Love Notes by Jari Love

Cardio Moves That Aren’t Running

by Jari Love

The cardio workout anti-runners will love.

We don’t all need to slap a 13.1 sticker on the back of our cars to feel good about a tough workout. In fact, contrary to what many runners would have you believe, running isn’t a requirement for staying healthy. 

While running has many benefits, if you’re just looking to keep your heart healthy while attaining a toned physique, any exercise (or series of exercises) will do. All that’s necessary is sustaining said exercises for a prolonged period of time. 

How long, you ask? 

That depends. Most “cardio workouts” typically last 30 to 60 minutes, but if you ramp up the intensity — à la high-intensity interval training or Tabata workouts — you can get a killer workout in as little as 20 minutes or less. 

To give it a try, choose any four of the 16 following exercises. Perform each exercise as a Tabata: putting in all-out effort for 20 seconds of work, then 10 seconds rest, for eight sets. Each Tabata lasts four minutes. Rest one minute between Tabatas. 

After this 20-minute workout, check back in. I guarantee you’ll be sweaty, tired and out of breath. The perfect cardio solution — no running required. 

1. Inchworms

From a standing position, roll your torso forward and reach your hands to the ground. Walk your hands out in front of you until your body forms a plank, then reverse the movement and return to standing. 

Bonus: Add a push-up at the bottom. 

2. Mountain climbers

Start in a plank position, then bend one knee, drawing it to your chest and planting the ball of the same foot in a forward position. In one movement, hop both feet into the air, supporting your weight on your palms and switching the position of your legs. Extend the bent knee and bend the extended knee. Continue hopping your feet back and forth as fast as you can. 

3. Burpees

Stand tall, feet hip-distance apart, knees slightly bent. Bend forward, plant your palms on the ground just in front of your feet and hop your feet backward in a single movement to a plank position. Immediately hop your feet forward again and return to standing. 

Bonus: Add a push-up when you’re in the plank position and add a jump as you return to standing. 

4. Broad jumps

Stand with your feet hip-distance apart, knees slightly bent, your weight in your heels. Squat down, pressing your hips back as you swing your arms behind you. Then in a powerful movement, press from your heels through the balls of your feet as you swing your arms forward and jump as far forward as you possibly can, landing softly on your heels with your knees bent. Turn around and immediately do another broad jump back to start. 

5. Squat jumps

The squat jump is just like the broad jump, but instead of jumping as far as you can, you’re jumping as high as you can. Make sure you’re using proper jumping form and landing with “soft” knees — slightly bent to absorb the impact. 

6. Grapevine

Takin’ you back to your elementary school dance curriculum. Simply step out laterally with your right foot, cross your left foot in front, step out again with your right foot and cross your left foot behind. Immediately reverse the movement, leading with your left foot. Continue “grapevining” back and forth. 

7. Side shuffles

Like the grapevine, you’re moving laterally to the left and right, but this time you’re not crossing your legs as you move back and forth. Step to the right with your right foot and bring your left foot to meet it, then step to the right again. Shuffle a few steps to the right, then reverse and shuffle back to the left. 

8. Washing machine hops

Stand with your feet together, knees slightly bent. Bend your elbows and clench your fists, holding them in front of your body. Hop into the air and twist your legs and hips to the right while keeping your torso facing forward, landing with your feet together and knees bent. Immediately jump into the air and twist your legs and hips all the way to the left. Continue twisting your lower body from left to right repeatedly. 

9. Skaters

Stand with knees bent in an athletic position, your arms in front of your body. Step to the right with your right foot and cross your left foot back and behind the right foot as you swing your left arm down to the ground to touch your right foot. Immediately reverse the movement, hopping to the left and leading with your left foot. But, this time cross your right foot behind your left, reaching across and down with your right hand to touch your left foot. Continue this “speed skating” motion from left to right. Remember to keep your core tight and torso straight to protect your low back. 

10. Jumping jacks

You know how to do these! Hop both legs outward from your midline while swinging your arms out and over your head, then hop your feet back to center as you swing your arms back down to your sides. Continue jumping as fast as you can. 

11. Frog push-up to low squat

This one’s a toughie! Get down on your hands and knees, planting the balls of your feet on the ground. Press through your feet and palms, lifting your knees from the ground. Bend your elbows into a mini push-up as you simultaneously rotate your hips outward from midline, almost like a frog, pointing your knees out to the sides. 

Press yourself back up, then hop your feet forward — outside your palms — picking your hands up off the ground to enter into a low squat position. Hold for a second, then return to start. 

12. Bear crawl

This one starts just like the frog push-up. Balance on the balls of your feet and your palms, your knees just off the ground. Maintaining this position, step forward with one hand, then one foot, then your other hand and other foot, crawling forward with your knees off the ground while your back remains low and flat (Don’t let your butt point up to the sky!). Take several steps forward, then several steps backward and continue. 

13. Crab walk

Flip that bear crawl over for the crab walk. Balance on your palms and feet, your butt off the ground and take several steps forward, then several steps back.

14. March and twist

Stand tall and march in place — high knees, please! — while simultaneously twisting your torso. Aim to touch your opposite elbow to the knee you’re lifting. 

15. Hacky sacks

Remember hacky sacks? Pretend you’re playing a game without the ball itself. As you lift one leg, rotate your knee outward so the inside of your foot crosses in front of the standing leg. Reach down to tap the inside of your lifted foot with the opposite hand. Lower your foot to the ground and repeat on the opposite side. Try to pick up your pace and hop from side to side as you perform the exercise. 

16. Cross jacks

Very similar to traditional jumping jacks, cross jacks are exactly what they sound like: jumping jacks with a cross-body component. Start with your arms and legs spread wide like a star fish, then hop your feet toward your midline, crossing your left foot in front of your right as you simultaneously cross your left arm in front of your right. Reverse the movement: Hop back to start, then hop inward again. This time crossing your right leg in front of your left and your right arm over your left.

 via sheknows.com

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Why Is Sugar So Bad for Us?

by Jari Love

Sugar is an addiction, and the worst part is most of us don’t even know how much sugar we are ingesting during the day. Sugar somehow sneaks into all kinds of products. Baked goods and desserts are of course obvious culprits, but what about your cereals, yogurts, granola bars, breads, soups, dressings and pasta sauces? If your food is coming out of a box, bag, jar or wrapper chances are it has hidden sugar. Let’s get rid of our processed foods and switch to whole fresh foods!

 Sugar contains no essential nutrients. We all know it contributes to weight gain, but did you also know that high sugar consumption has been linked to chronic and debilitating diseases like diabetes, cancer, liver disease and even heart disease? There is no doubt that in excess highly processed and refined sugars can significantly damage our bodies’ systems and can suppress our immune systems lowering our chances of fighting off colds, flu and other viruses.

 Not only does it promote rapid fat storage, here are sugar’s other dirty little secrets:

• Sugar weakens Your immune system
• Sugar causes insulin resistance
• Sugar is as addictive as hard drugs
• Sugar speeds up the aging process
• Sugar raises your risk of disease
• Sugar is empty calories 

The good news is you don’t have to give up sweet things entirely. There are many wholesome sweeteners available like fruit, stevia, raw coconut sugar, and raw honey. Just remember because these sweeteners are higher in nutrients and lower on the glycemic index than white or brown sugar doesn’t mean you get a free pass to eat as much as you want. Add these sweeteners sparingly to enjoy their health benefits.

Try this make ahead dairy and sugar free Banana-Peach ice cream with raspberry sauce to keep in the freezer for the next time you are craving something a little sweet. 

Raspberry sauce

1 cup raspberries

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1tsp coconut sugar (optional)

1 tbs chia seeds 

1. Puree all ingredients together in high speed mixer until smooth. Pour into serving jug and refrigerate at least 4 hours (this will give the sauce time to thicken), if you are short on time you can still use the sauce, but it will be runnier than the chilled version.

Banana-Peach ice cream

4 very ripe bananas

1 ripe peach

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

 1 Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth. Transfer to a container and keep in the freezer until needed. Serve with raspberry sauce.

 ENJOY!

 Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Benefits of Eating Clean

by Jari Love

What does it mean to eat clean? Here’s an even better question: What really happens to your body when you jump on the clean eating bandwagon?

 Clean eating is a buzzword that you have seen used by celebrities and thrown around in hashtags on Facebook. Simply put, clean eating means: Don’t eat crap. “Crap” may be defined as processed foods, grain-fed meats, dairy, starchy carbohydrates and sugar, depending on which diet you ascribe to.

 Clean eating can be as complicated as you make it. For me, clean eating translates to eating fresh, whole foods (with as many vegetables as possible), making every meal count with high-quality nutrients and, of course, cutting the crap.

 More than a year after drastically changing my diet, I can personally vouch for 10 unexpected clean eating “side effects”:

1. Better mood

While I still struggle with mood swings at a certain time of the month, my overall outlook and general happiness have improved after cleaning up my diet. As Drew Ramsey, M.D., The Happiness Diet co-author and assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University, explains in Yoga Journal, how you feel is directly affected by what you eat. He says, “Emotions begin in biology, with two nerve cells rubbing together, and those nerve cells are made of nutrients in food.”

2. Boundless energy

Here’s all the proof you need: Even as a working mother of two toddlers, my energy soared after I quit eating processed foods. Devon D. Herndon, L.P.C.C., L.A.D.A.C., N.B.C.T., C.P.T., of BeMeBetter cites an energy boost as one of the prime outcomes of eating clean, saying, “If you are chronically exhausted or experience a post-lunch midday slump, it could very well be your diet. Diets that are high in refined sugar and carbs cause dramatic spikes in blood sugar. They might provide a temporary surge in energy, but it is followed by a crash.”

3. Deeper sleep

Eat better, sleep deeper — what more can you ask for? The Balanced Brunette explains, “Vitamins and minerals found in whole foods will allow your body to regulate hormonal function throughout the day and promote deeper sleep at night. Eating healthy foods will also calm your nervous system and trigger a sleep-inducing hormonal response which helps you rest better at night.”

4. Fewer cravings

From personal experience, I can tell you that clean eating takes a while to get used to, but the longer you do it, the better your body responds. Sugar and carbohydrate cravings may be a struggle at the outset, but months later, you’ll find it hard to muster up a taste for a sweet treat.

5. Flat stomach

When asked about the good side effects of clean eating on the Bodybuilding forum, user Ayekay put feeling leaner and less bloated at the top of his list. In translation, if you want your pants to fit better, load up your plate with Mother Nature’s foods.

6. Gorgeous hair

Looking for long, luscious locks that would make a Pantene model jealous? The Lean Clean Eating Machine says that plant-based foods are the secret — specifically, radishes, pumpkin seeds, dulse and carrots.

7. Higher self-esteem

What are the pros of clean eating? One Redditor keeps it short and sweet: “I feel better about myself, [along with] knowing I’m getting all the goodness of micronutrients.”

8. Perfect poop

Sorry, but I had to go there. As Wellness Mama points out, bowel movements are a prime indicator of your inner health. Clean eating yields cleaner poop with a digestive tract that is neither moving too fast nor too slow.

9. Radiant skin

Your skin is the largest organ in your body, and refined sugar is its enemy. The Clean Eating Survival Guide stresses that a no sugar diet is the number one rule for a clear complexion.

10. Raging libido

According to Cosmo, Gwyneth Paltrow attributed the state of her union to her clean living. Though dear Gwynnie is now consciously uncoupled, research still proves that nutrient-rich foods, like asparagus and watermelon, can help to heat things up in between the sheets.

 via sheknows.com

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Steps to Eliminate Belly Fat for Good

by Jari Love

Belly fat is something that a lot of people complain about. Why? There are the obvious reasons, such as the fact that it is unattractive and unhealthy, and then there are the less obvious reasons. For instance, belly fat is some of the toughest fat to eliminate from the body.

When you start to understand how and why the body places fat around the abdominal area, however, it can help you to begin to get rid of it “for good”.

The body uses the calories or energy (same thing) that you consume in a few ways. The energy that it gets from fat is something it knows how to use up (burn) almost immediately. The energy that comes from carbohydrates might head directly into storage. This ends up as fat around the body and even on the organs of the trunk or midsection.

Considering the source of calories is a useful way to almost immediately reduce the chances for midsection fat storage. Cut your daily caloric intake of carbohydrates to around 40% or less of total calories.

Do BOTH cardio and strengthening. A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that a lot of cardio is the best way to blast belly fat, but the truth is that people with a higher volume of muscle will always burn calories as they exercise and for a much longer period of time afterward. So, when you want to really tap into any stored fat (whether visible or visceral) you will want to work on strengthening as well as cardio.

Go for fiber in the daily diet. Studies have shown that people who begin consuming around ten grams of soluble fiber each day (and without making any other changes in their diets) will become far less likely to develop belly fat. That translates to a large apple, a handful of cooked beans, or a full cup of peas.

Get more sleep and less stress. Though this has very little to do with diet and exercise, if you are not properly rested and living with too much stress, it will trigger the body to store fat. This is the type of fat that usually appears on organs and the midsection.

So, with just a few fairly simple facts, you can begin to make the changes needed to eliminate belly fat, and keep it off forever.

Source: Martin, Laura J., “How to Lose Belly Fat”, WebMD

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

What’s Better for Weight Loss: Diet or Exercise?

by Jari Love

When you set your sights on weight loss, the formula seems easy: work out more, eat less. But a new study in the International Journal of Epidemiology shows that it might be more about what you eat, putting truth to the idiom “abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym.”

In 2013, researchers from Loyola University began looking into the relative power of diet and exercise as they relate to moving the scale. They thought they’d discover that exercise would prove to be a crucial component for weight loss. Two years later, though, the science shows that the largest driver behind obesity is not how sedentary people are but instead how poor their diet is.

“Physical activity is crucially important for improving overall health and fitness levels, but there is limited evidence to suggest that it can blunt the surge in obesity,” the study authors explained. Why? The more you work out, the more your appetite increases.

Of course, this new Loyola study isn’t the first to come to this conclusion. Research has consistently shown for years now that exercise doesn’t necessarily lead to weight loss. In a meta-analysis published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics last year, for example, researchers found that people only lost noticeable weight if they combined exercise and calorie restriction.

This is the problem with most weight-loss advice, the Loyola researchers said, which often puts statements like “take the stairs instead of the elevator” or “walk 10,000 steps a day” on par with calorie restriction. Study authors Richard S. Cooper, M.D., and Amy Luke, Ph.D., said they’re not trying to drive people away from fitness, but rather expose problems with current health campaigns. Take this new one funded by Coca-Cola—it (falsely!) emphasizes exercise over a healthy diet.

But don’t you dare drop your gym membership! Being active has a ton of benefits that go far beyond what the scale says. Increasing your strength and endurance has been shown to help prevent cancer, improve mental health, help diabetes, and help you live longer. Plus, research shows that dieters who exercise are better able to maintain weight loss and are also able to lose fat while keeping valuable muscle. You just need to make sure you’re logging your gym time and your food intake.

via shape.com

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Heart Rate Training and Working Heart Rate Zones

by Jari Love

 Why is Heart Rate Training Effective?

Your heart is the most important muscle in your body. It is always functioning and maintaining itself. In most people, the heart operates at a fairly low level every day, but as with any muscle, regular exercise over time can increase its capacity to deal with more tasks with less strain.

Heart rate is an indicator of how hard you are working because it has a direct correlation with oxygen consumption (% VO2 max) when exercising. Monitoring your heart rate during exercise and training within specific heart rate zones will allow you to know more accurately what intensity you are working at, and allow you to exercise much more efficiently (less time!).

We know that as exercise intensity changes (through a combination of adjusting resistance and cadence) there is a linear increase in VO2R and heart rate. This is why monitoring heart rate is such an effective way to determine training intensity.  Heart rate monitors have made the ability for the average person to do this.

Determining Maximum Heart Rate
Heart rate training requires you to know your maximum heart rate (HRmax), which is the maximum number of times the heart can beat in one minute. The physiological testing that is required to obtain a true measure of HRmax is expensive and requires an individual to perform exercise at a maximal effort – not everybody wants to do this.

Fortunately, there’s an alternate way to determine HRmax through maximum heart rate prediction formulas, which are based on regression equations. It’s important to note that there are multiple formulas available to determine your HRmax and few researchers and exercise physiologists can agree on the best one.  Although using a standard formula will results in a degree of error due to genetic and gender differences, it is still a great way to get an approximation of where your heart rate should be for each of the heart rate training zones.

When it comes to group exercise, the most common and widely used Age Predicted HRmax Formula is:  HRmax = 220 – your age

Example:  An individual who is 43 years old would have an age predicted HRmax of 177bpm.  Answer: 220 – 43 = 177bpm

Checking Your Heart Rate as You Train

An excellent way to monitor exercise intensity is to take your pulse periodically by pressing lightly on your radial artery (the thumb side of your wrist, between the tendon and the bone). Use your index and middle fingers to exert pressure just light enough to feel the artery throb as your heart beats. Count the number of times your heart beats over 10 seconds and multiply by 6 to get your heart rate.

For a more accurate measurement, consider getting a heart rate monitor. These days, you will find that heart rate monitors are relatively inexpensive and are easy to use. In addition to its greater precision in measuring your heart rate, it can also act as a motivational tool during your workout sessions.

Heart rate monitors consist of a transmitter that fits around your chest area and a wireless receiver that is worn like a regular wristwatch. Using a heart rate monitor is an effective way to stay within specific heart rate zones during workouts. Instead of relying on guesswork, you will know exactly how you are performing and if you need to slow down or step things up.

 Heart Rate Training Zones

There are five heart rate zones that go from least to most intense. Each target heart zone is expressed as a certain percentage of your maximum heart rate.  Exercising within your target heart rate is a great way to make sure that you are not under-training or overtraining, and serves as one of the best guidelines for achieving personal fitness goals. Heart Rate Zone training will get you on the fast track to fitness success.

Determining Heart Rate Training Zones

In order to take advantage of exercising within heart zones, you will need to determine the heart rates that correspond to the different training intensities. Using the chart below as a guide, calculate your heart rate training zones using your HRmax.

Next, you will simply join the percentages together in order to determine your heart rate training zones.  Copy the chart below into a notebook that you can keep with you while you are training.

 Example:  An individual who is 43 years old would have an age predicted HRmax of 177bpm (220 – 43 = 177bpm).  Their charts would look like this:

 Zone 1 – Healthy Heart Zone – Getting Fit!

• In this zone, you stay at 50% to 60% of your maximum heart rate; this is gentle exertion
• When working in Zone 1, your Rate of Perceived of Exertion (RPE) on a scale of 1-10 (10 being maximal effort) should be approximately 2-3 out of 10.
• Fuels burned in Zone 1:  10% carbohydrates, 60-85% fat and 5% protein.
• This is not a hot calorie-burning pace: you only burn ± 5 calories per minute.
•  In this zone you’re at 55-65% maximum aerobic capacity (VO² Max, a body’s maximum capacity to carry and use oxygen during exercise).

Five things to know about Zone 1:

• Even at this comfortable pace, the health payoff is huge: a Zone 1 workout lowers blood pressure, builds muscle mass, reduces body fat, improves our immune system and cholesterol levels, and lowers your heart attack risk.
• Most of the calories burned in this zone, even though you won’t burn a huge number, are fat calories. That’s a good thing.
• This is a safe zone, so it’s ideal for inactive people trying to become more active.
• To get the benefits of working in Zone 1, you must spend at least 10 minutes in the zone every day.
• You will feel fatigue after a time in Zone 1 because your energy and fluids are being depleted. Drink water!

Zone 2 – Temperate Zone – Staying Fit!

• In this zone, you work at 60-70% of your maximum heart rate.
• When working in Zone 2, your RPE on a scale of 1-10 (10 being maximal effort) should be approximately 3-5 out of 10.
• Fuels burned in Zone 2:  10% carbohydrates, 50-80% fat and 5% protein.
• You burn ±10 calories in Zone 2 – twice as many as in Zone 1.
• In Zone 2 you’re at 66-75% VO² Max.

Five things to know about Zone 2:

• This is the level at which most people exercise every day – a moderate and comfortable zone.
• You’re still burning mostly fat calories in Zone 2 – more than in Zone 1 – and building muscle mass at the same time.
• With more muscle mass, you burn more calories even when you’re inactive.
• The more you train in Zone 2, the more efficient your body gets at using fat for energy, because your fat-burning enzymes are more active overall.
• When you develop more stamina, you’ll be able to use Zone 2 as a recovery zone or a long, slow endurance zone.

Zone 3 – Aerobic Zone – Getting Fitter!

• In Zone 3, you’re working at 70-80% of your maximum heart rate.
• When working in Zone 3, your RPE on a scale of 1-10 (10 being maximal effort) should be approximately 5-7 out of 10.
• Fuels burned in Zone 3:  60% carbohydrates, 35% fat and 5% protein.
• Your calorie burn in Zone 3 increases slightly to ±13 per minute.
• In Zone 3 you are at 76-80% VO² Max.

Five things to know about Zone 3:

• This zone is the “sweet spot” of training; it’s where you get the most benefits in the least amount of time.
• You’re in good company here; this is the zone where high-performance athletes will spend most of their time.
• In Zone 3 the emphasis of calories being burned shifts from fat calories to carbohydrates.
• Two major benefits of working in Zone 3: here your body builds resistance to fatigue, and you improve your VO² Max.
• The body can only hold so many carbohydrates needed for energy, so it’s important to make sure you are getting adequate nutrition before long periods of Zone 3 training, or any work in Zones 4 or 5.

Zone 4 – Threshold Zone – Getting Even More Fit!

• In Zone 4, you’re working at 80-90% of your maximum heart rate.
• When working in Zone 4, your RPE on a scale of 1-10 (10 being maximal effort) should be approximately 7-9 out of 10.
• Fuels burned in Zone 4:  80% carbohydrates, 15% fat and 5% protein.
• The calorie burn increases only slightly again in Zone 4, to ±15 per minute.
• In Zone 4 you are at 81-90% VO² Max.

Five things to know about Zone 4:

• Benefits of working in Zone 4 include increased aerobic and anaerobic energy pathways, a higher anaerobic threshold, a better oxygen transport system and higher lactic acid clearance.
• For most fit athletes, Zone 4 is an anaerobic threshold – the point at which oxygen is consumed more than it’s delivered. Also, your body produces lactic acid faster than it can be metabolized in this zone.
• Training at or just below the anaerobic threshold allows your body to buffer, recycle and clear waste from lactic acid production. For that reason, endurance athletes work to get their anaerobic threshold as high as possible.
• Your body transports oxygen better in Zone 4.
• This is the maximum sustainable heart rate; staying at this threshold for too long may cause your arms and legs to feel rubbery and your breathing to become shallow and erratic.  Make sure you know your limits!

Zone 5 – Red Line Zone – Getting Fittest!

• In Zone 5, you’re working at 90-100% of your maximum heart rate.
• When working in Zone 5, your RPE on a scale of 1-10 (10 being maximal effort) should be approximately 9-10 out of 10.
• Fuels burned in Zone 5: 90% carbohydrates, 5% fat and 5% protein.
• Calories burn at a rate of ±20 per minute in Zone 5.
• In Zone 5 you are at 91-100% VO² Max.

Five things to know about Zone 5:

• Benefits of working in Zone 5 include increased anaerobic energy sources, better speed and improved neuromuscular coordination.
•  Zone 5 workouts are very difficult but they sharpen muscle efficiency and coordination.
• If you’re running a race, you would use Zone 5 to break away from the pack early, or to finish a long run with a sprint.
•  You cannot work in Zone 5 for sustained periods without slowing for a breather; you will fatigue quickly.
• Too much time spent training in a Zone 5 may increase your risk of injury and becoming over-trained.  When it comes to Zone 5, think quality over quantity!

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Weird (But Proven) Benefits of Exercise

by Jari Love

It’s widely known that exercise leads to weight loss, better sleep, stronger bones, reduced chronic pain and cuts the risk of diseases including diabetes and cancer. However, science shows that there are also unexpected, but medically proven, benefits to exercise.

A sedentary lifestyle is associated with an increased risk of gallstones (ouch!). But endurance-type exercise five times per week can prevent 34 percent of cases of symptomatic gallstones.

Numerous studies indicate that exercise can reduce the symptoms of depression. People who exercise also tend to have high self-esteem, improved quality of life and better rates of happiness. Scientists don’t know the exact mechanism, but exercise may trigger the brain to generate serotonin and endorphins that help with mental well-being.

Painful periods can be debilitating, but exercise can decrease the intensity of the pain — as well as decrease the use of sedating pain medications.

Exercise helps curb withdrawal symptoms and cravings. One study found that even people who smoked for more than 20 years were able to quit smoking through cognitive-behavioral therapy and exercising only 40 minutes three times per week. Another benefit? Former smokers who exercise can minimize post-smoking cessation weight gain.

Exercise coupled with a healthy diet can fight a variety of skin conditions, including psoriasis. It may not necessarily be the increased blood flow which has the positive effect — it could be the impact of weight loss.

A very specific type of exercise — pelvic floor muscle training, known commonly at Kegel exercises — can actually improve or even cure urinary incontinence in women. Yes, I’m still counting it as exercise.

Exercise has been associated with improved cognitive function in young adults; and newer research shows it can improve daily activities (like showering, dressing and mobility) in older adults who already have dementia.

So, what is the best type of exercise routine? The one that you stick to on a regular basis.

via sheknows.com

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Drink up Buttercup

by Jari Love

How much water should you drink?

“Drink up buttercup” is not just a saying for Friday after work. In Calgary this weekend, it is hot, hot, hot and I love it! The sun is good for the soul. But the sun and heat can quickly leave you dehydrated, and when you’re dehydrated your body doesn’t function as it should. I want to make sure you’re drinking enough water throughout the day, especially when it’s hot.

When you’re body is dehydrated your body doesn’t function as it should. Water acts as a solvent, as a transporter of nutrients through your body, as a catalyst for the many chemical reactions that occur in your body, as a lubricant (for your joints and muscles), as a temperature regulator, and as a mineral source. So you can see the importance of drinking water is much more than quenching your thirst.

Thirst is sometimes a poor indicator of hydration status for those involved in intensive exercise and training. Thirst isn’t perceived until 1-2% of your bodyweight is lost. At that point, if you’re exercising, performance decreases have already occurred. If you’re not exercising, mental focus and clarity may drop off.

Here’s what happens when you lose a percentage of your body water and the consequences:

• 0.5% Lost: Increased strain on the heart
• 1%: Reduced aerobic endurance
• 3%: Reduced muscular endurance
• 4%: Reduced muscle strength, reduced motor skills, heat cramps
• 5%: Heat exhaustion, cramping, fatigue, reduced mental capacity
• 6%: Physical exhaustion, heatstroke, coma
• 10-20%: Death*

Wow, if that isn’t a warning to continually be drinking water, I don’t know what is.

How much water you need to drink depends on how much you weigh. When you have more body cells, more blood, more muscles, more fat, you’re body just needs more. Here’s a simple calculation to determine how much water you should drink:

• Your body weight X 0.67 = #ounces
• Take #ounces/8= # cups
• Take #Cups/4 = # liters
• For example, if you’re 175 pounds, you take 175 X 0.67 / 8 /4 = 3.7 liters of water

This is how much water your body needs to function. If you’re exercising, especially if there’s heat, your fluid needs might double. I like to tell people that for every 15 minutes of exercise, stop and drink a cup of water. Then prior to exercise, drink at least 500ml (2 cups) to prevent dehydration. After you exercise, you need to replace the lost sodium and electrolytes with drinking 2 cups-4cups of water per hour after exercise, depending on how much you sweat.

The best way to get more water in is to fill up a 1 liter bottle of water and carry it around with you all day and be constantly taking sips. You should be refilling it based on your water needs. If you haven’t refilled your bottle in a while, it’s time to drink up buttercup!

*Based on Precision Nutrition, Dr. John Berardi

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Benefits of Exercising in Cold Weather

by Jari Love

Benefits of Exercising in Cold Weather 

Working up the motivation to exercise when the weather grows more and more frigid feels like a herculean effort. You have to put on so many layers of clothing to stay comfortable, it’s often dark, and icy conditions don’t make things any easier. Though a sweat session outside might not be the easy choice, it’s a pretty good one. Tough it out, and you’ll score these six benefits.

1. You might burn more calories

Though many like to think exercising in chilly temperatures alone will increase your calorie burn, studies don’t support this claim. The problem is your body does a fantastic job of generating heat once you get moving. As long as you’re adequately dressed, you aren’t going to scorch more calories doing the exact same thing.

Before you get too bummed, there is a way you can use the winter elements to your advantage. If you notice a layer of fluffy white stuff on the sidewalk, lace up. Running in the snow is a lot more difficult than running on concrete, sort of like a jogging on a sandy beach. If you switch to snowshoes, you’ll scorch even more calories. In some cases, men can burn more than 1,000 calories after an hour of snowshoeing. Keep in mind, it’s a tough activity. You’ll likely need to ease into it before going nuts.

2. You’ll ward off the winter blues

Seasonal effective disorder, the fancy term for the depression people experience during the winter, sinks its claws into a pretty huge chunk of the population each year. According to research published in Psychiatry, somewhere around 20% of Americans find themselves suffering from severe to mild depression during the cold months. One of the best ways to combat this blah feeling it to get moving.

Exercising helps our bodies create more of the feel-good hormones called endorphins. While hitting the treadmill or elliptical can certainly give you this boost, some research suggests heading outdoors increases the effect. A 2013 review published in Extreme Physiology & Medicine reported exercising outside better promoted feelings of revitalization and positive engagement. Your workout doesn’t even have to be all that long. The review went on to reveal the first five minutes of outdoor activity are the most beneficial.

3. Increasing intensity is less difficult

Whether you like to walk, run, or bike, the heat and humidity of summer make it pretty difficult to up your intensity or mileage. Winter, on the other hand, makes it a lot easier to handle since you aren’t subject to the same stresses. And don’t think you can get away with the old excuse that the cold air is bad for your lungs because it just isn’t true.

If you’re after a new personal record on the race course, a chillier temperature could be exactly what you need. A 2007 study published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found marathon runners clocked progressively worse times as temperature increased. If you do choose to race in the cold, just be sure you do an adequate warm-up so you don’t feel tight when the gun goes off.

4. You’ll boost your immune system

Every winter brings a new round of nasty sick spells, which most people blame on the cold weather. Being in the cold doesn’t give you a cold, though. WebMD explained viruses make you feel crummy, not exposure to chilly temperatures. All the more reason to head out for a workout, because Harvard Medical School lists exercise as one of the best ways to strengthen your immune system. And because staying cooped up inside exposes you to more people who may be harboring this season’s latest cold, getting away from all those folks may actually reduce your chances of catching the same bug.

5. You won’t zone out

A warm day with clear sidewalks and streets offers plenty of opportunities to zone out while you exercise, which is bad for your overall calorie burn as well as your general safety. When it’s darker, slipperier, and snowier, you have to focus more on what you’re doing. But make sure you’re dressing to be seen. Ensembles composed entirely of black or white material won’t cut it for visibility, so go for brighter colors and reflectors.

6. You’ll maintain your fitness

Those with gym memberships struggle to use them as much as they intend when the weather’s pleasant, so they’re unlikely to do much better once a trip there means venturing into the cold. Most even admit to working out less during the coldest months of the year. Skipping some exercise from time to time isn’t a big deal, but a short break can easily stretch into a prolonged one.

According to Berkley Wellness, this period of detraining can lead to aerobic loss in just a few weeks. Muscular strength doesn’t diminish quite as quickly, but it also suffers. One study from 2001 found muscular strength diminishes after four weeks, but both sport-specific and recently acquired strength suffer even sooner. Maintain your routine this winter, and spring workouts will be a lot less of a chore.

via cheatsheet.com

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Healthy Roasted Chicken

by Jari Love

• 3 bulbs garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 4 Tablespoons coconut oil, gently melted
• 1 Tablespoon each minced, fresh rosemary, oregano, tarragon
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• zest and juice from one lemon
• 4 large organic carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 3 organic zucchini, cut into 1 inch half-moons
• 1 cup pearl onions, ends trimmed
• 1 cup Brussels sprouts, halved
• 1 hormone-free, organic chicken
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 Tablespoon coconut flour

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cut off the tips of each section of the garlic bulbs. Place the blubs in a small glass pan. Brush the tops with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and set aside.
3. In a small bowl combine the melted coconut oil, fresh herbs, minced garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice. Set 1/3 of the mixture aside for the veggies.
4. In a large bowl combine the carrots, zucchini, pearl onions and Brussels sprouts with 1/3 of the herb mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
5. Rinse your chicken and pat dry. Carefully slide your hand between the skin and the breast and liberally rub some of the herb mixture. Rub the rest of the herb mixture over the top of the chicken. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and tie the legs together with kitchen string. Place the chicken on a large roasting pan, and surround it with the veggies.
6. Roast the chicken and veggies for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, pour 1/2 cup of chicken broth over the chicken and veggies, and place the garlic pan in the oven off to the side.
7. For the next 90 minutes, pour 1/2 cup of broth over the chicken and veggies every 30 minutes as it cooks at 350 degrees F.
8. To see if the chicken is done, poke the tip of a sharp knife between the leg and body and see that the juices run clear. Transfer the chicken and veggies to a large platter. Add a couple of the roasted garlic bulbs to the chicken platter, reserving one for the gravy.

Nutritional Analysis: 251 calories, 14g fat, 113mg sodium, 19g carbohydrate, 7g fiber, and 17g protein

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.