700 calories in 1 hr, & 3 min lifting weights - Learn cool tips

So in High School one of my hobbies was helping girls lose weight (You can hit a lot of doubles and few home runs doing this . . . :) . . . and I've had a mother obsessed with natural foods.  SO, I it was only natural that in 1988 when I decide to reshape my sagging body that I not only hit the gym, started cycling, and began to apply my background of health to the bigger picture.

I do believe our bodies (not church buildings) are the Temple of God's presence (John 4, I Corinthians 6).  So I go on a yo-yo ride from time to time with getting this body in shape (ran one marathon, did a few Olympic & other distance Triathlons, tried a few bike races . . . love tennis . . . ).

Today's Tips:

1.  If your goal is to lose weight try doing at least 5 min. of cardio before lifting weights, participating in other Gym classes (or even walking). 

2.  If your "ticker is strong" try using a Stair Machine to get your heart rate up fast (I was up to 135+ in about 20 second by running that puppy,the exercise rig,  at full speed.).  Then you can switch to whatever type of cardio machine you want (At home I climb our stairs several times to get my heart rate up quick).

3.  If burning lots of calories is your goal - Do "cross-activities" between sets when lifting (see details of my "fun a.m. at the gym."

My 700 Calorie Hour:

I started with 1 min on the stair machine then switched to the elliptical (warming up my arms and shoulders/legs) for 10 min.  I then was ready to do "Chest" today.  My work-out partner was sleeping (Son -Gordo) so this is how I burned extra calories (note this is my month of switching up my Pecks workout (We've got a 4 month rotation).  In between lifts I did sit-ups (using a ball, then doing seated crunches on the weight bench).  Then I would switch off doing stretches between the next sets.  By the end of one hour (& 3 min.) I had hit 700 calories and had added another 19.5 min. to the 10 min. of cardio time I started with. 

I then did another 20 min. on a spin-bike, and then a cool down (shaving my mug) to finish with 1,024 calories in 1 hr. & 33 min (I had showered and combed my mass of hair, and jumped back into my regular daily actives in less than 2 hrs.

After Effects:

I was in cardio zone for a total of 39 min. (my max heart rate was only 148 and my average, 119).  50% of my calories burned were fat (YES!) and I had so much more energy and better focus today.  Very cool is the knowledge that for the next hour I burned aprox. 200 hrs (just driving, phone & computer work) and the hour following that I added another 150+ (I normally burn about 100-110 cal per hr in sedentary activities).  My body will actually burn more calories all day long because of an A.M. workout - cool!

Very cool web site (check out "The daily plate" feature - it's amazing)  by Lance Armstrong!