Ramp Up the Intensity

To boost your bod’s calorie burning efficiency you need to switch up your exercise routine – sort of like surprising your muscles and not getting stuck in a familiar rut. If you do the same exercises, with the same weight, same reps, same intensity you will not see any changes (i.e. No change in your workout routine = no change in your body). Take your regular exercise and add resistance or rev up the intensity by turning it into a more difficult move. This further challenges your system and ramps up your calorie burning abilities. Use a resistance band secured tightly around a stable piece of furniture and around your hips. Start by lunging forward “against” the resistance that will be pulling you back. If you can, add a jump between lunges switching your feet in the air and landing softly in the lunge. Do 15-20 reps on EACH leg or set a timer for 30-60seconds and do as many as you can in that time.

Notes: Work with your breathing. The deeper the lunges, the more difficult, make sure the band is taut at the beginning of the move so you are constantly working against the resistance.

Easier: Just focus on the resistance OR the plyometric until you are stronger and build up stamina. Decrease reps or time.

Harder: Increase your reps; Put your hands behind your head or overhead so your legs must do ALL the work.