Deb Bailey Personal Training

W.T. says, “The only indoor thing I’ve got for cardio is a treadmill. I’m stuck in a rut- I want to do more intensity but how? I can’t run on a treadmill - I don’t feel stable enough for that.”

I suggest making this very simple change to your cardio routine. Incline training is the way to go. If you are using a treadmill, change your incline gradually so you can get used to the different challenge. Your goal is to get to the higher incline ranges on your machine.
If you are a runner or walker, choose different terrains for your cardio. Ditch the smooth community path and head for the hills!
Incline training burns a ton of calories, trains your legs harder and allows you to move more slowly while still ramping up your fitness level and dropping weight. Moving more slowly also is much easier on the joints.
Someone weighing about 160 lbs, walking at an energetic 5.6 kph (3.5 mph) on a flat treadmill or terrain would burn approximately 314 calories per hour. However, if the same person added a fair amount of incline, s/he would burn about 657 calories. (woman.thenest.com).
So aim higher in your cardio training!

Do you need guidance in your fitness journey? Do you feel stuck and uninspired? Reach out to me through:
[email protected]
519-572-0986
www.fitability.ca
I can work with you in your home, in my studio, or virtually!

Ask The Trainer!
J.L. writes, “My doctor told me I HAVE to start exercising or risk serious health problems. But I absolutely hate exercising- sweating, expensive gyms, just the whole thing. How can I get into this without dreading it every day?”
I can certainly understand how you feel. I didn’t start working out until I’d had a child, and I had a lot of weight to lose! I come from a long line of couch potatoes and I did NOT want to exercise! But, just like you, I knew I had to get it done.
The key here is to find something you, if not like, don’t hate. Start by looking up chair exercise classes at your local community centre or YMCA. This will get your muscles moving, working and strengthening, without special clothes or a lot of sweating. If that doesn’t appeal to you, check out water aerobics. This is easy on the joints, and it’s fun. Think about walking to do a few errands, instead of driving. Return a library book or drop in to a friend’s house for coffee - make walking your first choice for errands. And speaking of friends, find someone to do these activities with you. Everything’s a lot more fun with a friend!
Give it 6 weeks - after that you will have increased your stamina and strength, you’ll feel better, and your body will want to keep on working. Hiking in the summer, snowshoeing in the winter, Zumba dance classes, kayaking, dragon boat racing, wall climbing, geocaching - there are lots of non-traditional ways to work your body.
Do you want to feel better through exercise but just don’t know how to start?
I can work with you at my studio in Kitchener, or in your own home, or virtually.
Here’s how to reach out to me:
[email protected]
519-572-0986
www.fitability.ca

Ask The Trainer!
S. K. asks, "I want to get more cardio going, but I don't have any equipment. What can I do except walk? I hate running."
Answer: That can be challenging, right? So the goal of cardio is to strengthen your heart muscle, lose weight, and build stamina. But anything you do that bumps up your HR for a while counts!
Let's start with LISS, or Low Intensity Steady State. This can mean walking for quite a while - 30 to 60 minutes - at a steady pace that gets your heart rate up and keeps it there. You can do mall walking, walk outside or make a list of your errands (return a library book, drop off your mail, pick up a couple of things at the store), and walk to them all. When the weather's decent, you can set a distance goal - say, four blocks and back - in a specific time and work towards that.
You can get creative with the next level of cardio. Try low-impact jumping jacks and set a timer. Do it until you're tired, and then check to see how long you did it for. Next time, increase the time spent.
You can also walk briskly up and down a staircase until you're fatigued; do Mountain Climbers, or knees-up until you can't anymore. No length of time is too little - it's your journey and you set the pace. (But push yourself to do more, and more intensely than the time before!)
Experiment with Skater cardio - pretend you're a speed skater, swinging your arms from side to side while "skating" with your feet.
Check out YouTube for free at-home, no-equipment workouts. If there's an exercise in it that you don't feel comfortable with, just march vigorously in place until the program goes on to another activity.
One last thing - don't repeat the same type of cardio day after day - our bodies get used to something and then they don't work so hard. Challenge is the key.
Here's a pro tip: document what you do, how long you did it for, and any exercise that didn't sit right with your body. Do a virtual calendar for it, or pull out a paper pad. When we see our efforts written down, we validate what we do (and sometimes realize that we need to do more!).
There are many, many exercises that you can do at home, at the office, while you're doing laundry, that you don't need equipment for.
Contact me for more help with your exercise goals!
[email protected]
www.fitability.ca
5519-572-0986
Please Like and Share my posts, and Follow me for more help!
Mountain Climbers