Kick Calorie-Burning into High Gear
If you know you just can’t help overindulging on sweets or you feel guilty for already stuffing your face, then you may want to get moving. Concentrate on workouts that offer the most bang for your buck – those that burn the most calories in the least amount of time. Increasing intensity in those exercises that you already do is a great way to burn more calories. Exercising at a moderate intensity is best. It should feel somewhat hard, and you should breathe faster, break a sweat and feel a little muscle strain. If you can carry on a brief conversation but not sing a song, then you’re in the zone. Spend about 30 minutes there. Interval training is particularly effective for jumpstarting calorie burning. If you normally spend 30 minutes at a brisk walk on the treadmill, then try increasing the incline for the duration of the workout. Intersperse 1-2 minute sprints in the workout to challenge yourself, keep things interesting and burn more calories. Any workout in which you use your legs is going to burn major calories because the legs are a large muscle group. Try bicycling, spinning or rock climbing to burn up to 500 calories in a half hour when performed at a high intensity. And don’t overlook that rowing machine at the gym or sitting in the bedroom collecting dust. Rowing is a goldmine when it comes to calorie burn – a 145-pound woman can burn up to 300 calories in 30 minutes. Bye-bye, fun-size candy bars!