It’s easy when you get to the gym, to mindlessly jump on a piece of equipment while talking to your friend, and not pay attention to your form. We’ve all done that, but you may be missing out on all the health benefits, and you could even injure yourself. Case in point- the elliptical machine.
If a 125 pound woman works at moderate energy for 30 minutes, they can expect to burn about 322 calories.
If you hang over the handle bars, or have bad posture you will take the work away from your butt, your quads and hip flexors. Keep your heels flat and in the center of the pedal. Don’t stand on your toes. Rather, move through the motion which will engage the calf muscle more as well as the quad zone.
Make sure that if the model you use has moving handle bars, you should grab onto them with purpose. You burn more calories by engaging your upper-body muscles.
On the models that have stationary handles you can reverse your leg rotation, and firmly holding on, squat into a chair position pedaling backwards. This will kick those gluteus muscles!
As on any piece of equipment at the gym, watch your form and work hard, and you will benefit from the exercise.
Tip of the Day:
Summer is a great time to move one or more meals per week to a vegetarian meal. With so many fresh vegetables and fruits available, utilize an opportunity to go meatless. Grill peaches or pineapple as a side on a dinner plate, or over lettuce with pecans or walnuts and quinoa for protein. Grill vegetables and make a fritter for dinner or a vegetable homemade pizza. I’ve recently made a Frescheta shell pizza for my kids (which are thinner than Boboli) and they loved it!
Sunday 07/31/11- Workout Diary-
Day off
Sunday 07/31/11- Food Diary:
Breakfast-
Organic steel cut oats (150 cal)
1 small banana (90 cal)
1 cup egg whites (120 cal)
A.M. Snack
1/2 cup non fat cottage cheese (80 cal)
1/2 cup non-fat vanilla yogurt ( 55 cal)
3/4 cup mixed berries (40 cal)
Lunch-
5 oz organic chicken, baked with spices( 230 cal)
salad- 2 cups organic spinach, 1/4 cup garbanzo beans, 1/4 cup broccoli, 1/4 cup beets, 2 tbls edamame(thawed), 1 tbls sunflower seeds (110 cal)
P.M. Snack-
whole wheat tortilla, 1 tbls organic almond butter, 4 apple slices (200 cal)
Dinner-
5.5 oz Salmon (210 cal)
1 cup steamed broccoli, squirt of lemon (26 cal)
1/2 cup brown rice/peas/ onions (160 cal)
1 whole wheat baguette piece, balsamic vinegar and EVOO (150 cal)
8pm -
1 sugar free chocolate covered frozen banana ( homemade)(120 cal)
TOTAL CALORIES:1747
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