time in your fat burning zone (50-60% of your Max Heart Rate), then swiftly moving up into your aerobic zone (60-70% of your Max Heart Rate) and anaerobic zone (70-80% of your Max Heart Rate), then coming back down into your fat burning zone. 

Before starting this workout, you might want to calculate your heart rate zones.
I have included some basic numbers that predict your zones based on age, but keep in mind that an extremely fit 30 year old's heart rate zones will be higher than an unfit 30 year old. This is because heart rate zones are based on what you are capable of doing with your body and heart... and the more truly fit you are, the more you will be capable of doing with your body and heart.Your Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) starts at 220 beats per minute and falls by one beat per minute every year after birth. Once you reach age 30, the rate of decrease is .5 instead of 1. To calculate your maximum heart rate...

• If you are <30 Years Old: 220 - Age
• If you are >30 Years Old: 190 - .5(Years Over 30)

To make it simpler, here are some brackets (these are only estimates):

• If you are 20-25: 195-200bpm
• If you are 25-30: 190-195bpm
• If you are 30-40: 185-190bpm
• If you are 40-50: 180-185bpm
• If you are 50-60: 175-180bpm
• If you are >60: 160-175bpm

Why do those numbers matter? Because, while the workout below is a general suggestion (based on a MHR of someone in their 20s) and will be safe as long as you push yourself, you may want to adjust the numbers if you are just beginning working out or in an older age bracket (or if you're just an extremely detailed person!). So, if your maximum heart rate is lower due to age or inactivity, you can get the best workout for your body by lowering each target heart rate by 5-20 points, depending on the calculations above.


*Many thanks to CalculateNow for the heart rate zone image.
**As usual, you should consult a physician before starting any exercise regimen. I am not a doctor nor a certified trainer, so please don't sue me**

Megan Fox's Butt

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 (Via).

Ha, did I get your attention with that post title? Okay, maybe only the guys...

My friend Kelsey mentioned trying the Megan Fox bike workout at the gym recently. I found her bike workout on Bodybuilders.  The cardio workout is based on intervals... and, when I say intervals, I mean serious intervals. The workout increases your heart rate very quickly, but only for very short bursts of time. As bodybuilders says, this transforms your body into "a fat burning furnace." Not sure how I feel about being compared to a furnace, but... okay. I'll try it. Hey, couldn't hurt, right?  

WRONG! IT HURT! IT HURT REALLY REALLY BAD!  But in the workout world, pain is good. So, I suppose I should say "IT HURT! IT HURT REALLY REALLY GOOD!" 

Because the workout is based on intervals, it can be done on any cardio machine. That means it works in your gym... on a bike, an elliptical machine, a treadmill, or a stairmaster. So, in the interest of changing things up with your workout routine, here are the basics for making this workout happen at the gym...

ON A BIKE:

• 0:00-2:00.....Begin at a relatively easy level for 2 minutes. 
• 2:00-3:00.....As the clock reaches the end of two minutes, increase the level to 10 and sprint at 100+RPM for 60 seconds.
• 3:00-5:00.....Return to the easy level for 2 minutes of recovery.
• 5:00-5:45.....As the clock reaches the end of your two minute recovery (as it approaches the 5:00 mark), increase the level to 12 and sprint at 100+RPM for 45 seconds.
• 5:45-7:45.....Return to the easy level for 2 minutes of recovery.
• 7:45-8:15.....As the clock reaches the end of your two minute recovery (as it approaches 8:15). increase the level to 15 and sprint at 100+RPM for 30 seconds.
• 8:15-10:15.....Return to the easy level for 2 minutes of recovery.
• 10:15-40:00.....After two minutes of recovery, cycle at a moderate pace for a further 30 minutes in order to keep your heart rate raised.

ON AN ELLIPTICAL:

• 0:00-2:00.....Begin at a relatively easy level for 2 minutes (average crossramp [usually 10], average resistance [somewhere between 5-8]). 
• 2:00-3:00.....As the clock reaches the end of two minutes, increase the resistance to 10 and sprint at 200+RPM for 60 seconds.
• 3:00-5:00.....Return to the easy level for 2 minutes of recovery.
• 5:00-5:45.....As the clock reaches the end of your two minute recovery (as it approaches the 5:00 mark), increase the level to 12 and sprint at 200+RPM for 45 seconds.
• 5:45-7:45.....Return to the easy level for 2 minutes of recovery.
• 7:45-8:15.....As the clock reaches the end of your two minute recovery (as it approaches 8:15). increase the level to 14 and sprint at 200+RPM for 30 seconds.
• 8:15-10:15.....Return to the easy level for 2 minutes of recovery.
• 10:15-40:00.....After two minutes of recovery, move at a moderate pace for a further 30 minutes in order to keep your heart rate raised.

ON A TREADMILL:

• 0:00-2:00.....Begin at a relatively easy level for 2 minutes (0-2 incline and at a light jog [between 5 and 6.5 speed]). 
• 2:00-3:00.....As the clock reaches the end of two minutes, increase the level to 8.5 and sprint for 60 seconds.
• 3:00-5:00.....Return to your easy speed for 2 minutes of recovery.
• 5:00-5:45.....As the clock reaches the end of your two minute recovery (as it approaches the 5:00 mark), increase your speed to 9.5 and sprint for 45 seconds.
• 5:45-7:45.....Return to the easy level for 2 minutes of recovery.
• 7:45-8:15.....As the clock reaches the end of your two minute recovery (as it approaches 8:15). increase your speed to 10 and sprint for 30 seconds.
• 8:15-10:15.....Return to your easy speed for 2 minutes of recovery.
• 10:15-40:00.....After two minutes of recovery, run at a moderate pace for a further 30 minutes in order to keep your heart rate raised.

ON A STAIRMASTER:

• 0:00-2:00.....Begin at a relatively easy level for 2 minutes (whatever feels good - probably around 10-20). 
• 2:00-3:00.....As the clock reaches the end of two minutes, increase the level to 45 for 60 seconds.
• 3:00-5:00.....Return to the easy level for 2 minutes of recovery.
• 5:00-5:45.....As the clock reaches the end of your two minute recovery (as it approaches the 5:00 mark), increase the level to 50 for 45 seconds.
• 5:45-7:45.....Return to the easy level for 2 minutes of recovery.
• 7:45-8:15.....As the clock reaches the end of your two minute recovery (as it approaches 8:15). increase the level to 55 for 30 seconds.
• 8:15-10:15.....Return to the easy level for 2 minutes of recovery.
• 10:15-40:00.....After two minutes of recovery, cycle at a moderate pace for a further 30 minutes in order to keep your heart rate raised.

WHY IT WORKS:

• The first 10 minutes of this workout are what we call High Intensity Cardio (Or High Intensity Interval Training, HIIT for short).  This type of training is very effective at releasing fat from your fat cells and into your blood stream, but is not particularly effective at using fat for energy.
• The remainder of this workout is what we call Low Intensity Cardio.  This type of training is very effective at using fat for energy, but is not particularly effective at releasing the fat to begin with.
• This combination results in a workout that first effectively releases fat from fat cells and then effectively uses that fat as energy.

Before you decide you hate me, remember that you were warned: This workout is hard. How hard? Well, even Megan Fox hates it... She's quoted as saying "I hire a personal trainer who is supposed to come three times a week. He comes to me – I don’t even have to leave the house. He’ll come to my house and I’ll be lying in the exact same spot he left me in. I’ll be like: ‘Not today! Not today!'" (Source).


So, yes, during the "burn" periods, your face will be twisted, your jaw will be clenched, and under your breath, you will be cursing at either me or Megan Fox. But, remember. This. Is. Normal. 


And it works.