Yeah OK, so the YMCA is literally across the street from where I live so I go there at least 3x a week. I was going more often when I first began losing weight because I thought I had to show up for over an hour and do cardio, lift weights, maybe get in a spin class or do barre work, but to be honest with you it turns out I'm not supposed to work my body that way. Turns out I need H.I.T.T. or High Intensity Tactical Training instead. H.I.T.T. isn't for everyone and for many years it wasn't for me. I had to work myself up to it and get most of the blob off of me before I could even begin to dream of pumping my heart super strong and continuously for 15-20 minutes. H.I.T.T. is NOT the same as High Intense Interval Training. There is a difference. The military uses H.I.T.T. My personal trainer has bragged about his experiences using H.I.T.T. for all those same years, and because the 3rd word in H.I.T.T. is TACTICAL I'm reminded that my military Drill Sergeant of a son may actually know what he's talking about (Spoiler: he does know what he's talking about).
Here's a little blub from the internet to show you a bit about H.I.T.T. and how it helps people whose bodies are shaped like mine. I have an endomorph body shape, rounder in the center with long dangling limbs. Some people call it the "apple" shape. I think apple sounds more pleasant than endomorph, but either way I'm thick in the middle and can't seem to get that area to cooperate most of the time. This is where H.I.T.T. may help -- and little trick called "Metabolic Confusion", I'll explain that in a minute, first the blub from www.healthandstyle.com
"High-impact exercise (e.g., running) requires greater levels of fitness and strength to lift yourself off the ground, withstand the bigger impact and avoid injury. The more you weigh or the more out of shape you are, the tougher it gets. That means it’s harder to exercise long enough (i.e., more than 20 minutes) to burn a significant number of calories and that your risk of injury is greater.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t run, jump-rope or do any other high-impact workout. But just that if you’re a beginner, you need to ease into it. Remember. Do what you love!"
Since I dance as much as I do, I try to add at least two dance sessions into the mix each week, working on the legs doing squats or lowering type movements and I keep up the cardio end of it for at least 10-15 minutes before resting or taking in a slower song to sway to. There will be swaying, bending, pretend-ballet, and even a little jazz-step! For me, H.I.T.T. means I don't have to spend hours on the treadmill I can do what I want to do, which is lift and dance. I go to the YMCA, pack in a few reps on both arm machines and leg machines before hanging on the rings and doing 20-30 rapid squats using said rings to pull me back up - - something I saw a pole-dancer doing to prepare her core. If she thinks it will work, I'm going to trust her. Have you seen those ladies? I'm going to trust her!
Baby Boy (son Reuben) is all about my lifting. He's standing over me usually counting my reps and threatening to add weight, but at this point I really want to lose every pound before adding too much muscle; maybe just enough to chase the fat away as I know muscle burns more energy than fat and causes the fat burning hormones to do their job. I feel really exhausted after I lift but hot showers help and the protein shake with collagen peptides and mango seem to be helping too! I'm thinking of letting Baby Boy slip on another 20 pounds this week. We'll see.
I mentioned Metabolic Confusion, and I don't know if that's a coined phrase or not, so I won't give full credit to where I first heard it, but there is another professional trainer out there, this one in California, who quit his day job training celebrities to work solely with overweight women over 50 who need to lose weight both in the center of their bodies and in their limbs. He swears by the Metabolic Confusion method so we'll see if he's right or wrong. I'm only on day 10 so far and I'm not seeing the results I would like to see, but then again endomorphs are the one body shaped type people who really don't see the results as quickly due to the fact that our bodies adapt quickly to whatever it is that is happening to it.
Metabolic Confusion is exactly what it sounds like; you have to "trick" your body into thinking it is working overtime on whatever state of metabolic cycle it is working on. If you eat 1500 calories a day and work out 30 minutes a day your body gets used to it. If you eat 2500 calories a day and work out 30 minutes a day your body gets used to it. If you alternate those two calorie intakes and change up your exercise program on a daily basis your body has to rethink and readjust and that takes time. While your body is taking time to adjust and readjust, you're still switching things up and your body's system goes into a "confusion" and works harder to adjust to its correct setting. That's a paraphrase.... don't think I am a doctor or nutritionist, I am not. I'm a lady over 50 trying to lose weight in the center of my body. My legs and arms are fine. If only the entire body would mimic my arms and legs, I'd be one happy camper (and I don't really camp).
Endomorphs hit plateau more often and stay longer in their plateaus than other body shapes. It's just a fact of life. Men and women both suffer from weight problems as endomorphs; there are literally just as many men as there are women with this particular body shape. Look around you'll spot us pretty easily! If you're one of us - - maybe you'll find a bit of solace in what I'm saying. Hopefully, you too can feel better about making changes in your life that make you feel and look better. I'm not saying it's a miracle - - but working out and moving your body can help your spirit, your mind, your emotional state, and of course your body! "A body in motion stays in motion" - - at least that's what they tell me. H.I.T.T. me baby!
No comments:
Post a Comment