The Truth About Circuit Training

If you're like me, sometimes being on the treadmill for an hour is just not the most appealing thing in the world. But despite the fad on cardio, there are other ways to get your heart rate just as high while burning the same calories! 

Circuit training involves completing short intervals of an exercise in a specific order at a high intensity, and then repeating the combination. The great thing about these workouts is that the most your doing an exercise for at once is a minute, so there's no way to really get bored. The high intensity bursts from the repetitive exercises keeps your heart rate up burning calories. 

Aside from not getting bored during these workouts, they usually don't last as long as your typical cardio workout which means you're out of the gym faster! Who doesn't love the sound of that? The workouts usually consist of some type of cardio burst, mixed with body weight exercises. There are circuits that involve weights, however I tend to stay away from these because I feel like all of the picking the weights up and putting them down just slows you down, which will make your heart rate decrease.

I could type all day to you about the details of circuit training, but we all know that what you want to see is what kind of circuits to do! Here are some examples of simple circuits that I think everyone can start with:

1) Run 1 minute, sprint 30 seconds, 15 push ups, 20 jumping jacks, 20 walking lunges (repeat 3-5 times)

2) 20 step ups, 25 jumping jacks, 15 switch lunges, 25 mountain climbers (repeat 3-5 times)

3) 20 push ups, 10 assisted pull ups, high knees for 1 minute, 15 jumping sumo lunges (repeat 3-5 times)

The combination of any 2 of these can make a complete workout for your day! I hope you try them out and enjoy!

The Underestimated Cardio Workout

When it comes to cardio, you'll most likely hear a different opinion from every person about what's the best and what's the worst. But that's only because we really all find something unique that works for our interests and our lifestyle.

One big thing people tend to go to is running, which I am all for. I think that running is a great cardio workout and enjoy running whenever I can - but the thing is not everyone is physically able to run, whether it be injuries or other reasons as well. 

I truly believe that spinning is one of the best cardio choices for almost everyone. Besides how fun it can be with the right teacher and good music, the exercise is extremely low impact which provides benefit for people with back, knee, or really any type of injury when doing other types of exercise. In addition to that, the exercise can be as intense or leisurely as you make it, which really is perfect for any fitness level being a beginner or advanced. Another benefit to spinning is that classes range from 45 minutes to an hour depending on the studio, so if you feel like you couldn't go for an entire hour there's a class for you too! 

My favorite local spinning studio is The Cycle Loft, in Greensboro NC. Not only do they have a great range of times for classes, but also different teachers to mix it up. The prices and packages offered are great too, which is definatly a benefit for me being a college student on a budget. There are tons of cycling studios all over NC, and the entire country, which can be easily located through any search engine. Check a class out and let me know what you think! I promise you won't be disapointed and will be waiting to go back for more!

Sweets, Sugar & Candy

It's that time of the year again, where candy bowls start to appear at every corner we turn, every type of pumpkin baked good fill people's kitchens, and sweets become just that much more tempting.

It almost feels like this period of dangerous temptations starts now and really goes all through winter. I personally am a sweets-a-holic and now through January is the hardest time of the year for me to say no. What i've learned through many, many pumpkin cookies, breads, pies, and a few pounds I wish hadn't came along with them, is that if you take the time, there still is a way to enjoy fall and the entire holiday season without all the guilt and calories, with some lighter recipes and tips for when you do want to indulge on a pumpkin spice latte.

First, let's conquer the biggest obstacle of it all - the deadly Starbucks seasonal drinks (that don't have to be so deadly! - The thing about these drinks is portion control and making it as light as possible, number one rule is always get a tall, I promise it is all you'll need and a taste is more then enough with these seasonal drinks. The last thing - always ask for skim milk or for it "skinny",  and hold the whipped cream (just this can save you 50 calories alone!)

I personally love to bake everything and anything that's a cookie, bread, cupcake, brownie, you name it i'll bake (and eat) it. Over time I have come across a few favorites of fall recipes with a lighter twist so I don't have to miss out on the seasonal fun, but don't have to feel guilty either. Check these recipes out, and hopefully they can help you too have a guilt free yet delicious fall:

Gluten Free Apple Crisp : http://cookieandkate.com/2014/healthy-gluten-free-apple-crisp/

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies : http://civilizedcavemancooking.com/recipes/desserts/chocolate-chip-pumpkin-cake-cookies/

Oatmeal Pumpkin Spice Bread : http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Oatmeal-Pumpkin-Spice-Bread-Recipe-22071355

Healthier Pumpkin Pie : http://www.sugarfreemom.com/recipes/healthier-pumpkin-pie-low-calorie-low-sugar/

*For any recipe listed - Any flour can be replaced with almond flour/meal (ground up almonds, adds a big nutritional benefit while making it gluten free), & any sugar can be replaced with Splenda, Stevia, or agave to cut calories even more!*

You might be thinking - "these healthy desserts probably taste gross, I would rather just eat the real thing", and if that's the case that's fine! Everyone has different preferences, just always try to keep portion control in mind. Try some recipes out - you might surprise yourself with the results!