What is HIIT and how can it help me?

Like many of you, I used to be a cardio queen. I ran, I went to spinning classes, I went crazy on the elliptical machine for hours at a time, only to see the same jiggly butt and love handles not go anywhere. What was the problem? I thought that more cardio equals more calories burned, which meant I'd get a hot little body in no time. Boy, was I wrong. Only after killing myself for hours on the treadmill, or outside running the track, did I realize that I'd never achieve that perfect "runner's body" with my current cardio efforts. I needed to work SMARTER, hot harder! This is where HIIT comes in.

Here's a really great explanation (better than I could do) from AskMen.com:

What is HIIT?

HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is cardio performed at such an intense level that your body will spend the rest of the day expending energy to recover from the ass-kicking you gave it. This is commonly referred to as EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) and it means that you consume a great deal more oxygen recovering from the exercise bout than you would have if you'd just done a steady-state workout.

This means that you will be burning up to nine times more fat while sitting on the couch later that night than you would have if you'd spent an hour on the treadmill at a moderate pace.

Obviously, I am talking about intense training. You will need to push yourself out of that comfort zone you have gotten used to and really challenge yourself. If you are willing to do this, however, I can guarantee that you will spend less than half the time you usually do on those machines and get much leaner in the process.

The benefits of HIIT

HIIT training has a number of benefits in addition to the reduction in training time. First of all, this type of training is far superior to steady-state exercises when it comes to increasing your VO2 max, which is the maximum amount of oxygen you can uptake during exercise. This means that you'll be in much better shape when it comes time to play a game of football with the guys.

Secondly, when you perform long-duration, moderate-intensity exercise, you can actually put yourself in a catabolic state in which you will start losing muscle mass. That's right: Some of that hard-earned muscle will start degrading itself in your quest to get lean.

The reason is that there are two types of muscle fibers in your body: fast twitch and slow twitch.

Slow twitch fibers are more compatible with endurance training (such as a steady-state one-hour run), whereas fast twitch fibers are more compatible with short, intense bouts of exercise (such as weightlifting or sprinting).

When we train in one of these modes, our muscle tissue has a tendency to take on the appropriate properties. As an illustration, imagine a marathon runner and a sprinter. The sprinter is composed of fast twitch muscles and carries a great deal more muscle mass, whereas the marathoner has a lot of thin, slow twitch muscle fibers so that his body is as light as possible to transport across those great distances.

This is going to the extreme to prove a point; however, you can see how much of a difference the type of training you do has on your body shape.

Lastly, HIIT training, when combined with a slightly hypercaloric diet (above maintenance level), can actually be anabolic and help you to add muscle mass without adding very much body fat. This means that you can develop the muscle you want without having to bother with endless treadmill torture.

So now that I've convinced you that this is a better way, how do you go about doing it?

The specifics of HIIT

There are a few different ways to do HIIT training.

You can either do all-out sprints -- during which you go above your VO2 max for a very short period of time -- coupled with adequate recovery periods or you can do sprints that are just below your VO2 max for a slightly longer period with an adequate recovery as well. The first option will really push your body and will elicit the greatest EPOC and VO2 max improvement. The second option will train your body to perform at a very high intensity for a slightly longer period of time while taking less time to recover.

For the first option, warm up at a comfortable intensity for 5 minutes. Then, give your maximum effort for 15 to 30 seconds, followed by a 2-minute recovery. You can walk during the recovery or you can just take it down to a very light jog, depending on your current level of fitness. More than likely, though, you will be going so hard that you will need to walk during the recovery. Perform between 6 and 10 of these intervals, and finish with a cooldown.

For the second option, do the same warm-up as in the first option, and then sprint at approximately 80% of your maximum intensity for 45 seconds to 1½ minutes. Follow this with a 1- to 2-minute recovery period. You may find that your recovery periods are shorter since you aren't running quite as intensely as in the first option. Repeat this sequence for 5 to 8 intervals, and follow it with a cooldown.

Working HIIT into your training

These types of workouts are very intense and should only be done 2 to 3 times a week. A great idea is to perform them on your "off" days from weightlifting; however, if you must do them on the same day, I strongly recommend performing them at a separate time so you can devote all your energy to each session.

As with your weight training, be sure to take in a post-workout drink (or quickly absorbed meal) to help replenish lost glycogen and repair the muscle tissues.

On a final note, I must enforce that this type of training is not for everyone. Since it is so high in intensity, many people find that they simply cannot work out at this level and end up bypassing their workout altogether. If this happens, you are much better off performing a more moderately paced endurance-type cardio workout.

However, try to challenge yourself with a few harder minutes interspersed throughout your workout. This will help increase your metabolism (although not as much as with HIIT), as well as your overall fitness level, which may help you to eventually include HIIT training as part of your workout.





I LOVE HIIT training! I can get in an ass kicking cardio workout, burning the same amount of calories (or even more) in 20-30 minutes than I would running at a steady pace for an hour.

Here are some of my favorite HIIT workouts. These can be done just as easily outside as they can on a treadmill:

HIIT 1

warm up
2 min @ 6mph
Hop off treadmill, do 30 plyo squats
2 min @ 5mph, level 4 incline
Hop off treadmill, do 30 plyo squats
2 min @ 7mph
Hop off treadmill, do 30 plyo squats
2 min @ 5mph, level 5 incline
Hop off treadmill, do 30 plyo squats
2 min @ 8mph
Hop off treadmill, do 30 plyo squats
2 min @ 5mph, level 6 incline
Hop off treadmill, do 30 plyo squats
2 min @ 9mph
Hop off treadmill, do 30 plyo squats
2 min @ 5mph, level 7 incline
Hop off treadmill, do 30 plyo squats
Cool down

That's an ass kicking workout in under 30 minutes.

HIIT 2

warm up
2 min @ 6mph
1.5 min @ 7mph
1 min @ 8mph
30 sec @ 9mph
2 min @ 6mph
1.5 min @ 7mph
1 min @ 8mph
30 sec @ 9mph
30 sec @ 10mph
2 min @ 6mph
1.5 min @ 7mph
1 min @ 8mph
30 sec @ 9mph
cool down

With warm up and cool down, you're looking at about 20 minutes. Serious business!

Have fun with your HIIT training!

Shakeology - I love this stuff!

Recently I've been drinking this Shakeology stuff - it's a powdered drink mix that can be used as a meal replacement or healthy snack option. In one serving of Shakeology (140 calories, 1g fat, and 15-17g protein), there are 70 healthy ingredients providing nutrients from 6 key groups (proteins, vitamins & minerals,antioxidants, phyto-nutrients, pre-biotics and digestive enzymes), making it by far my healthiest meal of the day. In one shot, I cover all of my nutritional supplements for the day.

I have both the chocolate and greenberry flavors, and love them both. Here is the key to mixing either flavor - don't just mix them in a shaker with water and expect it to be the best thing you've ever had. I typically mix mine with almond milk (Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze) and only use half a scoop of powder at a time - more than that and the flavor tends to get a little overpowering. I mix it in a blender with some ice, and throw in anything I can find. Here are some of my favorites:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Combo
1/2 scoop chocolate shakeology
8 oz almond milk
1 cup ice
2T PB2 (powdered peanut butter - LOVE IT! You can get it at bellplantation.com. Otherwise, use some natural PB)
Blend until smooth.

Almond Joy
1/2 scoop chocolate shakeology
8 oz almond milk
2t almond extract
1C ice

Frappuccino
1/2 scoop chocolate shakeology
8 oz almond milk
1C ice
4 oz brewed coffee, cooled

Banana Split
1/2 scoop chocolate shakeology
8 oz almond milk
1 small banana
1C ice
5 or 6 strawberries
2t almond extract

Strawberry Banana Fruity Smoothie
1/2 scoop greenberry shakeology
1 small banana
5 or 6 strawberries
8 oz almond milk
1C ice

I also like using the chocolate shakeology in things other than smoothies. I add it to oatmeal and to yogurt (Fage 0% Greek Yogurt is the BEST!)

My FAVORITE breakfast right now is:

1/4 c quick cook oats - add water and nuke for 1 minute
Then add:
1 scoop chocolate shakeology
3 egg whites
1t flax seed oil (if desired)
1t cinnamon

Mix together and nuke for another minute until the egg whites start to cook. Remove, stir, and nuke again for another 30 seconds until egg whites are fluffy. This is the PERFECT breakfast - whole grains, lots of protein, and all of your vitamins and minerals covered by the shakeology. It's the perfect chocolately oatmeal. I have it every morning.

You can find some more great recipes here on Chalean's blog - http://chalenejohnson.blogspot.com/2009/04/shakeology-recipes.html, or over at the beachbody message boards (where Shakeology has its own section!) - http://teambeachbody.com/connect/message-boards/-/message_boards/category/19535490.

I’ve started the program - why am I not losing any weight?

It’s either because you’re not eating enough (see previous blog), or it’s a normal side effect from lifting weights. Check out this article for a really good explanation as to why some people see no weight loss (and even weight gain) during the first few weeks of a new program.

http://chalenejohnson.blogspot.com/2009/01/why-do-you-sometimes-gain-weight-when.html

Weight Watchers vs. Weight Lifting - What Do I Eat?

When I first started P90X, I was still following Weight Watchers and eating my 20 points per day – which was roughly 1150 calories. I saw the p90x nutrition guide that comes with the program and saw that my recommended calorie allowance was anywhere from 1800 to 2200 calories a day. What the heck?! No WAY was I going to start eating that much. I worked too hard counting my points to lose those 30lbs or so. Plus, I figured, it’s simple– take in less calories, burn more calories working out, I’ve GOT to lose weight, right? A month into p90x I was still counting points and didn’t lose a single pound. And I was busting my butt 6 days a week! It was discouraging. The more I started reading on calorie consumption, the more I realized that the people at p90x were right – I NEEDED to eat more. I was starving myself on 1200 calories a day – and if I worked out and burned another 500 calories, I was really only at a net caloric intake of 700 calories! Even without vigorous exercise, the 1200 really aren’t enough calories to live on. When you go into such a substantial caloric deficit, your body thinks that it’s being starved – and holds onto everything you take in for dear life, storing it as fat. Our bodies are really smart like that – if it thinks a famine is on the way, it’s going to prepare by storing as much as possible. I finally let go of my point counting, and started eating more. I started monitoring my caloric intake (I use a site called the daily plate), and am now eating anywhere from 1600-2200 calories a day. Right away, I dropped 4 lbs. My metabolism was re-started! I am now eating enough to properly fuel my workouts, build muscle (which in turn burns calories – 25x more than your fat does!), and be healthy. I eat anywhere from 5-7x a day, which may sound like a lot, but isn’t too bad with a little preparation.

Here is a sample day:

• 6am - workout
• 7:30am - Breakfast – 1/4 c dry oatmeal, 3 egg whites, 1t flax seed oil, 1 scoop protein powder
• 10am - Snack 1 – 1c greek yogurt, ½ c berries, 1T flax seed
• 12:30 - Lunch – 3c baby leaf spinach, 4oz chicken breast, 1T balsamic vinegar, ¼ c goat cheese, ½ c mixed berries, 1T sliced almonds
• 3pm - Snack 2 – String cheese, apple, 2T peanut butter
• 5:30pm - After work snack – ¼ almonds, protein shake, red pepper slices, ¼ c cottage cheese – just something to keep me going until dinner so I don’t completely overeat
• 7:30pm - Dinner – 4 oz protein (chicken, salmon, tilapia, turkey), 2c steamed veggies, ¼ c brown rice
• 10pm – Snack (sometimes) – ½ c almond milk with 2T chocolate protein powder, ¼ c cottage cheese with 1T sugar free preserves, protein shake – I still have the mentality that I need to have something “sweet” at night. I should really be calling it quits after dinner, but some habits are hard to break.

I make all of my chicken breasts on Sunday – pop 6 or 7 in the oven and cook them for an hour, and then put them all in baggies so I have them ready for the week. It takes me all of 10 minutes each night to prepare my lunch for the next day, and my dinners are not extravagant enough to where it takes me more than half an hour to prepare/cook. I limit alcohol as much as possible. I didn’t drink for almost the entire p90x period – it’s nothing but empty calories and slows down your metabolism – so why bother?


Two GREAT books to read in regards to diet and caloric intake:

• The Clean Eat Diet by Tosca Reno. Your body is probably 10% genetics, 10% gym time, and 80% what you put in your mouth. You can work out til the cows come home, but if you’re not eating the proper foods, you’ll never see the results. This books explains what to get rid of and what to add into your diet. I notice a HUGE difference when I eat clean.

• The New Rules of Lifting for Women by Lou Schuler. This book is great to explain just why your body needs so many calories to survive and how many calories it takes to build a pound of muscle. Muscle burns fat, so to build muscle, we need to eat more (and eat the right kinds of food), in addition to working out. This book changed the way I looked at caloric intake.

P90X - Overview and FAQ

Is it hard?

I’m not going to sugar coat it - yes, it’s hard. But that’s what I love about it. It’s a constant challenge and never gets old. When I first started, there were many moves that I couldn’t do and I was only lifting 5 pounds at a time. I started doing all of my push ups on my knees. After two rounds through the program, I’m lifting up to 45 pounds an arm on some exercises, and can do up to 40 pushups on my toes. It’s amazing to see the progress. Tony Horton, who is the p90x trainer, says throughout the videos – “Do your best and forget the rest”. Who cares if you can only do 2 pushups? Who cares if you can’t even do a pull up to start? Besides, who would want to be able to master the program right off the bat anyway? Do what you can, modify the moves to meet your ability, and the rest will come in time. I am the perfect example.

Do I need to be coordinated? What about fancy equipment?

I am the MOST uncoordinated person out there. I embarrass myself at aerobics classes because I’m always moving in the opposite direction, kicking when I’m supposed to be jumping, etc. P90X is different. The moves are really rather basic. The first DVD in the series, chest and back, is nothing but an HOUR of pushups and pull ups. Simple stuff! But it kicks your butt.

As far as equipment is concerned – you’ll need at minimum a yoga mat and a resistance band with a door anchor. These are all pretty cheap and can be bought at any sporting goods store. Since there are pull ups in the program, it’s recommended that you get a pull up bar. You can get these from any sporting goods store and mount them in a doorway. I was working out in my basement and didn’t have available space on the top of the door frame to mount one, so I never used an actual pull up bar. All of the pull ups can be simulated using the resistance bands, and Tony will demonstrate each modification for each move in the DVDs. For the resistance training days, you can use a resistance band, but I went out and got a few sets of dumbbells. I started out with a 10lb and 15lb set, and as I progressed into the program, added more to my arsenal. You’ll need the yoga mat for the ab workouts and for yoga days. It makes a HUGE difference with yoga – I had never done yoga before, so I didn’t understand just how important the mat was.)

How is the program set up?

P90X is set up into three phases, each phase being 4 weeks long. Each phase is 3 weeks of “work”, followed by 1 resistance week. The workouts in each phase are the same for each week, but vary day by day.

For example, here is the setup for phase 1:

Weeks 1, 2, and 3:
Day 1: Chest and Back, Ab Ripper X
Day 2: Plyometrics
Day 3: Shoulders and Arms, Ab Ripper X
Day 4: Yoga
Day 5: Legs and Back, Ab Ripper X
Day 6: Kenpo
Day 7: Rest/Stretch

Week 4 (Recovery Week):
Day 1: Yoga
Day 2: Core Synergistics
Day 3: Kenpo
Day 4: Stretch
Day 5: Core Synergistics
Day 6: Yoga
Day 7: Rest/Stretch

I always started my phases on a Monday so that I had Sundays free as my rest day. Your 4th week, recovery week, is more focused on stretching, flexibility and cardio endurance. Even though it’s a recovery week, it’s still tough! Each resistance workout is approximately 55 minutes (5 min warm up/stretch, 45 min work, and 5 min cool down/stretch), followed by a 14 minute ab workout. The cardio days (plyo, kenpo, and core synergistics) are approximately 55 minutes (with warm up and cool down). Yoga is the longest at an hour and a half (but it’s SO worth it).

Where I Started

I have struggled with weight my entire life. I always seemed to hold onto an extra 30 pounds more than other kids my age. I was always "big boned". The truth is, I ate like crap and didn't have a fantastic metabolism. I hated wearing a bathing suit, and never got to buy the cute clothes. I didn't have a terrible childhood or adolescence - I never really dwelled on the fact that I was overweight - it was just something I was. In high school (amongst all of the pressures of teenagers and boys and parties), I started taking Metabolife (remember when Ephedra was COOL?) and dropped close to 50 pounds. Needless to say, as soon as I graduated and started college (eating garbage and drinking 4x/week) I gained it all back. About two years ago (and 4 years after graduation), I decided to buck up. Enough was enough! I started weight watchers online and also started running (slooooow at first, but running nonetheless). I got some pretty good results from following the program – I lost 20lbs doing WW online, and then started going to meetings in the fall of last year and lost another 10lbs. I was following my points, the good health guidelines, and running at least 3 miles every day. At this point, I wasn’t going to the gym much other than do to go spinning class 2-3x/week. I hit a plateau with WW, and decided like I needed something to shake it up. One morning I was watching TV and the p90x infomercial came on. Even though it was a Sunday morning at 6 am (I couldn’t sleep!), I was SO energized and excited what I was seeing that I decided to give it a try. I started p90x on November 21, 2008, and completed the program twice. It’s a 90 day program, and when I finished it the first time, I really wanted to do it again. With p90x, I lost 8 pounds, but I went from a size 12 to a size 4. It’s amazing. I have learned so much with p90x and am so grateful for it! I am in the best shape of my life and I'm nowhere near stopping.

I'm officially a blogger!

I just finished my second round of P90X, and if I can brag a bit, I'm pretty hot. (Kidding!) I have been asked so many questions about the program and how I'm doing it, I decided to start an official blog to document everything. Here goes nothing!