The fifth of my eight essential habits for living your best life at any age is - no surprise - exercise. Since it’s summer, this week’s blog is about how to make your workout the most efficient, effective AND fun with my outdoor fitness faves.

Most of us know the side effects of not exercising, but most people don’t realize that sitting too much can lead to depression and other mental health problems.  And according to world renowned Functional Medicine Doctor, Jospeh Mercola “There is a growing scientific consensus that the more time you spend sitting, the shorter and less healthy your life may be. Excessive sitting, such as at a desk or in front of the TV, significantly impacts your cardiovascular and metabolic function.” 

SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN BENEFITS OF EXERCISING OUTDOORS

We all know that when we move/exercise we usually feel better mentally and physically and, provided we don’t eat too much, we look better as well. But few know there are scientific studies that show there can be greater benefits to exercising outside (over indoor): physically, emotionally AND psychologically which include:

• Improvement in mental well-being: compared with exercising indoors, exercising in natural environments was associated with greater feelings of revitalization

• Increased energy and positive engagement

• Decreases in tension, confusion, anger and depression

• Participants reported greater enjoyment and satisfaction with outdoor activity and stated that they were more likely to repeat the activity at a later date

• A few small studies have found that people have lower blood levels of cortisol, a hormone related to stress, after exerting themselves outside as compared with inside. There’s speculation, too, that exposure to direct sunlight, known to affect mood, plays a role

MY FOUR OUTDOOR FAVES

1.  NATURE WALK/JOG
Walk on the beach (preferably barefoot) with a buddy, listen to fave book on tape or meditative music, call a friend who makes you laugh or just listen to the crashing waves.  So good for the soul.

2.   STANDUP PADDLEBOARDING (SUP)
There are so many reasons to love my fave sport of all time - SUP.  Almost anyone can do it, and it can be done on most bodies of water - especially flat lakes and bays. Below are my SUP workout picks:

• SUP Sweat and Stretch Class or SUP Lessons with ME in the Hamptons. You name the bay and I'll be there. Click HERE for details.
  
• SUP Yoga with the beautiful and talented Jessica Bellofato.  I love her
  class-just the right amount of challenging balance poses, heart and hip opening stretches and straight up zen chillin’ moments.  
  

• If you're not in the Hamptons this summer - but near the water - Google to search on local classes in your 'hood.
  

• Private or Semiprivate SUP.  Not into classes? Hire an ASI Certified instructor to come to you.  Google "ASI Certified Insstuctor" to find one near you.  And, if you’re in the Hamptons I’ll come meet you on any bay out here. Have SUP, will travel!  Email me directly to arrange. 
  

3.  JUMPING IN THE OCEAN

If you’re lucky enough to live on or near a beach, you likely know well the historic healing powers of the ocean. I’m livin’ on Amagansett Beach this summer and already I feel like a new person.

NYC dwellers who don’t have more than a day to getaway, jump on the subway and go to Rockaway Beach. I once headed there with my surf board in tow and had a great solo session on the ocean.  You can also rent SUPs n’ boards and instructors when you get there.  

Can’t surf? Try Boogie/Body Boarding. I’ve been doing it since I was 9 years old and it’s just as fun as surfing for most people and a lot easier to learn.  Most kids can learn as soon as they’re decent swimmers.

Can’t swim?  Now’s a good time to learn. My fave Hamptons swim instructor-esp for kids: Deborah Lakeman

Stuck in office this summer?  Check out THIS video of a few or my fave, short, easy do anytime/anywhere exercises (scroll to the 5 minute mark for my segment).  And check out number four which can be done indoors or outdoors.

4.  MINI TRAMPOLINING ON THE BACK PORCH 

When the weather allows, and especially if there’s not a good path or road to walk or jog on, this is always my fave way to get some fat burning, core work  and overall feel-good time in.

Benefits of using the Rebounder:

• Strengthens your entire body from the inside out
• Helps to lose weight/body fat                                            
• Great core workout  
• Tones your legs and seat          
• Increases energy      
• Improves mood and helps with minor depression
• Anti-aging/Rejuvenates cells           
• Increases Circulation

TIPS for Mini Trampoline:  I travel with mine.  And I keep one permanently at each of my parent's houses:

• Put in same room as TV
• Start by Just bouncing for one commercial break
• Work your way up to entire show

GENERAL EXERCISE TIPS:   
     

•  Start today before it’s too late…just start where you are and do what you can.  Any and all movement counts -  even 5 minutes a day.  Try these simple living room tips if you’re not ready for a walk outside or don’t have a good, safe sidewalk in your neighborhood.

• Hydrate:  MOST of my clients suffer from fatigue, carb cravings and other common side effects because they don’t stay hydrated.  Read my blog for simple tips on how to get your liquids in.

• Practice High Intensity Interval Training to make your workouts the most time and energy efficient and effective. This technique can be applied to almost every exercise, including walking. 
  

Have fun everyone and tag me on your outdoor Instagram exercise pics @mindbodyreboot and follow me @magenbanwart on twitter or Instagram to catch some of mine.

As a fitness professional living in NYC for the past 20 years and working with the city’s busiest, time-crunched professionals, full time parents and often those juggling both career and family, you can imagine how happy I am that a brilliant scientist from the University of Copenhagen decided to do a little study1  that proved you could not only get the same, but better results by working out less time at a higher intensity-practicing High Intensity Interval Training.   So if you want to take your fat loss and overall fitness to the next level—and spend less time in the gym—then high intensity interval training (also known as HIIT) might be for you. 

Note, I didn’t say it would be easier, just that it would take less time. :)  So before giving you all the details, it’s key to know that because the HIIT approach to cardio exercise is very physically demanding, it isn’t for everyone.   If you have any cardiovascular problems or other health concerns that limit your ability to exercise at very intense levels, HIIT may not be for you—at least for now.   If in doubt about whether it's safe for you, check in with your medical professional before trying HIIT.
 
WHAT IS HIGH INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING (HIIT)?  
HIIT is an enhanced form of interval training, an exercise strategy, alternating periods of short intervals of maximum* intensity  anaerobic exercise  with longer intervals of low to moderate** intensity recovery periods.  

For example:

• Warm up for three to five minutes
• Then sprint as hard as you can for 30 seconds
• Then recover  for 90 seconds

...and repeat

 The key is that your recovery period needs to be three times (3x) longer than your sprint period. The goal is to work yourself up to 8 intervals over time. Because it involves briefly pushing yourself beyond the upper end of your aerobic exercise zone, it offers you several advantages that traditional steady-state exercise (when your heart rate remains within your aerobic zone) can’t provide.

*Maximum intensity = a 9 or 10 on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being an all out  runnin’ for your life sprint. 
**Low to moderate = a 3 to 5 on the same scale. 

 Scroll to end of blog if you want to cut to the chase and get my recos, sample HIIT workouts and Intermittent Fasting Schedules!

THE STUDIES & BENEFITS OF HIIT
By Dr. Mercola

"Compelling and ever-mounting research shows that the ideal form of exercise is short bursts of high intensity exercise.

Not only does it beat conventional cardio as the most effective and efficient form of exercise, it also provides health benefits you simply cannot get from regular aerobics, such as a tremendous boost in human growth hormone (HGH), aka the “fitness hormone.”

One study published in the Journal of Obesity2 reported that 12 weeks of HIIT not only can result in significant reductions in total abdominal, trunk, and visceral fat, but also can give you significant increases in fat-free mass and aerobic power.

Other research published in the journal Cell Metabolism3 showed that when healthy but inactive people exercise intensely, even if the exercise is brief, it produces an immediate measurable change in their DNA.  To read more, click HERE. "


NET NET OF HIIT
By Fitness and Behavior Expert Dean Anderson

• HIIT trains and conditions both your anaerobic and aerobic energy systems.  
  
• HIIT increases the amount of calories you burn during your exercise session  
  
• HIIT causes metabolic adaptations that enable you to use more fat as fuel under a variety of conditions. This will improve your athletic endurance as well as your fat-burning potential.
  
• HIIT appears to limit muscle loss that can occur with weight loss, in comparison to traditional steady-state cardio exercise of longer duration.

INTERMITTENT FASTING & HOW IT RAMPS THE FAT BURNING:
By Dr. Mercola

“Is it a good idea to “starve” yourself just a little bit each day, or a couple of days a week? Mounting evidence indicates that yes, intermittent fasting (IF) could have a very beneficial impact on your health and longevity.

I believe it’s one of the most powerful interventions out there if you’re struggling with your weight and related health issues. One of the primary reasons for this is because it helps shift your body from burning sugar/carbs to burning fat as its primary fuel.

As discussed in the featured article,1 intermittent fasting is not about binge eating followed by starvation, or any other extreme form of dieting. Rather what we’re talking about here involves timing your meals to allow for regular periods of fasting.

I prefer daily intermittent fasting, but you could also fast a couple of days a week if you prefer, or every other day. There are many different variations.

To be effective, in the case of daily intermittent fasting, the length of your fast must be at least 16 hours. This means eating only between the hours of 11am until 7pm, as an example. Essentially, this equates to simply skipping breakfast, and making lunch your first meal of the day instead.” To read more, click HERE 


BENEFITS OF COMBINING HIIT AND INTERMITTENT FASTING:  

Several books published in the last couple years prove that working out in a fasted state (before your first meal of the day) shifts your body into an maximized fat-burning zone by  protecting your active muscle tissue and activating your sympathetic nervous system, responsive to both exertion and the absence of food. The Intermittent Fasting method is most effective and beneficial when a foundation of healthy eating (such as the Mind Body RE BOOT eating protocol) is already in place.  


NET NET OF HIIT & IF:  

HIIT and IF are the ultimate power couple when it comes to disposing of adipose tissue. To read more about this duo by Dr. Mercola click HERE  


MY RECOS-HOW TO INCORPORATE HIIT AND INTERMITTENT FASTING: 


1.  First and above all, eat a healthy balanced diet: lean, clean proteins, lots of green non- starchy veggies and juices. Avoid all processed and fried foods and the most common allergens or food triggers: dairy, gluten, sugar. 
Have your largest meal at lunch and eat a healthy, light dinner as early in the evening as possible. For example 4 ounces of low mercury fish or other clean protein and lots of non-starchy veggies. 

2.  Incorporate Intermittent Fasting as many days a week as you can. See my sample day HERE. 

3. Do 3 x 20-25 minute HIIT workouts per week, in the morning, optimally 30 minutes before breaking your fast.  See my sample HIIT workout HERE. Yes your fave Soul Cycle, Flywheel Sports and other high intensity group fitness classes or personal training workouts count as long as they incorporate at least 7 “sprints” followed by recovery periods. 

Remember to round out your exercise program with three, strong core workouts like my PATY’s and three good stretch or Yin Yoga  sessions each week

I recommend that because of the intensity of the workout that you do it no more than three times a week and best with at least one day in between each. Supplement your HIITS with at least three core workouts a week.


1. M. Rosenkilde, P. L. Auerbach, M. H. Reichkendler, T. Ploug, B. M. Stallknecht, A. Sjodin. Body fat loss and compensatory mechanisms in response to different doses of aerobic exercise – a randomized controlled trial in overweight sedentary males. AJP: Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 2012

It’s that time of year where we’re all wanting more energy, to feel lighter and more peaceful. If you can’t retreat to your favorite resort to get that revitalized feeling, create your own spa at home with my favorite ways to cleanse mind and body.  These five favorites are also flu fighters and cold busters.
 
WATER AND LEMON first thing in the morning hydrate get your blood more alkaline and get your digestive juices flowing start your day with my new Good Mornin’ Mixture:

•  12 ounces cool, not cold water
•  Juice of 1/2 Lemon
•  2-3 drops of Stevia 
•  2-4 drops of Oil of Oregano (I know yuck, but this stuff really works!)

 
Don’t want to make your own… Organic Avenue now has a little shot called D that is similar but has garlic. Powerful stuff - Whew!

TIP:  Make a big batch and sip throughout the day. If you can’t stand taste of Oregano, leave that part out.   Keep a bottle of the Stevia in your bag or at office and put a drop or two in each of your waters throughout the day.
 
 
GOURMET TEA INSTEAD OF COFFEE  Instead of that cup of Joe which can tap those adrenals - lead to more
fatigue, dehydrate and interfere with sleep , try making a yummy tea. The health properties of tea have long been known but what some people don’t know is just how 
different the quality and therefore your experience can be between ok and excellent tea. While it’s chilly outside, get some good ones to have around home and office and make sippin’ on teas a part of your routine. May help keep you from snacking as well.   Three of my new faves:

•  Caffeine free/herbal ROOBIOS AND MIND BODY TEA by Plain Tea
• Some caffeine SENCHA

I definitely recco a green smoothie over juice for breakfast as it will fill you up longer and keep those afternoon sugar cravings at bay.

Here’s my smoothie recipe and instructions on how to makelink to RYB juice article.  For an awesome green juice recipe from Joe Cross Director of "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" (one of my fave documentaries).  
Watch the Premier Episode of The Joe Show juice segment starts/ends 9:22-11:44.

SWEAT

INTERVAL WORKOUT ON THE REBOUNDER 

SAUNA 

SAUNA talk about the benefits of the dry sauna, particularly the infrared

• Gyms:  For NY’ers NY Sports Clubs have dry saunas.  Find one and join.  They’re affordable.
• Russian Bath House/Other Bath House - This is most affordable option if you already belong to the gym.
• Not in NYC or near a sauna - Get your own for your home: I own a Sunlighten mPulse Conquer .   It’s the Rolls Royce of saunas (and almost as big as one:) I don’t recco this size for NYC apartment dwellers.
  
   
  SOAK
  When you get home after your long day, while I’d like you to meditate, I’ll settle for you slipping into a warm (not hot) bath with Epsom Salts and a couple shakes oflavendar essential oil .While you’re in there, practice some deep four count breathing and Shazam! You’ve been transformed to your happy baby buddha self.
  
  • FAVE SALTS lavendar epsom bath salts on Amazon
  • ADD A COUPLE DROPS OF Lavendar NOW ESSENTIAL OILS
  
  

Enjoy! xoMB