What Should I Be Doing at the Gym?
So you are officially ready to start adding a few workouts into your routine but you struggle with knowing what you need to do.
We have all been there as there is so much out there and it can be overwhelming figuring out what will work best for your body and for the goals you are wanting to achieve.
I wanted to share with you the options you have available and what desired outcomes they bring based on your goals.
NEAT- This stands for non-exercise activity thermogenesis and is the burning of calories from activity that occurs independently of structured, planned exercise. This can include anything from standing, fidgeting, shivering, walking to the parking lot, doing daily chores, etc. Most often, these activities count for a greater quantity of expended calories in a day than a single exercise session. The more we increase our NEAT, the more calories we gain throughout the day without having to spend hours at the gym or restrict ourselves when it comes to food choices.
Best advice? Set a daily goal of 7000-10000 steps a day and hold yourself accountable to it. Set an alarm on your phone to get up every hour or so and move about for a few minutes. You can even pace on phone calls, take a walk to lunch, park at the back of the parking lot, or have lots of play time with your kiddos. Just. Keep. Moving.
Resistance Training- If you want to truly see a transformational change, adding resistance training to your routine is exactly what you need. I was the girl for SO LONG who avoided it because I did not want to “look bulky.” That my friends is a myth that people still believe. Resistance training allows you to build muscle, increase lean body mass, decrease body fat, and find that tone you have been looking for. It is absolutely where you will get the most benefit for your time spent at the gym.
Not to mention, with resistance training you continue to keep burning calories after your workout is completed. You also can increase athletic performance such as running (if you love running, but have reached a plateau, add in some resistance training and see your paces to get better and better!). Resistance training will also improve your resting metabolic rate, resting heart rate, and blood pressure. It is a complete win!
Best advice? Schedule in 3-5 resistance training workouts a week. They don’t have to be long, just effective. If not knowing how to start adding this into your routine, reach out to an expert (I can help!) and let them help create a plan tailored to your goals.
Cardio- The main benefit of cardio training is to improve your heart and lung functionality which is so important since the number one killer in the world is heart disease.
There is absolutely a place for cardio, but it shouldn’t be your ONLY form of training. Cardio is great for burning a high number of calories, but truth be told it does not provide you with the benefit of muscle building or the after burn post workout. Doing too much cardio can actually prevent you from building muscle, discourage any body compositional changes, and will just make you a skinnier version of the body you are in now.
Cardio can be a great supplemental tool that you use to optimize your results. Cardio is a great addition when you are in a caloric deficit and fueling your body with lower calories. It allows you to be able to eat more based on your activity level. It also can be a great stress reliever for some (where my runners at!), but just keep in mind that we need to include strength training with it in order to see the gains we are searching for.
Best advice? Set a weekly resistance training goal of 3-5 times a week and add in some cardio bursts throughout your strength workouts or add on a few minutes of extra cardio at the end of your already scheduled workouts.
HIIT Training- High intensity interval training is shorter bursts of high intensity work at maximal or near maximal performance. It is an effective method of improving your cardiorespiratory fitness in a quicker amount of time, it can aid in weight loss, and reduce cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
While it is nice to be able to knock out a HIIT workout in a shorter amount of time, it shouldn’t be the only type of workout you are doing. It is not an effective way to build muscle and it can imbalance your hormones if you are constantly doing workouts that put high stress on your body.
Best advice? Include these in your workouts if you enjoy this type of work, but I would only include 1 or 2 max in your weekly schedule. Focus more on strength workouts. I personally like to include some HIIT intervals in my resistance training workouts to mix it up. It's a fun way to get all the benefits without putting too much stress on my body!
Pilates or Yoga- These are great lower impact workouts that provide your body with the benefits of increasing your core strength, your flexibility, reducing stress, and can assist with weight loss. They do not burn as many calories as the methods listed above, but will provide you with tons of benefits for strengthening your body. Our bodies will respond very well to incorporating workouts that are slower paced and allow your body to recover faster.
Best advice? If you prefer these types of workouts, include them in your plan, but also add in some resistance training. Use them as workouts to recover from your more intense workouts.
Group Classes- These are a great way to get into resistance training without having to worry about creating a specific workout plan. It is also a big plus of staying motivated and encouraged in a group setting.
The difficult thing about group classes is not exactly being aware of what specific muscle groups are going to be worked in a class. It can sometimes be tough to make sure you work all your muscle groups for the same amount of time in a given week.
Best advice? If you are starting out, this is such a great way to get your body used to resistance training. If you LOVE group classes and the comrade, then feel free to include them in your weekly plan, but also make sure you are hitting all your large muscle groups that week as well.
Determining what works best for your body and your goals can seem overwhelming with so many options available. Just remember that any kind of exercise can be great for providing you with more energy, reducing blood pressure, reducing stress, and valuing your body.
Just starting is the first step. Even if that is just increasing your movement throughout the day, spending 20 minutes at the gym, or just walking during your lunch break.
Just keep moving and your body will appreciate it.
