Sponsored by
Part 2: Optimizing Your Workout
1. Time your workouts. You want to time your meals around your workouts, and you want to time your workouts around your meals. What you should take from this is that your body burns more fat calories on an empty stomach. So if you're able to work out in the morning, do so. What's more, your metabolism will be heightened for the rest of the day, and you'll feel more energized in general.
But if you do have to work out in the evening (as many of us do), don't load yourself down with food directly beforehand. Wait 2 to 3 hours if you can.
One more time: If you work out on an empty stomach, you risk feeling dizzy and getting nauseated. If you don't know how your body does on this, ease your way into it. And if you do start feeling the effects, take it easy. Do not hurt yourself.
2. Strength train. You won't get those muscles just from cardio, grasshopper. You gotta pump that iron. Some common lifts are bench press, squats, and deadlifts. Try to work all your muscle groups evenly for an all-over, toned look.
Stick to the chest one day, legs the next, shoulders the day after that, etc. Add small lifts like bicep curls, pull-ups, and push-ups to your chest workouts. On days where you are working on your legs, you can add small workouts such as riding a stationary bike and playing basketball.
Ad break
This is a sponsored ad for Novig, an American sports betting exchange. The ad features a baseball theme and the slogan "Bet Better, Win Bigger With Novig." It positions the platform as the #1 sports exchange in America for smart bettors who want better odds and more control. The ad offers a bonus for new users on their first deposit and a short description of the service's benefits.
Bet Better, Win Bigger With Novig
Novig is America's #1 sports exchange, built for smarter bettors who want better odds and more control. Sign up now and get $50 in Novig Coins for your first $5 deposit.
Skip the traditional sportsbook markup and trade directly against other users in a transparent market. With real-time pricing, lower fees, and sharper lines, every wager works harder for you. Whether you’re hedging risk or maximizing value, Novig gives you the tools to bet like a pro and keep more of your winnings.
… back to the articleу 👇🏻
3. Cross-train. The next few steps are about avoiding that dreaded plateau. The first key to that? Cross-training. That means putting your body through the paces—sitting at one machine all day isn't going to do you any favors. You want to develop your muscles inside and out, and that means working them at all angles, speeds, and durations.
You need a break from weights anyway (your muscles need time to heal themselves), so throw a day of plyometrics in there. Go hiking. Swim. Do something that works a different part of your body or a different skill. If you can only do one thing well, you're not truly fit!
Vary the exercises you do to stay motivated and avoid complacency. "I change up workouts every month, so the body never fully adapts and plateaus."
4. Modify your rest periods. Rest is like the space between words. Without it, the words might as well be useless. But to truly utilize that space, mix it up. Have two-a-days. Skip a day and just take the dog for a walk. Or think more on a micro-level and do interval training. Whatever it is, keep your body ready, not knowing when the next burst of energy is going to be needed. Your metabolism stays up, alert, and ready to go when you give it the whistle.
If you haven't gotten into interval training yet, give it a try. Many believe the key to losing weight is high-intensity, staggered training. Sprints on a treadmill work - try raising the incline to make it more intense. Plyometrics are also a highly effective workout. Ho high knee jumps for 30 seconds, up and downs, and jump rope for another 30 seconds for a good mix.
5. Vary your workout load. If you want to build more muscle, you'll need to be ever increasing what you expect of your body. But the important thing here is not to do more than you can handle. Never, ever, ever increase more than 10% from any workout to the next. You will hurt yourself. Being down for the count is the quickest way not to get the results you want!
Always include warming up, stretching, and cooling down as part of your workout. If you do a workout and do not stretch, you risk pulling a muscle and possibly priming yourself for more serious injury. Stretch out all muscles you work out; using resistance bands and a partner helps a lot. Stretching will also help with your flexibility and make you feel better in general.
In this section, I'll tell you how to optimize your training and achieve impressive results and progress.
Artemus Vazhui