March 2017

3 HIIT Workouts. 3 Levels. Maximum Burn Our Expert Shares the Best Interval Training Practices for Any Level

Visit any Gold’s Gym across the world and you’ll see a people going all out in their workouts. For instance, you

will see people doing a series of aerobic exercises like running followed by a short recovery time. There’s a

reason these folks have chosen to work out this way. High Intensity Interval Training, better known as HIIT,

works wonders and doesn’t take a long time. “It’s what’s going to give the biggest bang for your buck,” Gold’s

Gym Fitness Institute Adam Friedman says. In a half an hour or less, you can crush up to 500 calories, build

muscle and improve your maximal oxygen uptake (widely accepted as the single best measure of

cardiovascular fitness) by combining a mix of total intensity and proper rest periods.

We asked Friedman, a trainer whose clients include Olympic gold medalists in women’s basketball and

Paralympics skiing as well as pros in the NBA, WNBA, NFL, NHL, MLB and more, for three HIIT workouts: one

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for beginners, one for intermediates and one for the most advanced HIITers out there. Pick one and try it out.

You’ll like the results.

12-minute Beginner Workout

Friedman suggests a bike workout for beginners because it’s simple to

alter speed and effort level. This specific workout helps build muscle

endurance so that the body can handle lactic acid better.

On a stationary bike:

• Sprint for 20 seconds with a perceived effort level of 9 or 10 (on a 1-10

scale)

• Recover for 10 seconds with a perceived effort level of 2 or 3

• Repeat 8 times, then to a full 2-minute rest with a perceived effort level of

1

• Repeat the entire sequence again

30-minute Intermediate Workout

For intermediates, Friedman says to head to the treadmill for a sprint

exercise that will help increase mitochondria, the power plants of the body.

On a treadmill:

• Sprint full out for 30 seconds with a perceived effort level of 9 or 10 (on a

1-10 scale) on a zero incline. This will be a flat sprint.

• Rest for 4 minutes perceived effort level of 3 or 4

• Repeat the entire sequence 6 times

32-minute Expert Workout

This one is a five-step circuit. Think of it as an all-out four-minute effort, followed by a four-minute period of rest

and recovery. This workout will dramatically improve your VO2 max. (The higher your VO2 max, the more

oxygen your body can consume, which it turns into energy.)

Set 1:

10 Kettle Bell Swings - Stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder width apart. Grab the kettle bell with

both hands. Swing it between your legs, then swing it up and out until it’s at shoulder height. Swing back down

between your legs, then back up again.

Rest for 10-seconds

Set 2:

10 Box Jumps - Start with a 12-inch box. (Experienced jumpers can use a 24-inch box.) Stand in front of the

box with your feet shoulder width apart. Drop your hips slightly, then explode upward, landing on top of the box.

Jump down to the floor, making sure that your knees don’t buckle in and that your back stays straight.

Rest for 10-seconds

Set 3:

10 Clean and Press - Stand with your knees shoulder-width apart. Bend

down with a flat back and grab the straight bar with no weight in front of

your feet. Lift the bar straight up while exploding up and rotating your

shoulders around and under the bar so it’s resting on your shoulders.

Pause, then press the bar upwards until your arms are straight up.

Rest for 10-seconds

Set 4:

Jump Rope (10 count)

Rest for 10-seconds

Set 5:

10 Split Lunge Jumps - Start with one knee forward, bent at a 90-degree angle and the other leg back with the

knee just above the ground. Jump up, switching leg positions. Land, steady yourself, then repeat.

Rest for 10-seconds

Repeat the entire circuit for a total of 4 minutes. Rest for 4 minutes, then repeat entire sequence 4 times in

total.

How'd you do? Share your HIIT results using the hashtag #myGOLDSFOCUS or by clicking here.

7 Ways to Lose Weight When You Have No Time Wisely Manage Your Hours Thanks to Health.com

If packing your lunch, cooking dinner every night, and getting to the gym regularly sound like things you’ll be

able to do half past never, you may think that real weight loss just isn’t in the cards for you right now. It’s true:

healthy weight loss can be a time commitment, especially if you’re overweight thanks to a job that keeps you

sedentary for much of the day or a schedule that lends itself to fast food and unhealthy snacking.

Don’t throw in the towel just yet. You don’t need extra minutes in your day to eat less or to move more, the two

basic pillars of weight loss. Here’s how to reevaluate the time you do have, and smart strategies to make

dropping pounds easier, no matter how swamped you are.

Ditch the all-or-nothing mentality

Every small step you take toward a healthier lifestyle matters, says Jeff Katula, PhD, associate professor of health

and exercise science at Wake Forest University. “People often think they have to spend an hour at the gym or

eat a diet full of hummus and superfoods, and when they can’t attain that level they just give up and don’t even

try,” he says. Instead of looking at your whole day as a success or failure, says Katula, consider every decision

you make a chance to do something healthy. Just because you skipped the gym doesn’t mean you shouldn’t

watch your calorie intake for the rest of the day, for example. (In fact, it means the exact opposite!)

Don’t skip meals

This may seem counterintuitive after advice to eat less overall, but busy people especially may need to space

out their calories more throughout the day, says Jessica Bartfield, MD, clinical assistant professor at Loyola

University’s Center for Metabolic Surgery and Bariatric Care. That’s because going more than four or five hours

without refueling can slow metabolism, affect hormones and insulin levels, and contribute to unhealthy food

choices when you do finally sit down to eat. “A lot of our overweight patients aren’t necessarily overeating, but

their eating patterns have become so erratic—they have a cup of coffee in the morning and then no real food

until late afternoon,” she says. “They key is to avoid that and keep a consistent schedule, whether that’s three

meals a day and a couple of snacks, or five mini meals.”

Don’t sit when you can stand

You’ve heard it before: Too much sedentary behavior is bad for your heart, your brain, and yes, your waistline.

Turning some of that sitting time into standing time (or, better yet, fidgeting, walking, or working-out time) will

help you burn more calories. “It may not add up to much weight loss on its own, but it certainly comes into play

if you’re looking to maintain any weight you’re already losing,” says Dr. Bartfield.

Standing while you work may not be an option, especially if you use a computer and your office doesn’t offer a

standing-desk setup. Instead, consider other times during your day you might be able to get up off your butt:

your morning train ride, staff meetings, an evening phone call with your sister, or while you unwind after dinner

in front of the TV.

Switch to a high-intensity workout

The best workout for fat loss doesn’t require hours upon hours in the gym. In fact, multiple studies show that a

20-minute high-intensity interval workout (HIIT) may burn more calories than 45 minutes chugging away on the

elliptical. Try this workout, which you can do running, walking, biking, or with any type of cardio equipment:

Warm up at a moderate pace for five to 10 minutes. Go all-out for 30 seconds, then switch to an easier pace for

45 seconds. Repeat the 30- and 45-second intervals five more times. Then cool off at an easy pace for five to

10 minutes.

Try our new HIIT workouts designed for any skill level!

Use your weekends wisely

Even if your job requires long and grueling hours, hopefully you have at least a couple of days off every week

to regroup—and plan ahead. “Even though we’re pressed for time, most of us have pretty predictable

schedules,” says Dr. Bartfield. “So it can help to spend some time on Saturday and Sunday shopping for

healthy food, preparing some lunch and dinner items for the week, and deciding which days you’re going to eat

what.”

You can also use your day or days off to get in longer workouts than you’d have time for during the week, says

Katula. “If you can get in 120 minutes of exercise over the weekend, you really only need to dedicate small

amounts of time throughout the week to reach your 150-minute goal.”

Use social media

Put all that time you waste scrolling through Facebook or Twitter to good use. A 2014 Imperial College London

study found that social networks can be affordable and practical alternatives to real-life weight-loss support

groups like Weight Watchers. Talking about your weight loss journey with your virtual social circle can help you

feel like part of a community. So join an Instagram fitness challenge, Tweet about your Pilates class, or start a

Facebook group—all on your own time.

Squeeze in more movement

Setting aside time for a 30- or 60-minute workout is ideal, “but you can burn a lot of calories in not-so-ideal

workout situations, too,” says Katula. In fact, there’s nothing wrong with breaking up your 150 recommended

minutes of weekly moderate exercise into short bursts throughout your day. “If you can fit in 10 minutes in the

morning, 10 minutes at lunch, and 10 minutes at night, and you can do that five days a week, you’re there,” he

says.

Katula tells his patients to think of burning calories the way they think of saving money. “We do so many little

things—clip coupons, buy store brands—to save a dime here or a quarter there, because we know it adds up,”

he says. “Exercise is the same way: A few push-ups here and a few extra steps there can add up, too, if you do

it regularly.”

The Sweet Truth About Sugar How Much is Too Much?

Sugar lurks in some surprising places, such as condiments and prepared foods, so it’s easy to overdo it.

However, the right amounts of sugar from natural sources such as fruit and even vegetables are necessary to

good health, so how much is too much, and what’s a healthy sugar versus an unhealthy one?

The World Health Organization suggests that sugar shouldn’t exceed 5 percent of an adult’s daily calories, so

for a 2,000-calorie diet, that would be 25 grams or less. Yet the average American consumes approximately 82

grams every day. Women should have no more than 25 grams, or six teaspoons, daily, whereas men can have

up to 38 grams, or nine teaspoons. Too much sugar is associated with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes,

obesity, and cancer.

THE RIGHT KINDS OF SUGAR

The type of sugar you’re eating and what you’re eating it with matters, says nutrition expert Robert Reames.

“Are you eating an apple or a candy bar?” asks Reames. “And if you’re eating an apple, which contains

fructose, a healthy sugar, it’s best to pair that with some protein, like some almond or peanut butter on apple

slices.”

Eating sugar with protein, fiber, and healthy fats such as avocado “blunts the insulin response, keeping your

blood sugar more balanced,” says Reames.

Artificial sugars such as aspartame, found in sweeteners, as well as packaged foods labeled “reduced sugar”

or “sugar free,” aren’t doing you any favors. Artificial sweeteners impair the gut’s healthy bacteria, which

influence metabolism. “You’re better off getting your sugar from foods that don’t require any packaging or

labeling, such as anything found in the produce aisle at the grocery store,” says Reames.

CHECK YOUR PANTRY

The best way to stay on top of how much sugar you’re actually eating isn’t to carry a calculator and count

teaspoons or grams all day, but to go through your refrigerator and cupboards and see what you’re actually

eating. “If it’s not in your environment, then you’re not going to eat it,” Reames says.

Skip the condiments. Ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce, pasta sauce, and salad dressing are loaded with

sugar. Ketchup alone is 1 teaspoon of sugar per 1 tablespoon of ketchup.

Forgo dried fruit. Though it might sound like a good substitute for fresh fruit, it actually isn’t. “Dried fruit is a

processed product with added sugar and the fiber stripped out,” said Reames. “It becomes a piece of candy

disguised as fruit.”

Watch the alcohol. A four-ounce pina colada contains a whopping 28 grams of sugar, while a five-ounce glass

of red or white wine contains about one gram of sugar derived from grapes, as opposed to an added sugar.

Opt for water. If you’re concerned with your sugar intake, it’s always good to go with water over fruit juice or

smoothies, which are often sugar bombs; a restaurant fruit smoothie may contain 45 to 63 grams of added

sugar.

Choose natural sugars. Try honey or agave, rather than processed sugar that you spoon from a bowl.

REAP THE BENEFITS!

Once you start watching your sugar intake on a regular basis and stock your kitchen with different types of

ingredients, you’ll see some head-to-toe changes, inside and out.

“You may lose weight, start to sleep better, the stress hormone cortisol

starts to go down, your immunity starts to go up, so you’re less likely to

catch colds as easily,” he says. “Sugar diffuses your immunity, so when

you reduce the sugar, you boost your immune system.”

Moreover, on the outside, the integrity and elasticity of your skin improves

because sugar can dry the skin, while on the inside, your mood also

improves. People who have chronic joint pain may also experience less

inflammation when they reduce the amount of sugar they consume, says

Reames.

“Your body only needs some healthy sugar from natural sources for proper function,” he says. “Avoid

processed foods, which tend to be high in sugar, and just eat sugar from whole foods like fruits and vegetables,

and your entire body will change.”

6 Tips For Workout Efficiency

Get In, Get Pumped, Get Out

There’s never enough time in the day, is there? If you’re anything like us, you’re running around, doing a dozen

things at once, and hoping to make more time. Well, we’re here to help—at least when it comes to the gym. We

caught up with Gold’s Gym Fitness Institute experts Karina Lisenbee and Adam Friedman to get their best tips

for being efficient during your workout. Check out the tips below and incorporate them into your next gym

session. You can thank us later; you’ll have plenty of time to do so.

1. Dumbbells Are Your Friend

What type of weights should you use? Friedman suggests sticking to free weights for a couple of different

reasons: “Perform a whole workout with just dumbbells because they are super versatile, and so that you don't

waste time finding other equipment to use.” Easy and actionable, just the way we like it.

2. Pick a Plan

There's nothing worse than getting ready to work out and not knowing what you're going to do. Save valuable

time by determining your workout while you're driving to the gym or changing in the locker room. “Before you

set foot in the gym, know exactly which exercises you're going to do,” Lisenbee says. “This way you're not

meandering around from machine to machine without any rhyme or reason”.

3. Hit the HIIT

This is all about choosing quality over quantity. If you're working on cardio, pick a HIIT cardio workout instead

of the long, steady-state cardio session. Or you can choose to do fewer sets with more strict form, and higher

intensity. Lisenbee enjoys sprints and/or plyometrics, and Friedman suggests entire body exercises like a

power clean-and-jerk, or a Versaclimber machine.

4. Embrace the Superset

A superset is when a set of one move is done directly after another with no rest in between. Once you have

finished the consecutive series of sets, take a break to cool down for one and a half to three minutes. The

experts agree that supersetting opposing muscle groups is one of the most efficient exercises out there. “I do

this for chest and back, and biceps and triceps. It really helps to keep my heart rate up and gets me out of the

gym much quicker than if I were to do them separately,” Friedman says.

5. Stop Talking to Stay Focused

When you're in between sets, keep your conversations short, such as “Hello” and

“Have a great workout, I'm getting mine in now.” Try to stay in your zone by

listening to upbeat music. You'll be less distracted and keep your heart rate up,

while the headphones will also signal to others that you’re in the zone. “You can

catch up and chat after you get your workout in” Lisenbee says.

6. It's All About Time

Try to pick a workout time that is not during the peak hours of the gym, so you can more easily access the

equipment you want to use and avoid distractions from others. To help manage your time, try keeping track of

your recovery after each set with an alarm so that you keep the right flow for your training objectives. Keep in

mind that different workouts call for varied recovery times, so be sure to research, or ask a trainer at the gym

before performing new moves or sets. If gym distractions are an issue, showing up a little later might be the tip

for you!

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Social Media Tip Sheet:

Gold’s Gym Fitness Institute Expert shares the best interval training

for any level - https://goo.gl/DzJTe9

Try one of these three HIIT workouts for a maximum burn -

https://goo.gl/DzJTe9

Not enough time to work out? Try these tips to wisely manage your

hours wisely - https://goo.gl/DvwIQ8

Health.com shows you how to lose weight when you have no time -

https://goo.gl/DvwIQ8

Do you know the sweet truth about sugar? - https://goo.gl/XfjdJY

How much sugar is too much? - https://goo.gl/XfjdJY

Gold’s Gym Fitness Institute Experts shares their top tips on how to

make the most of your gym session - https://goo.gl/lWp4Yf

Make the most out of your gym time so you can get in, get pumped

and get out! - https://goo.gl/lWp4Yf