training

Bianca lost 55 pounds

March 18, 2015 by Ajima Jackson 5 Comments

Weight Loss Transformation Story: Bianca lost 55 pounds. She defeated poor health and depression by embracing exercise and clean eating. I love her motto: “Train your mind, your body will follow.” She shared with us about her weight loss journey…

bianca before and after

Hi, I’m currently down 55 pounds after pulling myself out of a depression. My poor health is almost claimed my life. Now, I fight back by bettering my fitness and promoting health and wellness. My motto is “Train your mind, your body will follow.”

I changed my eating habits. I decided that enough was enough and went completely cold turkey from fast food, junk food, fried foods and soda pop. Cold turkey worked best for me. I couldn’t ease my way into it. Once I let those foods go I was forced to think outside of the box, picking up more fruits, veggies and cooking at home more! I studied the art of eating clean and I really haven’t looked back.

Workouts: I lived to Kickbox! That was my life. I joined a group fitness kickboxing class about two miles from home. When the 45 Min class no longer challenged me. I began running to class and back home. Giving me 4 miles and extra cardio.

Somewhere in 2012, I signed up to run my first Half Marathon, The Detroit International to Canada and back. Once I began training for that,I learned a lot about myself and began looking for other ways to challenge my endurance. Since then I have competed and trained doing CrossFit. I love bodybuilding and I’ve even competed in strong man/woman lifting events. This year I have a goal of completing my first triathlon and increasing my flexibility through yoga.

My starting weight was 215 pounds at a size Size 12-14. I believe I was heavier then that but I stayed far away from the scale for a solid year. My current weight ranges from 150-160 depending on the day or my training program. Standing at 5’2″, I am now a healthy size 4. I’ve never ever been a size 4, not even in high school.

I would say that my transformation took place over a 2 year period. The first year I was doing it all wrong.
I was working out, but still eating the wrong things. The second year I was fed up with only having lost 15-20 lbs and being stuck at a very serious 190 lb plateau. The second year, after hearing the phrase “Eat clean” and adapting to that lifestyle, I began shedding weight!

I had a consistent first year with exercise and was I guess you could say addicted to Working out. I would run my marathon training miles in the mornings about 5x a week and go strength train (Workouts I found online mostly) at nights when I was off of work or out of class.

My advice: Rock bottom builds champions. My Rock bottom was a flight of stairs that sat me down to breathe for 5 mins. You’ve got to want it, but that doesn’t typically happen to you’re fed Up! Work at it every day. I let people know all the time….. It’s your mind that they have to train!

Instagram: @biancahopes

bianca weight loss

Kimberly lost 100 pounds

March 16, 2015 by Ajima Jackson 2 Comments

Update Oct 2015: Kimberly wrote in to share that she’s lost 5 more pounds. – “It’s been 1 year and 7 months since my weight loss. I have maintained my weight and actually loss 5 more pounds for a total weight loss of 105 pounds. Feel so blessed and I still workout. I have plenty of ladies that I have had the chance to inspire. That makes me feel blessed cause now they are working out and getting healthy too! I am a firm believer in hard work. Yes, I still run and yes I still eat food real FOOD! I still eat lots of yummy veggies and I DON’T DIET. I workout with awesome people. We fuss through our workouts, but we are working out and we don’t let excuses run our lives.”

March 2015 – Weight Loss Transformation of the Day: Kimberly lost 100 pounds. This proud mom of 2 embraced running, changed her eating habits and burned lots of calories to reach her goal. She’s gone from a size 18 to a size 6. Here is what she shared with us about her weight loss journey…

kimberly before and after

Hello, My beautiful sisters! I am a 38 year old woman who weighed 235 lbs in the last year. I have two beautiful boys who have gave me my tiger stripes [stretch marks]. I used to have a 46F bras size, wear size 18 outfits and I stand at only 5’3″. We all know I am a short thing..LOL!! I decided to change my life from the inside out by eating better and cooking better.

It all started with an app called Couch to 5k (running training app). Water, water and more water is what I drank. I didn’t cut out sodas, just decided to drink one soda at lunch or for dinner. I’m eating more veggies and having protein shakes. Now, being a busy sports mom, I depend on Fresh and Easy. For exercise, I do Zumba and other cardio workouts. I workout 4 times a week for an hour to hour and half.

We as woman need extra cardio to boost our metabolism! Cooking at home and running stairs is an absolute calorie and fat burner. Let me say this…I hate running but I see results. I know now weights are key to tighten and firm up what’s loose. I have to say I feel blessed that I have lost 100 lbs. I can’t believe I went from a size 18 to a size 6 in Juniors. I am feeling accomplished. People say I am crazy for working out so hard but I want to be able to run around with my Boys and keep up.

Instagram: @locinlife

Update: Tory lost 102 pounds

February 18, 2015 by Ajima Jackson Leave a Comment

Update: Tory (aka Latoria) has lost 102 pounds. We last featured her story back in Dec 2013 when she was down 84 pounds, so that’s 18 more pounds released.

Tory before and after 100 pounds

Hi! Last year in December 2013 was my last submission and I would like to submit an update letting others know it’s still possible to reach your weight loss goals.

Well, it has been an entire year and I have been very active. I’m still eating as healthy as possible. Summer 2014 was my first time wearing a two pc bathing suit and I loved it. I’ve ran 5 half marathons and countless of 5k and 10k runs. Now, I’m looking forward to run my first full marathon at the end of this year. I didn’t think it was possible. I was 266 pounds, wearing a size 20W in jeans and I could barely run 30 seconds. Now I’m 164 pounds, running, lifting weights, and eating right. Anything is possible, you just have to believe in yourself.

Instagram: @get_fit_tory

Shirley lost 70 pounds

January 21, 2015 by Ajima Jackson 2 Comments

Update May 2015: I’m now mostly in a size 10. I am currently working with a very experienced, competitor trainer/NPC expediter named Steve Payne. I’m at the point where my weight loss is pretty much complete and it is time to shape my body and Steve is an expert at that. He is one of the owners of House of Payne Personal Training: www.trainwithpayne.com. Steve’s competitors frequently take first place in national competitions and his most recent novice competitor came in second overall! I’m featured on the site from the time. I trained there very early in my journey. When I look at that photo now, I feel downright skinny! I’ve also recently had a skin consultation and confirmed that all of this “stuff” around my middle and back that I assumed to be fat that won’t go away is skin (which Steve had already tried to tell me). I’m trying to find a way to afford this very expensive surgery. I would really love to get this done to complete my journey. I have spent a lot of time trying to build my muscles and it’s a shame that I can’t really see them for the skin.

shirley before and after

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Shirley went from a size 22 to a size 12 and lost about 70 pounds with the help of some awesome trainers and by committing to changing her life. Her story shows how a good trainer/fitness professional can motivate you.

I am a 56-year-old single woman. I’ve spent most of my life overweight and had come to accept that I was “just that way.” Don’t get me wrong: Over the years, I lost weight, only to gain it back plus 10. In 2011 after gaining my way back up to a 22, I decided I would be better off not dieting and just staying one size rather than continuing to “yo-yo.” The attorney for whom I worked at the time had another idea. He decided that he would take care of me, even if I wouldn’t take care of myself. He hired my first personal trainer in 2012 and I haven’t looked back.

My first gym didn’t weigh me when I started. They said it was more important how my clothes fit than what the scale showed. I regret not forcing them to do that, though I can guess by sizes how much I lost with them. Even as I began, Steve, one of the gym owners, constantly told me that “the diet is 80%.” I was like, “yeah, yeah, yeah. If I just exercise, it will come off, right?” For the first two sizes, yes. By the time I attended my mother’s funeral one month after I began training, my size 22 pants were too big. I kept stepping on them at the service because in becoming too big, they had also become too long. The next size similarly melted off. After that, my body said, “We’re done unless and until you feed us right.”

ShirleyJan15blog

I began trying to figure out how to eat right. I struggled my way down to a size 16 and thought I was the bomb for getting there. There was only one thing wrong: I worked out in a gym that trains competitors. Looking at those incredible bodies made me want more for mine. At this point, I was on my second trainer at the gym but my progress had pretty much slowed to a grinding halt. Enter Lesa to the gym, who took over my training and my eating. Together, she and Rachel, the other owner, introduced me to the “training diet.” I followed it religiously and the weight literally began to melt off. The problem, however, with that diet is that it is a lot of work and it’s not very realistic over the long term. When I got laid off from my job in the spring of 2012 and could no longer afford the large amounts of protein necessary to maintain that diet, guess what happened? I gained back up from a 14 to a 16–in a matter of weeks, even though I tried to watch what I ate. At that point, I decided I needed a change of pace and atmosphere and joined a different gym. That gym turned out to be a bad idea because I let them talk me into joining their group training, where I would eventually tear my left lateral meniscus. In the process, I lost 16 pounds in three months; however, I was once again unable to maintain the weight loss AND I was now injured. I wasn’t, at the time, sure of the nature of my injury as I didn’t have health insurance but I had accepted a position that in 90 days time would give me the health insurance I so desperately needed. In the meantime, the ONE good thing that came from that gym was meeting a young trainer named Dionysis Warren, who is referred to by all as “D.”

D took an interest in me that day and spent some time talking with me about my eating and why I was unable to maintain my weight loss. He and I became Facebook friends, which was fortunate because after that day, I never saw him at that gym (that I would also eventually leave) again. On his birthday in 2014, he put out a call at Facebook for three “models” for “before/after” testimonials. Of course, I applied. I didn’t hear from him right away and assumed I had not been chosen, when I received an email telling me that I had! Imagine my excitement. D was aware of the challenges associated with my as-yet-undiagnosed knee problem. He encouraged me to get it diagnosed so that we could properly deal with it. Let me back up for just a minute and tell you that in addition to being a certified trainer, D is an MMA certified trainer/fighter, and a registered dietician. He is literally the whole package. Most importantly, he cares about the whole person and cares about your success. As I continued to struggle with the food, D would say things to me that would make me later think. He knew that I had to reach a point on my own where I would realize what I needed to do and how to get there. He did it with a very simple statement after I told him that I just HAVE to lose weight. D looked at me and said, “You don’t have to do anything, including losing weight. You WANT to lose weight.” One day, I can’t say exactly when, but that 5-word sentence materialized in my head and I really, for the first time, WANTED to lose the weight.

Because I am challenged for time, I decided to try Jenny Craig. Between Jenny Craig and my elite trainer, I have lost an additional 32 pounds and am now getting into size 12–a size I have never before been in my life. I was a 14 in high school, which was many, many years ago and quite an accomplishment in itself; however, I feel that I can now go wherever it is that I might like to go. In other words, the proverbial sky is the limit for me. I even bought my first page of size 12 skinny jeans. But, I left out a very important part of this story.

On November 24, 2014, I had arthroscopic surgery on my left knee for a torn lateral meniscus and a second procedure called subchondroplasty for bone marrow edema. Basically, I have arthritis under both knee caps (I believe from years of being overweight) and one of the knees began attacking the cartilage and bone underneath. The minimum recovery for this dual procedures is six weeks. I was released on Monday December 29, 2014 after a five-week recovery. Before I began training, my blood pressure was 123/122 with a 91 resting pulse rate. I was a stroke waiting to happen. When my pressure was checked for my knee surgery in November, it was 102/80 with a 71 resting pulse rate. Thanks to the prep work performed by my trainer, a skilled surgeon who loves what he does, and my decision to become more fit and healthy, I defied the odds by healing quickly and by continuing to lose weight even though I couldn’t perform heavy cardio functions. I am on my way to an even healthier and happier 2015. Oh, and I danced in heels for New Year’s Eve.

I would not be where I am without D; I very firmly believe that. Everyone has to find the formula that works for them. I used Jenny Craig for my meals and doing that has taught me how to eat for the rest of my life. Now, I’m ready to move to clean eating to continue to lose and after that, to maintain my new found health. I thank you if you have made it through this rather long story and hope that I can share what I have learned with others. I enjoy encouraging others in eating, weight loss–and quitting smoking. I have been free of smoking for two years after 35 years as a smoker, which is the proverbial icing on the cake for me. I have to estimate my total weight loss, by my own estimate is 70 pounds.

7 Time Wasting Habits You Can Cut for More Exercise Time

January 13, 2015 by Ajima Jackson Leave a Comment

If you’re finding that you just aren’t getting the results you want, you might want to take a step back and see if you’re really getting the workout that you think you are. You want to make sure you’re getting an effective workout and making the most of your time, right? Here are 7 extremely common time-habits that can happen both in the gym and at home.

7 time wasting habits workouts

You Don’t Have a Work Out Plan Before Starting

The number one time wasting habit as to do with a lack of preparation. Before you even set foot in a gym or your home gym, have some plan of what you plan to do and what you want to accomplish. Print out a workout from Pinterest, take the workouts out of your favorite magazines or grab a workout DVD at home. If you work out at a gym make room for flexibility in case a certain machine isn’t available or an event is happening in the park you workout in. Not only will a plan streamline your workout but it will also save you time.

You Spend Time Fiddling with Your Music

Music can really be motivating and help a workout go by more quickly but only if you prepare ahead of time. First off, create a workout playlist before you get started. This way you won’t have to deal with searching for a song. Secondly, use ear buds not traditional headphones. Loop your ear buds under your shirt so they won’t get caught on anything. You might also want to buy an armband to hold your phone if you don’t have pockets.

You Are Stuck Waiting for an Opening at a Machine

One advantage of working out at home is that you don’t have to wait for someone to finish up with a machine. Those who use a gym will find that this same annoyance is also a habit that can negatively affect them. Rather than standing around waiting for someone to finish their turn, do something else. Hop on the treadmill for a bit. Do some stretches. Move one move ahead in your workout plan. Also, learn how to do machine-independent exercises with weights and bodyweight.

You Socialize Too Much with Other Gym-Goers

A gym is quite a social setting so it is no surprise that a big time wasting habit has to do with spending too much time talking and not enough time working out. There is nothing wrong with having a chat with someone as long as it doesn’t distract you to the point you lose focus on your exercise. If you meet someone you really enjoy talking to or meet up with a friend at the gym, go out for a coffee or lunch after to talk.

You Take Too Many Breaks

This habit goes for people who work out at home and at the gym. One of the most popular reasons to take a break is to refill a water bottle. In reality, while actively exercising you shouldn’t drink a ton of water (unless you’re working out in the heat of summer, for example). However, you do need to stay hydrated while exercising but rather than stopping your workout to get more water, either carry two bottles or one larger bottle. You could also swap your water for an electrolyte mix that will hydrate you more effectively.

You Stop to Answer Your Phone or Do Other “Quick Activities”

When it comes to home workouts many people find themselves interrupted because of little things that add up. These could be anything from having to answer your phone, letting the dog out to go to the bathroom, helping a family member with something or even a neighbor showing up at your door. Having one room dedicated to fitness is a good idea, especially if you can close the door. If you have kids, workout during their naps or while they are enjoying their favorite show or movie on a laptop/tablet in the same room (headphones). You can also turn the ringer off on your phone or at least put it on vibrate.

You Have to Stop to Fix Your Hair or Clothes

This final time wasting habit is definitely far more common with women. It might seem silly at first but a significant portion of time of a woman’s workout could be spent trying to re-adjust her clothes and trying to fix her hair. The trick to stopping this is to choose fitness clothes that are comfortable and fit well enough they won’t get snagged on machines but not so tight they ride up. You can also wear layers. A stretch cami under your shirt will help you feel covered just incase your shirt goes up while doing moves like burpees, mountain climbers or shoulder press. As for hair, wearing it down is overall not a good idea. Put your hair up in a high ponytail or a bun to get it out of the way if you have long hair. A headband can help as well to catch sweat.

If you take into consideration the data provided by the study on Medical Daily, it is not at all surprising how many people find they just can’t get the results they want. When more than half of people who exercise spend less than half the time actually exercising, it is simply impossible to get the same results as those who spend an entire hour dedicated without interruption.

The next time you have workout scheduled, take heed and break the bad habits listed above. You’ll get a more focused workout and achieve your fitness goals much more quickly.

8 Time Saving Workout Tips

November 4, 2014 by Ajima Jackson 1 Comment

One of the most common excuses you hear when it comes to not exercising is, “I just don’t have the time”. In reality, the average person has enough time to get some exercise during the week. In fact, the typical American spends around 3 hours a day in front of a television…so there is free time available to be turned into workout time for most people. If you’re committed to improving your health through exercise but are a super busy person, don’t fret. There are a few different tips and tricks you can use to not only find more time to exercise but also to help your workout go by more quickly.

Opt Out of a Gym and Work Out at Home

Probably one of the most common tips would be to avoid the gym altogether and workout at home. With the huge number of DVDs and online resources for at-home workouts, regardless of what you’re interested in you’ll be able to find something that will be just as challenging as any class. Going to a gym has many benefits but saving you time may not be one of them. By the Way, you can also save some money with this tip.

If You Choose to Workout at a Gym, Go When It Isn’t Busy

Some people enjoy the whole atmosphere of a gym or maybe they participate in some training, weight lifting for example, that they don’t have the equipment for at home. If this is you, try to hit the gym at times when it isn’t likely to be busy. Depending on your work schedule, you could go during lunch or even at night. If your gym really is just plain busy, you might want to try another one.

Stretch Before Heading to the Gym

Here is one tip that many people don’t consider. We all know warming up is important and shouldn’t be skipped. Stretching and warming up before going into the gym means you can get straight to the machines. This is especially helpful if you frequent a particularly busy gym. Parking a block or two away from your gym also can kick start your warm up time if you walk briskly.

Sneak In Workouts In Your Office

A typical 40-hour workweek for most people involves a whole lot of sitting at a desk. Too much sitting has proven to lead to serious health problems and greatly decrease longevity. An office seems like an unlikely place to get a workout but don’t be fooled. Aside from going on a walk during your break, there are other ways to sneak in workouts.

Here is a link to 33 different ways to get your heart pumping when confined to an office. If you are worried about a bad reaction from your boss, here are a few ideas for more subtle ways to get some exercise. As a bonus, not only do these little in-office exercises cut down on your workout time but they also boost productivity at work.

Buy Workout Gear That Doubles as Casual Wear

Whether you have to run back to the office, have errands to run or promised to catch up with a friend at lunch, dingy sweatpants and your old holey t-shirt pretty much guarantee you’ll have to spend time changing your clothes in the locker room at your gym. Rather than dealing with this, invest is a great sports bra and some pants and shirts that look cute. Of course you’ll want to change your outfit if you get super sweaty, so this tip is great if you just got your heart pumping a bit and will be home in a few hours to shower anyways.

Keep an Organized Gym Bag

Locker rooms in gyms can be chaotic. Having an organized bag means you’ll know where everything is and you’ll save precious time searching through a duffel for something as simple as a headband. Make sure necessities like your perfume and deodorant are in an easily accessible pocket. If you have something to do after your workout you’ll want to have a makeup kit to either touchup or completely redo your face after you’ve showered.

Take a short shower depending on how hard you worked out.

Unless you are a clean freak or completed a seriously sweaty workout, you can really save time by taking shorter showers at the gym. An easy to moderate workout that gets you hot doesn’t usually require a full, long shower. Also, make sure you have a clinical strength deodorant, a great smelling fragrance and a dry shampoo if you are worried about sweaty hair.

Washing your hair can really be a time killer for women with relaxed hair as you can’t usually just wash and go very quickly. Instead put your hair up out of your face in a cute updo and use a headband. After the workout take it down and use some dry shampoo to freshen up your do (dry shampoo works for natural and relaxed hair).

Choose a More Intense (and Effective) Training Regimen

Sometimes the easiest and sometimes least obvious way to save time on workout out is to change how you are exercising. An hour on a treadmill might be effective, but there are shorter workouts that can be just as effective. That fast jogging on a treadmill could actually be ineffective compared to a high-intensity (HIIT) 20 or 30 minute workout.

High-intensity exercise regimens include supersets, circuit training and multitasking. Here are a few resources for workouts that are short on time but serious when it comes to results

Working out doesn’t require hours of your time every day. It’s recommended to get at least 30 minutes of exercise 3 times a week. Even for the busiest person that should be completely doable. Don’t forget that working out at home can really save time. If you haven’t tried it yet, invest in some equipment and give it a go. You just might prefer it over the gym.

More than Weight Loss: Zhivi Tranformed Her Body

August 2, 2014 by Ajima Jackson 9 Comments

Today’s Weight Loss Story of the Day is a little different. Zhivi didn’t just lose weight, she transformed her body. She lost 22 pounds and then put on muscle to sculpt her body the way she wanted it. Now, she is inspiring others to get healthy. Here is what she shared with us about what she did to change her life.

zhivi body transformation

When I decided to started to come back to fitness, in December of 2012, I weighed 149 pounds and everyone told me I didn’t need to lose weight. That was nice of them to say, but my journey was really never about losing weight. It was about getting my stomach to look like it did when I was 27 years old. I had a photograph of myself when I was 27 and I told Tiffany Rothe [amazing Black fitness expert] when I joined the Inner Circle FitClub that this is what I want my stomach to look like. She told me that it would look better than what was in the picture. I believed her. So, I started my journey by following the workouts and eating plan to a T. I was determined to put in the time and commitment to get the results I wanted.

I started taking pictures of myself every four weeks so I could see my progress. This was the first time in my life I wore a bikini and let other people see me in it. I trusted the ladies in the Inner Circle, so I posted the pictures and shared them with the members. I would wear the same bikini for months. One day, Tiffany and one of the other ladies of the Inner Circle told me it was time for a new bikini because the one had been taking pictures in was too big. I did not notice bathing suit had gotten too big. I purchased more swimming suits to take picture in. The summer of 2013 was the first time I wore a bikini in public. The experience was a little awkward, but I did it.

Zhivi This journey for me was filled with ups and down. My husband, co-workers, friends told me I was losing too much weight and wanted me to stop. I kept going because I have to live with this body and I wanted it to look a certain way. I kept working out and following the food plan that was given to me and no matter what anyone said I was going to keep going until I thought I was too small. The food plan given to me consisted of, eating a lot of raw and steamed vegetables. My carbs consisted of oatmeal, brown rice and sometimes red skinned potatoes. I love black beans now and eat them also. The only drinks I have are water, almond milk and lemon water. All of my meat (turkey, chicken breast and fish) is baked. I also eat 5 times a day. I eat three meals and two snacks.

Once I hit 127 lbs. (57.60 kilos) that was too small for me. I began the process of gaining weight back, but not by eating unhealthy foods. I planned to build muscle instead. Now, I am up to 136-138 pounds. I am fine with this weight. I don’t mind going up in weight as long as it is not from fat. Not only do I track my weight, but more important is that I track my body fat percentage. I am at 20.2 % body fat. It took me 3 months to transform my body. I have accomplished much more than I have ever thought I would on this healthy lifestyle journey. Although this journey started out about getting my stomach down, I now have a women’s fitness specialist and fitness nutrition specialist certificate. I learned that I love to motivate individuals on their healthy lifestyle journey. At some points on this journey, we all need someone to motivate and encourage us to keep going.

I ran my first half marathon in November 2013. This is something I have never thought I would do, nor had I ever planned on running a half marathon, but I decided to challenge myself. I ran the half marathon in 2:18 with minimal training. I could have done much better if I trained for the race. I have done personal training and radio interviews. I’ve learned the importance of living this lifestyle in front of others. We never know who is watching us and who will decide to change their lifestyle because of us. One of the best feelings in the world is when someone tells you, “Because of you, I have decided to eat healthy and lose some weight.” You never know where this journey is going to take you, but as long as you continue on it through the ups and downs, good and bad times, you will accomplish what you have set out to do. Remember, living a healthy lifestyle is something you do for the rest of your life; it is not a diet. You don’t start living a healthy lifestyle today and complete it once you reach your goals. Once you reach your goals, you have to continue to do what you are doing to maintain your goal weight. If you don’t, the weight will begin to creep back on and usually you gain more than what you started with. Encouraging others is what keep me motivated and keeps me working out and eating healthy.

Check her our online: leadingbyexample.us and Facebook Group

What is HIIT?

July 7, 2014 by Ajima Jackson 1 Comment

hiit high intensity interval training

HIIT or High Intensity Interval Training is rising in popularity amongst the masses at supersonic speeds. Besides body weight training, HIIT is the top fitness trend of 2014. This upbeat, fast-paced method requires dedication, commitment, stamina, and endurance, but the results are well worth the effort.

How Is It Done?

With HIIT you alternate between high intensity exercise and less intense exercises in the same workout. Your intensity would look like hills going up and down if it was mapped out on paper. Your mix of exercises might look like this: (For example, You could alternate and do a high intensity move for 30 seconds then a medium intensity move for 30 seconds.)

High Intensity

Sprinting

Mountain Climbers

Burpees

Lunges/Squats

High Knees

Jumping Jacks

Push-ups

Medium Intensity

Jogging

Walking

Lifting Weights

Walking

Pushups

Crunches

Wall Sit

Strategically planned, high intensity intervals of are balanced with short, less active recovery periods. These spurts of energy encourage your heart rate to stay up while burning calories at record speeds. For some people who love this form of exercise, HIIT has all but eliminated traditional forms of cardio because, in half the amount of time spent in the average 30-minute or 1-hour session, HIIT training can burn more fat and calories while increasing your aerobic and anaerobic stamina. HIIT have been can help speed up your metabolism and has been scientifically proven to burn adipose tissue at least 50% more effectively than low-intensity cardio training.

Examples of HIIT Training

There is no specific form of exercise that is directly associated with HIIT Training. Anything that can be balanced between giving it all you got and taking it down a notch, is HIIT. For example, if you like to go running to stay in shape, do it with all your might for one minute, then power walk for two. Keep repeating the three minute cycle for 15 minutes- that’s HIIT.

Be sure to go through a good stretch and warm-up before getting started. You want to get your heart nice and ready for the high intensity activity rather than instantly shocking it into action. Giving it all you got will increase your body’s need for oxygen, as a result, it’s hungry for more in those recovery intervals. This is called Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption or EPOC. It opens the door for those calories and that fat to fall off more quickly than normal aerobic exercises.

You’ll find lots of free HIIT workouts on Pinterest and YouTube.

The Benefits of HIIT

Let’s start with how it works on the metabolism. As I mentioned earlier, the balance of high and low intensity interval training creates EPOC, stimulating a metabolism boost for up to 48 hours after a HIIT workout session. It’s one of the only forms of exercise that continues to work for you long after you stop working.

It Works

The fact that it can literally be done anywhere… by anyone…with any style of cardio, makes HIIT a very convenient form of training. This is an added bonus for people who don’t have the time or money to go to the gym. Your living room, backyard, even a locked office can all be the prime location for an excellent workout. Studies show that just 30 minutes of high intensity interval training done three times a week can yield more results than an agonizing hour-long run on the treadmill. Keep it up for two weeks and you’ll advance your aerobic capacity better than you would’ve with 6-8 weeks of conventional endurance. These benefits almost sound too good to be true. Part of the effectiveness behind a HIIT workout comes from your strengthened metabolism.

No Accessories Needed

You don’t have to invest in weights and expensive machinery, for most HIIT sessions, all you need is your own body. The primary focus is speeding up your heart, and keeping it active. You don’t need dumbbells to do that, but you can add wrist weight or dumbbells with moves as appropriate. It’s up to you. If running isn’t your forte, you can easily customize your HIIT routine to fit your strengths. When deciding what to do, target the areas you’d like to improve. Push-ups, sit-ups, crunches, squats, lunges, dips, jumps, and burpees can all be included in a high interval routine. If you’re creating your own regimen, be sure to rest for 30 seconds between each high-impact/low-impact interval. You can build muscle, and retain the muscles you already have without ever setting foot in the gym. There are tons of great HIIT videos on YouTube and lots of routines posted to Pinterest.

Traditional cardio done for extended periods of time puts the body in a “steady state”. It gets used to the activity, making it less and less effective the more it is repeated. HIIT introduces a shock factor that keeps your muscles reactive. As soon as it gets used to a low-intensity interval, you snatch it out of the comfort zone and kick things up a notch with a high-intensity spurt.

The convenience and results from a HIIT workout seem like a gift from above. Fortunately, you can’t argue with the facts. It’s about time something came along that will give people the body they want while working around their lifestyle. Responsibilities and demands from work, home- and everything in between- used to be an excuse for neglecting physical activity. Not any more.

Note: Before starting any exercise program, please consult with your doctor. If you have injuries that could be worsened, are pregnant, have knee issues, are suffering neck and back pain or have a chronic illness intense exercise may not be in your best interest. Don’t forget to stretch before and after working out to avoid injuries.

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Patricia lost 30 pounds

July 3, 2014 by Ajima Jackson Leave a Comment

Weight Loss Story of the Day: Patricia lost 30 pounds and went from a size 12 to a size 6 (height: 5’2″ and a half). She lost the weight by committing to not just regular exercise, but understanding why clean eating is so important. She gives God the glory and is now working to inspire others to change their lifestyle. She shared her story in great detail, so check it out.

Patricia clean eating

Patricia Nubine – “My Story”
My family and I moved to Texas 18 months ago from Seoul, South Korea. We are a retired Army family. God sent us to Houston to start a ministry. We came here by faith. It was a very difficult move. We did not have any family or friends here in Houston. We only had each other and God to lean on. We spent a great deal of time lodging in hotels and extended-stay lodging until we found our home 5 1/2 months later! Because we spent so much time in lodging we were forced to eat all of our meals out. This meant a lot of fast food restaurants.

Prior to this move I felt that I was relatively healthy I worked out and was a certified Zumba instructor. I taught classes twice a week in Korea. Eating out eventually took a toll of my health and I gained quite a bit of weight. My highest weight topped out at 180! I had not weighed this much since I was nine months pregnant 15 years ago. Once we got settled into our home we joined the YMCA in January 2013. Finding the YMCA was a God-send for my family. We had 3 teenagers with a lot of energy. Now they had a place where they could get there energy out. I was ecstatic because I had always been adamant about working out but was waiting until we got settled into our house. I love all the classed that are offered at the YMCA. Prior to this I had only taken Zumba classes. Now I had the opportunity to try an array of different classes from strength to conditioning to flexibility that I could take. I love taking Body Pump, CSI, HIIT, Ripped Pilates and so many other classes. There are too many to name. The variety helps to keep it interesting. When I first started I was very “winded” and found it difficult to move but the more I attended classes the easier it became. Soon I felt my energy coming back and by October I had lost 12 lbs. Then the holidays hit and I started eating straight through the holidays and the weight loss stopped from October to December. The good part is I never stopped working out. Scary to think how much bigger I could have been had I not been exercising. I also began to make friends at the YMCA and it was the exercise and camaraderie that kept me coming back.

A truly pivotal turn in my journey began in January 2014. I was tired of being on this roller coaster of mediocrity and I was ready to see some real change. I was in a class and the instructor made the statement “you can not keep doing the same thing and get different results.” It was like I heard it for the first time and it really resonated with me. I acknowledged that I was exercising but not following through on healthy eating. I decided to stop eating junk food at night when I came home from gym. I also knew that I needed extra help to stay focused if I was going to be successful this time around. I begged my husband for a Christmas gift of personal training. (Some more wonderful benefits of being a member of the YMCA). I did not receive the personal training gift for Christmas but my husband gave it to me anyway in January after I kept asking for it and he saw how much it meant to me. I had started taking Body Pump classes in January and loved taking Deborahʼs classes. She has a way of “preaching fitness” and motivating you that is really inspiring. So I knew I wanted to train with her. I began training with Deborah at the end of January 2014. This is where I really began to see a drastic change for the better in my fitness and health. It has been life changing.

Patricia weight loss story She told me to first get rid of processed foods and sugar. I took her very seriously and stopped eating processed foods and replaced them with healthy fruits, vegetables and whole grains and lean protein. I immediately had more energy and stamina. She also taught how to get the most out of my workouts using high intensity interval training. I love it because you can get faster results in a shorter time. The personal training that I received has made me more fit, stronger and has developed my confidence. I began to accomplish more than what I thought I could in the past. I became stronger, healthier and I began to really get leaner. The training that I received provided the tools that I had been missing from my toolbox to guarantee my success. I began to lose the weight very quickly. I lost 4.8 lbs the first week of training. By exercising smarter and eating clean 85% of the time I was able to drop 4.4% body fat in 90 days and I lowered my BMI from a 30 to a 26 in 4 short months. This year alone I have lost 20 lbs so far!! I have lost a total of over 30 pounds since I began at the YMCA last year. This year alone I have dropped from a size 12 to a size 6!! I am not dieting. I take no diet pills or diet food. I have just been consistent with my workouts and healthy eating. I now love to be challenged by things that are harder. I am enjoying the Grit Series classes right now. It came right at a time when I needed to be more challenged. I would have never saw myself being challenged this much and I love it!

This time around was so different for me. I had to lose the weight not just for myself but for the many people coming behind me that I would be mentoring. I needed to be an example of what a disciplined life looked like. If I can conquer weight then there are so many other areas that I could also conquer. In turn could show others that they could overcome obstacles that they face. I have been able to conquer negative thoughts and seeing myself in a more positive way. I have received so much encouragement and kind words from so many people at the YMCA. It really is an extended family and a community here. Many people have inspired me to continue to my goal just from the kind words. They motivate me to continue on this journey. I feel better than I have ever felt. I am happier than I have ever been and healthier than I have ever been. I have more energy than there is daylight. I am able to accomplish so much more in my day because I have the stamina to do it. I no longer need an afternoon nap. I feel better than I did two decades ago. I have more confidence than I have ever had. I feel younger and I know I do not look 46 years young! The pain that I had in my knees is now a non-issue. I no longer deal with acid reflux because of the healthy eating. There are so many things that I look forward to accomplishing as a result of my weight loss. Now, I know that I will be able to do them.

Because of the positive response I have received from so many members here at the YMCA along with questions about what I did to lose weight I am starting a health and fitness coaching blog. It is called “Eat Clean For A New You“. I want to help people who deal with the same struggles that I dealt with and sometimes still deal with. I plan on getting my personal training certification so that I can help others who feel stuck like I did. I am grateful for the opportunity to share my testimony with others that may have the same struggles that I had. My motto is I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me Philippians 4:13. I love that the principles of the YMCA line up with my personal values. My message to anyone who is on their own personal weight loss journey is do not give up. No matter how long the road may seem. A journey begins with the first step. If you make one step the other steps will follow. If you fall get back up and start again, But never ever quit.

Check her out on Facebook.

Tafara lost 60 pounds

March 13, 2014 by Ajima Jackson 5 Comments

Tafara has lost 60 pounds total, down from 207 pounds. We featured her back in Dec 2012 when she was down 51 pounds. She has maintained her weight loss and is now training for a figure competition, so you know she is getting lean. Check out her original feature to find out how she lost the weight.

Update:”Some time back, I was featured on your page. Here is an update of what I have been up to. I now weigh 67kg (147 pounds). I am more toned, full of energy and am preparing to do my first figure competition. I am also training to be a Personal Trainer and Studying for a diploma in Weight Loss Consultancy. Here is my latest pictures.

Through your inspiration I founded a group, “Weightloss Naturally“. I was so inspired by stories of determination, perseverance, struggling and finally VICTORY of women doing all sorts to stay healthy. I have had many people writing to me and wanting to know how I did it and my passion is to get more people to do what I did. Diet and exercise is my passion now and I talk to people on everyday to get them to take a look at their health and make a PERMANENT change. I have had positive feedback so far and it makes my heart swell with joy that I can help other people too.”

Photo from original post – 51 pounds down!

Update Photos: