Fitness Queries
    What Is Interval Training


    In interval training, you alternate between bursts of higher-intensity exercise and periods of less-intense exercise (or "active rest"). As you get more fit, you decrease the "rest" time and increase the high-intensity periods. You'll see big fitness gains if you train this way regularly.

    For example, if you now run for 30 minutes at 6 mph, try this routine: Jog for five minutes to warm up. Then, increase your speed to 6.5 mph for one to two minutes (less if you can't go that long). Then, jog for a few minutes at your normal speed, then again at the faster speed, and so on until you reach your time limit. Your ratio of work to active rest would be 2:3 if you ran for two minutes at 6.5 mph, then jogged for three minutes at 6 mph.

    You can also use your heart rate to set intervals. For example, if your heart rate hits 70% of your maximum when you jog at 6 mph, start at that speed. Then increase either your speed or elevation (if you're on a treadmill) to get your heart rate to 85% or 90% of maximum for one to three minutes. Then, go back to jogging at the 70% heart rate, and continue alternating.

    We recommend interval training just once a week to start, as it is more intense than you may be used to. Once you get a feel for it, you can do it more often.

BALANCE AND MODERATION, THE KEY TO A HEALTHY DIET

People always ask me how they can lose a lot of weight in a few weeks. They want a quick fix for a long-term problem. So, let me say one more time; fad diets don't work. You may be able to lose weight quickly on some diet by eating foods of a certain color, eating no carbohydrates, drinking only shakes, or whatever the latest fad maybe. But, I guarantee you'll get tired of eating the same way after a few weeks and as soon as you return to your normal diet you'll regain the weight and probably more.

Fad diets don't because they are not a way of eating that you can stick with for the long-term. The only way for permanent weight loss and maintenance is developing an eating style and healthy habits that you can incorporate into your daily life.

The key to eating healthy over the long-term is balance and moderation in the foods you consume daily. You can eat any food you desire as long as it is in moderation and balanced with the rest of the foods you consume. For example, I love brownies, so when I have a brownie for dessert, I only have one. I also balance the carbohydrates in the brownie by not having bread with my meal.

The first step in learning balance and moderation in your diet is knowing how to classify foods into their basic source of protein, carbohydrates, and fats and knowing how they are used in your body. The second step is mastering portion. Knowing how many calories you consume from each food source and what your serving sizes are will enable you to balance your meals. Eating this way can be easily incorporated into your lifestyle, it's a plan you can stick with over time.
BURNING FAT AFTER YOUR WORKOUT

What would happen if we were to simplify our goals to support a higher probability of turning them into action?

What is it that keeps us from taking action?

We live in a world that is ruled by information. Our lives are inundated with information. We read the newspaper in the morning, go to school or to work, check our email every hour, receive, read, design and send text messages throughout the day. We read billboards on the highway while driving home. We watch the news on television, open our mail, surf the internet, read blogs, research discounts, play video games, play tennis or golf, take care of our volunteer tasks, get tasks and chores accomplished at home, oh yea, and then we cook or study and the list goes on. Our minds become so full of information that the words become racket. We feel tired and depleted from the constant demand on our attention; at work, at home, on weekends. So, we take on more and more obligation which typically results in a loss of focus. Then, we feel guilty when we say no.

More is not more. Less is more. Clarity is more. Focus is more. Personally, when I am faced with being inundated with too much information, my mind shuts down. It is understandable that Attention Deficit Disorder has become so prominent in our society. Therefore, it becomes vital to begin to simplify our lives by keeping things uncomplicated.The ability to simplify any concept is an incredibly valuable skill in this information wealthy society. Not only is conciseness an essential skill in business, but in any and all communication. Have you ever noticed how people that are concise, too the point, and focused in their activities and communication seem really happy and relaxed? Focus demonstrates clarity of thought. It allows you to communicate information and ideas to be easily absorbed and comprehended.


Here are some SIMPLE steps to think about as you begin setting your goals to achieve your dreams.

1. Keep it simple. If you have 10 goals identified, reduce them to 2 or 3. You will feel a sense of accomplishment when you achieve a few of those goals with quality

2. Focus on the vital few. Identify what you want to achieve 1 to 5 years from now and make sure your goals align with those aspirations.

3. Say "No" more often. Try saying no more often and delegate some of the tasks that keep you from achieving your goals that support your primary purpose

4. Prioritize. When you have made a list of your goals, make sure that you focus on a limited number and then prioritize them in the order of importance

So, begin to focus on simplification of your goals and create the life you desire! And remember, "Less is More."

Susan A. Thompson, PhD, is the Owner of Value Driven Learning, LLC a performance enhancement consulting company and has more than 16 years of extended business experience as an executive HR professional. She attained her Ph.D. in Business Administration, Master of Human Relations degree. Bachelor of Arts. She transitioned her vocational focus as a corporate executive to becoming an entrepreneur in 2005 and specializes in creating processes that ultimately inspire and orchestrate transformation for increased personal and business success. She draws from her business and life experiences to motivate others in developing more focused, successful lives. Susan and her husband live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.