Body Blog: A Little Bit Goes a Long Way

By Jackelyn

Have you ever stayed up all night studying for a final? Blood shot eyes, empty coffee cups, pages and pages of notes…you know, the works. Do you remember sitting there wishing you had diligently studied all semester long, gone to class or stayed awake during the Powerpoint presentation?

Yeah, me too.
Every. damn. semester.

Well, I’m here to let you know that just like studying, the same goes for good health and fitness. We can’t expect to do crash diets or spend 3 hours at the gym on one day to achieve our goal body. There’s no way that’s healthy or realistic. Just like school, it takes a little effort every single day in order to see maximum results. And with Spring Break and summer just a few months away, if you want to feel beach body confident by semester’s end you have to start now.

The secret to having the body you want is actually pretty simple. If you know and understand these three key factors in exercising, you’re off to a very good start.

1. Cardiovascular exercise burns off the layer of fat covering your six pack. You gotta get that heart a-pumping and that sweat a-drippin’ if you want to see some real results! The professionals recommend at least 20-30 minutes of cardio, 3-5 times a week. No, that does not include walking to your kitchen and back. Jump roping there? Okay, now we’re talking.

2. Incorporate strength training or weight bearing exercises into your fitness routine. Sure your abs are hidden somewhere in there, but in order to get them peeking through you have to work on strengthening them. Crunches or sit-ups are a great start! As you get more advanced in your routine, try incorporating full body planks or moves that create muscle confusion, like these challenging (and rewarding!) ab blasters.

3. Muscle burns more calories than fat! This is why #2 is muy importante. Muscles take more energy to function, therefore burning more calories even when you’re not doing anything. If you can build up lean muscle mass, then you are guaranteed to get more from your cardio workouts.

Of course there are more things to ensure a proper fitness routine, but if you want to get started in the right direction, these are the three things you must understand. Combined with a healthy diet, you are on the fast track to your dream body.

I know there are times when you’re going to feel like bingeing (these super cheesy, extra oily fries aren’t THAT bad at 2am, right?) or skipping the gym for a day (or week), but keep in mind how hard you’re working and why you’re doing this. Keep enjoying your life, but vow to make some healthier choices. Whether it be taking the stairs instead of the elevator or banning yourself from the kitchen after 10pm, simply making one change every day gets you closer and closer to your goal.

– Wanna get started? Check out some of my workouts here. I’ll be back next week with more! Tweet me your requests @jackelynho!