HIIT It and Quit It.

Believe it or not summer is right around the corner, and if you are anything like me when the sun is out I want to spend every minute soaking up all that Vitamin D.  However, it takes a lot of extra energy to get out there and enjoy everything summer has to offer.

As each passing day brings those wonderful summer months closer many of you may be starting to ponder getting yourself to the gym, or lacing up those rusty tennis shoes and hitting the pavement for some good old fashioned running. Yet as the day drags on with
work, kids, family, school, or etc it becomes harder and harder to motivate for that hour or more that most people feel they need to get themselves into shape for summer activities. Well, you are in luck!!!  No longer do you need to spend hours at the gym, its called High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and all you need is 20 minutes to HIIT it and Quit It!

High Intensity Interval Training is a training technique that alternates brief speed and recovery in order to increase the intensity of your workout.  These workouts are awesome because not only have studies shown that they speed up your metabolism which helps to burn more fat but they are extremely versatile and can be applied to any form of exercise.

So how does this popular training technique work?  The human body functions under two different energy systems; anaerobic and aerobic.  The anaerobic energy system allows us to preform activity in short intense bursts where as the aerobic system is the exact opposite allowing us to perform activity for longer period of time as it uses oxygen to break down carbohydrates and fat for energy.  The issue with most workouts is that they target one of these systems over the other, so enter HIIT.  By combining the short very intense bursts of exercise with periods of lower intensity your body basically "freaks out"forcing it to adapt and creates a metabolic demand that is fantastic for long-term fat loss while still maintaining lean body mass.(http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-hiit)

Examples of HIIT workouts:

• Body weight circuits
• Weighted circuits
• Aerobic circuites (ie. treadmill, running, elliptical, and stationary bicycling)
• Cross fit
• Insanity workouts

Here's the beauty of these workouts: it can be any combination you desire, as well as anywhere you wish.  The key to these workouts is to keep your heart rate high, in others words be prepared to push your limit.  By keeping your heart rate up you basically speed up your body causing it to burn more calories and blast that pesky fat we all dislike while reducing the risk of injury that can occur from spending hours at the gym.

How do you get started with HIIT? Very simple; clear some space on your living room floor, lace up your tennis shoes, blast some music, and get ready to sweat.  A great example of HIIT is the 7-minute workout seen on the left hand side (http://www.fitsugar.com/7-Minute-HIIT-Workout-Printable-Poster-30574183).  Preform each of the exercises in sequential order for 30 seconds followed by a 10 second rest and you can repeat as many times as you want to get the most out of your workout.  However, just performing the 7-minute HIIT workout is enough to increase you metabolism by activating both your aerobic and anaerobic energy systems giving you the little boost you need to start preparing for summer. 

If you are new to HIIT I recommend opting for shorter high intensity periods and a little longer rest period in order to prevent any injuries until your body has adapted to this new form of training.  Once you have become a HIIT veteran you can begin to vary the length of your intervals, both high and low, as well as the style of type of HIIT circuit you preform.  

I have come to love HIIT workout days, and often look forward to them more than my other training.  Being a triathlete I have a slightly crazy desire to constantly push the limit and these workouts will more than fulfill this desire.  Not only do they help to break up the monotony of my daily training, jump start both my aerobic and anaerobic energy systems, but constantly remind me to push my mental toughness.

So remember the next time you are dragging your feet after work, that summer is on its way and it can only take seven minutes to HIIT it and Quit it for an amazing workout that will leave you energized and ready to get out there and try something new. Good luck, have fun, and never forget to strive for greatness!!

If you have any further questions of where to go with starting a HIIT program, or anything else in regards to getting out there and enjoying a healthy and active you can contact me at www.facebook.com/fitnessbykayla.  

Snowflakes on your eyelashes

Maybe it's my deep, untamed love of the mountains or maybe it's the small amount of crazy that seems to be engraining itself in my soul (most people would say it's this) but waking up to big, fat, fluffy snow flakes falling from the sky awakens some deep desire to run. 

So while the plan had been to prop the trainer up at the local high school track and push the limit with the all love "brick workout" (to be discussed later) I scrapped that to done the running shoes, and lots of layers, and after an hour on the trainer head out in the snow for a nice 11 mile run.

There is something so primal and wonderful about running in the snow. With the warmth of your skin melting the flakes as they hit your cheeks, eyelashes a little heavy as they build a nice white layer it's the peace and quiet that gets me everytime. Even on the busy streets of suburbia things seem to slow down and become quiet as the snow falls; watching each breath of air as you breath in and out is relaxing and calming. Reminds me why I do what I do.

Well enough of my pshyco babble about the beauty and magic of running-most of you are probably starting to believe I really am crazy-and back the wonderful thing known as a brick workout. For those of you already immersed in the triathlon world you know the love hate relationship most of us have with brick workouts. 

Brick workouts are important as during a triathlon your body needs to be able to effectively and efficiently prepare itself for the next part of the race by training your body to move from an aerobic to anaerobic state and back again. So you can probably guess why I quickly tossed in the towel of my previously planned brick to go running in the snow.  Though the basis of this short dialogue is to get you future triathletes interested in the awesomeness that is a brick workout.

For those interested the below website is a great one that goes into further detail about the benefits of brick workouts, as well as outlining some great ones:

http://m.ironman.com/triathlon-news/articles/2010/07/brick-workouts-cts-style.aspx#axzz2smJgYhop

I will finish my little dialogue about my weekend with a wonderful new recipies I happened upon.

http://pinterest.com/pin/70437468479157/

These pre-workout (or post if you prefer) are a delish addition to my diet. Tasting just like a chocolate chip cookie they are satisfying and fulfilling as well as energizing. They work great as a mid afternoon snack before my long afternoon workouts. Yes, they may look a little funny but totally delicious an worth it.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Lastly I want to encourage you all to get out and enjoy the beauty that Mother Nature has to offer. Let the footsteps you take throughout life further encourage you to push the limit I can assure it's worth it.

WELCOME TO LIFESTYLE FITNESS

My name is Kayla Lloyd I am a Gonzaga University graduate, ex-colligiate runner, and current triathlete and endurance athlete and welcome to LifeStyle Fitness!!

A native from the small yet very booming and active town of Hood River, Oregon located directly on the Columbia River and in the shadows to the beautiful mountain Mt. Hood.  

Growing up in Hood River engrained an active and healthy lifestyle into my heart and soul that has only intensified as I have continued to grow.  I mean when you wake up every morning to something as beautiful as Mount Hood and the Upper Hood River Valley how could not find inner peace in exploring the natural beauty that mother nature has blessed us with.

View of Mt. Hood and the upper valley from my deck in Hood River, Or

Despite the inner peace and bliss I find from being a part of the wonders that Mother Nature has to offer I am also blessed with this deep, and maybe slightly crazy, need to push my body, mind, and soul to the limit and see how much I can handle leading to myself falling head over heels in love with triathlons and endurance training.   There is something so magical and satisfying about finding the limits of your body and then pushing just a bit more only to discover that there is always just a little bit more that your mind, body, and soul can give. 

In September 2013 I participated at the Northwest Regional Olympic distance triathlon in Portland, Oregon and due to my third place finish, which happened to be a seven minute personal record (PR) race for me, qualified me for Nationals in Milwaukee, WI and sent me head first into a new life filled with training, clean eating, more training, constant research (as well as some very fun trial and error) on nutrition and training programs.  

Throughout my own training I have been blessed with a wonderful and supportive cheering squad ranging from my friends and family, to the people I have met at the gym, at Team Blaze Spokane (the triathlon club I joined at the beginning of the year), as well as though that I work with.  Their support and belief has helped me to continue believing in myself every single day and often helps to get me up at 4:30 am for swim practice or a long run.  While I am very fortunate to be blessed with a strong and supportive group like that not everyone is which led me to start this group, LifeStyle Fitness, as a way to provide useful and insightful resources for those looking to improve their health through exercise, clean eating, and healthy lifestyle habits as well as serve as a mentor, support service, and cheering squad for those striving to achieve their healthy life goals.  As leading a healthy lifestyle is something I am very passionate about and find great joy in I am excited to work on growing and sharing that passion with you through LifeStyle Fitness.

I am excited to share my journey of chasing my dream to constantly push the limit through training for Nationals, finding joy in all of life's little nuances, and helping others to find joy in leading a healthy and active lifestyle.