Pump up your progress with rut-busting tempo training. You’ll pace yourself through an interval burst, followed by active recovery. When it comes to exercise, slow and steady DOESN’T win the race. Instead, think SHORT WORKOUTS, BIG RESULTS! Here’s what happens to your body when you incorporate tempo training into your routine…

• Your belly will get flatter, faster
• You’ll slash your risk of diabetes
• Your heart will get healthier and stronger
• Your body will get more defined and you’ll have more strength
• Your bone density will increase

But the real WOW factor behind tempo training is its ability to reverse the declining ability of our cells to create energy. A recent study conducted by Mayo Clinic found that in a group of older volunteers, pace training boosted the ability of the mitochondria within cells to generate energy by 69%.

This is important, because as you age, your mitochondrial activity declines, which can diminish the size and ability of your muscles to burn excess blood sugar… putting you at risk for diabetes. But, this study found that after three months of interval training, participants experienced the mitochondria functions found in young people.

Ready to beat boredom, save time and up the ante? Check out this [10-MINUTE] Tempo Training routine!

Nobody has time to spend hours at a gym, but a recent study shows that people who completed a 7-minute bodyweight circuit daily experienced significant changed in their body. After only six weeks, their body fat dropped an average of 2.1%, and lost approximately four pounds of fat mass….without changing their diet.  Resistance exercises can help boost lean body mass and help burn fat.

Want to try it for yourself? Check out this 10-minute resistance training workout designed for toning up, and shedding fat!

It’s important to realize that although incorporating bodyweight exercises is an excellent start, you’ll receive even better results when  provide your body with healthy nutrients and eat a sensible, sustainable diet. If you’re on a mission to lose weight, I recommend replacing at least one meal a day with one of these slimdown shake recipes. 

Ingredients:
1 cup kale or spinach
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 serving vanilla or chocolate protein powder
1/2 frozen banana
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
1/4 teaspoon freshly minced ginger
1 Tbsp chia seeds
1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:
Blend all ingredients together, and enjoy!

What I find during the holidays is that with everything going on, it’s easy to go full-steam ahead in the morning, and then quickly feel your energy slipping, and get lazy after lunchtime. You know how it goes…your mind starts wandering, your brain gets foggy, and you find yourself begging for a nap.

One of my favorite ways to spark my energy is to head into the snowy outdoors with my family! The pic above is me and my oldest daughter Kate Grace and I enjoying one of our favorite activities….butt sledding! We hike up a mountain, and then sled all the way down!

If you’re feeling sluggish in the afternoon, don’t worry…it’s pretty natural. Lona Sandon, RD, MEd, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association and an assistant professor of nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center says, “There seems to be a natural rhythm or set clock in our bodies, so many people tend to feel a little sleepy around 2 or 3 in the afternoon.”

But don’t let your circadian rhythms be an excuse! Your habits throughout the day can also cause you to feel a crash in energy.

So if you’re in need of an energy spark, here are my 3 top techniques for full-body energizing…

• Squeeze Time

  Lie down flat on your back, with your palms turned upward. Beginning on the left side, inhale and contract and tense your foot.  Squeeze and hold for 5 seconds and then exhale and release.  Repeat on the right foot and follow that pattern all the way up your body (from foot to calf to thigh, etc).  Inhaling, squeezing, exhaling and releasing – and go all the way from toe to head!

• Full-Body Explosion 

  Then, do a full-body squeeze: Tense all your muscles at once, from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet, and hold it for about 5 seconds.  Release, take a few breaths, repeat the “full-body squeeze” two or three more times and head out the door.  Trust me – after this little rejuvenating exercise, you’ll be ready to go!

• See Things Upside Down

Lie on your back with your legs straight up the wall. If possible, have your sitbones touching the wall. Soften your belly and relax your inner groin. Then, take long, deep breaths, and hold for one minute, focusing on stillness and letting go.  This pose is the queen of yoga poses when it comes to  rejuvenating.

1 – Set Your Oven to 350 – Science shows that watching a treat rise in the oven is emotionally therapeutic. Plus, it boosts your confidence and you feel more accomplished when your goodies are ready to eat. For a double boost of happiness, share your creation with coworkers or neighbors. Where to begin? Try a few of my favorite recipes…Protein Brownies or Frittata Muffins

2 – Walk or Bike to Work – Traffic can be a real drain on your happiness. If changing your commute is possible, try walking or biking to work, because research shows that you’ll arrive feeling more cheerful! If it’s not in the cards for you to avoid traffic, then try listening to a podcast on your way to keep your brain stimulated during the drive.

3 – Cha Cha! – Shake it baby, shake it! A study from the University of Derby showed that depressed patients who took salsa lessons improved their moods. Click here for a 5-minute salsa video from my Latin Rhythm workout!

4 – Take It In – At the top of every hour, try this simple breathing exercise to lower your heart rate… Breathe in through your nose for four counts, hold your breath for one and exhale through your mouth.

5 – Pay It Forward – Treating the person in line behind you at the coffee shop can give you a bigger happiness boost than only paying for your own tab. Spending just $5 on another person can make a significant difference in your mood…and it will make them happier too!

6 – Do A Shot – Take a shot of my favorite ginger tea to stimulate the body and wake up on the bright side! Ginger root has been used for centuries to aid in better digestion, plus it’s a natural anti-inflammatory. Simply boil a cup of hot water, squeeze in a lemon, and add in a few few cubes of freshly-chopped ginger. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper!

7 – Walk Barefoot – Before breakfast, I enjoy a nature walk barefoot in the grass (I call this “grounding”). As silly as it sounds, studies have shown that grounding has remarkable health advantages, such as increasing antioxidants and reducing inflammation.

8 – Put On Your Party Pants –  Dressing up and making yourself look polished tells your brain that you’re valuable. So take out those heels and go out for a girls night on the town!

9 – Get It Om – According to Harvard, “Studies show that in the minutes right after meditating, we experience feelings of calm and contentment, as well as heightened awareness and empathy. And, research even shows that regular meditation can permanently rewire the brain to raise levels of happiness, lower stress, even improve immune function.”

10 – Take a Wonder Drug – I call cardio a “wonder drug,” because it is proved just as helpful as anti-depressants. And, cardio activities such as running, cycling, rowing, using an elliptical, or hiking outdoors release a whole flood of endorphins and feel-good chemicals into the brain. When you do cardio, you activate the same parts of the brain that are involved when you fall in love, or when you listen to music that gives you that “chill” feeling of euphoria.