• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

  • Home
  • Advertise
    • Advertise in One or All of our Magazines
    • Advertising Payment Form
  • Print Subscription
  • Digital Subscription
    • Subscribe
    • Subscriber Login
  • Contact Us

weight training

Smart Strategies for a Spring Shape Up

March 5, 2013 by The Inside Press

scott and grace
Scott Reilly, owner, and Derek Alberto, trainer, with Grace. They are helping her meet her fitness goals.

With Spring break right around the corner( even though the ground is still covered with snow), clients are beginning to ask me how to lose those winter pounds and get in shape for the spring. Whether it’s fitting into that bathing suit for April vacation, or getting ready for spring tennis,  both goals and mindset need to shift to achieve our personal best. As a trainer in Chappaqua for the last 17 years, Prescriptions for Fitness has been able to help our clients to not “panic” about the up and coming spring or summer vacation. We design  a realistic plan to achieve these goals. Below are some of the most effective tips to help you get in the best shape of your life.

First and foremost, many people must change their overall eating and exercising habits. It doesn’t have to take over your life, you just need to make smart choices.

10. Eat smaller, more frequent meals. Many people think by skipping breakfast, or by starving themselves, they will lose weight, when in fact by doing this, they will actually gain weight. Smaller meals speed up your metabolism, and create the proper environment for your body to use excess fat as fuel for your workouts.

9. Drink more water, and use nutritional supplements wisely. In order for your body to digest food correctly; it needs water to accomplish this. Water will also keep you full and curb some of your cravings. While you reduce calories, your body absolutely needs proper nutrients to preserve your muscle tissue and burn fat. This is where proper vitamins, and essential oils come into play.

8. Check our supplement recommender. Go to www.prescriptionsforfitness.net: under “Nutrition,” you will find the best ways to burn  fat fast and reach your goals.

gym7.  Increase your weight training and circuit training. The only place in your body that body fat is actually burned is inside your muscle tissue. If you just do cardio, you body will burn muscle for energy. When you lose muscle, you lose the ability to burn body fat. This is a fact, not a myth. Contrary to what many women think, weight training will not bulk them up. It will lean them out–and sculpt the bodies they want.

6. Consult your personal trainer to design a safe and effective weight training program for you.

5. Exercise for at least 25-35 minutes within 80-90% of your target heart rate. This creates what’s called EPOC, or excess post oxygen consumption. High intensity workouts will not only burn more calories during your workout, but will burn additional calories during your recovery period as well.

Higher intensity=larger oxygen deficit /longer recovery=more post workout calories burned.  A high intensity weight/cardio workout will continue to burn calories for the next 24 to 36 hours after you have finished working out. The more calories we burn the faster we reach our goals.

4. Set goals. If you have a goal of losing 15 pounds, break it down into five and three pound goals. This way it will not seem so overwhelming. If you fall off the wagon, brush it off and get back to focusing on your goal. Always stay positive and move in the right direction.

3.  Lift weights that are heavier than your purse if you want to change your body. Lifting two-pound weights for 300 reps is more of a cardio workout–not a strength workout.  Stop listening to celebrity trainers who tout the two-pound/many reps solution to their celebrity clients. You don’t have a private chef to prepare all your meals or  a stress-free lifestyle. Scientific studies have proven lifting heavier weights with fewer reps will help you reach your goals in the shortest time possible.

2.  On your cardio-only days, increase your sprint intervals. Science has proven that slow and long cardio, is not nearly effective as high intensity interval cardio. Many people may not like this because it is challenging, but so is trying to lose weight.

1. Leave your comfort zone. Sometimes we have to work hard if we want to accomplish our fitness goals. If you keep doing what you have been doing for years, don’t expect to see results if you don’t change it up.

These ten tips may not be the easiest changes to your workouts, but they will definitely be the most effective. Everything in life that we want to achieve takes work. Good luck. Make sure you work with your personal trainer when implementing these changes. This way you will educate yourself as well on how to make life long changes to your fitness program.

Scott Reilly is the owner of Prescriptions in Chappaqua, a private personal training facilty. Scott and his staff of professional trainers have been helping people get and stay in shape for over 16 years. They work with people with all different goals and needs. From professional athletes to 10-year-old kids, or women with osteoporosis, Scott and his staff can help you get in the best shape of your life. They also specialize in golf and tennis conditioning as well.

Filed Under: Top Ten Sponsors Tagged With: fitness, gym, weight training

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Over 350 Students From 31 Schools Attend 21st Annual Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center High School Institute at Iona University
  • Greeley Boys Swim & Dive Team Wins State Championship Title Second Year in a Row
  • Chabad Center Invitation to a Community Passover Seder: “Don’t Pass Over Passover!”
  • New Castle Fire District No. 1 Announces Bond Referendum to be Held April 25
  • Don’t Resist JUST DESSERTS at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center April 28-30
  • When There’s A Dog in Your Life

Please Visit

Chappaqua School Foundation
White Plains Hospital
William Raveis – Armonk
William Raveis – Chappaqua
Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival
Houlihan Lawrence – Chappaqua
Houlihan Lawrence – Armonk
Houlihan Lawrence – Briarcliff
Westchester Table Tennis
Compass: Miller-Goldenberg Team
Armonk Tennis Club
Raveis: Stacey Sporn
Compass: Natalia Wixom
Houlihan Lawrence: Harriet Libov
Pleasantville Community Synagogue
Mathenasium
Boys & Girls Club
Arbonne: Jill Kay
King Street Creatives
Eye Designs of Armonk
JRL Land Surveying

Follow our Social Media

The Inside Press

Our Latest Issues

For a full reading of our current edition, or to obtain a copy or subscription, please contact us.

Inside Chappaqua Inside Armonk Inside Pleasantville

Join Our Mailing List


Search Inside Press

Links

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Digital Subscription
  • Print Subscription

Footer

Support The Inside Press

Advertising

Print Subscription

Digital Subscription

Categories

Archives

Subscribe

Did you know you can subscribe anytime to our print editions?

Voluntary subscriptions are most welcome, if you've moved outside the area, or a subscription is a great present idea for an elderly parent, for a neighbor who is moving or for your graduating high school student or any college student who may enjoy keeping up with hometown stories.

Subscribe Today

Copyright © 2023 The Inside Press, Inc. · Log in