Summer Fitness: Week 2
Ready for Summer? More Muscle, Less Fat...Week Two of Four!
By Greg Rothman, MS PT
I hope you got off to a great start with Week One of my four-week "more muscle, less fat" summer fitness program. Remember, if a lean, toned body is what you’re after, watching the scale like a hawk is not the answer. Maintaining or building lean muscle tissue and releasing and burning fat is most often the real goal. Keep this firmly in mind as we move forward.
In week two, continue to eat in a supportive manner or email me at EmpowerFitness@aol.com for my "Empower Fitness Supportive Eating Guide." While we're on the topic of nutrition, this is a good time to make sure that you are getting enough water each day (drink one ounce for every two pounds of body weight). And it's a good idea to take a good multi-vitamin and a fish oil supplement daily. I recommend these organic supplements here.
WEEK 2: Do the same workout as in Week One three times this week, but do three sets of 12 repetitions (instead of two sets of 15 reps). Since you’re doing fewer reps in each set, increase the weight accordingly for the first workout this week, and continue to use progressive resistance to build lean muscle by increasing the weight in each workout as long as you are able to complete the 12 repetitions.
Follow each workout with 20 minutes of cardio done as interval training. Do an additional 30-minutes of interval training on another day, preferably first thing in the morning, before you eat. Make sure to drink at least twelve ounces of water before you do the cardio.
You should be adding muscle to your body and this week it will start to be noticeable not only in the mirror, but in the additional weight you lift as well. Your metabolism is speeding up; you might notice that you are hungrier. Eat those small, frequent meals and fat loss is inevitable.
Get ready for week three: We're really going to change things up and get your metabolism working fast.
Greg Rothman is the owner of Empower Fitness Studio in New York City’s Greenwich Village. He received his Masters Degree in Physical Therapy from Columbia University and has 15 years experience in the fields of fitness and rehabilitation. Be sure to get a check up and OK from your doctor before starting any exercise program. Greg's column originally appeared on GayHealthBlog.com.
