Dear all,

I often hear from my clients, ‘Russell, I do my cardio and eat so little – why am I not losing more weight?’
The answer is simple.  

• Eat well
• Sleep well
• Work hard
• PLAY hard
• Weight training
• High Intensity

Whether you are working out with me or one of my other trainers dancing, rebounding or TRX training.  I want you to enjoy it, exercise shouldn’t be a chore – it’s a lifestyle change! Doing weight training can activate your muscles and increase your metabolic rate 15-25% per day. It’s important to burn your calories out every work out you do, whether this is through cardio or weight training. The simple theory is: use your access body fat that has been restored around your thigh or mid section as energy source for when you’re shopping, playing with your kids or doing your own work out. Your body needs the right nutrition to recover from your daily activities and workouts, day in and day out. This way you transform your body and mind into a different era. I discovered this through my own experiences and others who take their wellness seriously. However, only eat less if your body feels like it, otherwise eat moderately with plenty of fruit and vegetables.  Stay away from deep fried food and sugar ( I know it’s a big issue for some of you but  I don’t want to spent too much time on this, if you need to understand more, we can discuss it later)  Fish oil, olive oil and nuts are great sources of unsaturated fats and healthier alternatives.

Ok, on the subject of HIGH INTENSITY…

The best cardio exercise is simply the one you will do day in and day out consistently. Choose one which you enjoy doing and don't be afraid to mix the exercises up. Interval cardio work consists of moving from one exercise to another in set time intervals. For example, you could do the elliptical trainer for 15 minutes, then switch to the stationary bike for another 15 minutes and finish off on the treadmill for the last 15 minutes. Interval training is a great way to keep everything fresh!

High Intensity Cardio

• Short duration (20min - 30min)
• High intensity (interval training)
• Burn tons of calories & rev up your metabolism throughout the day
• Treat cardio like weights - explosive movements (sprinting, etc)

There are many alternatives to just working out at the gym, why don’t you try the following:

 Find yourself a partner to play a sport with or have a go at working out with my Thai boxing trainer or tennis trainer. (Only they don’t speak English that well so my Thai must be great! )

Another way is if you fancy a Sunday morning run about (that is if you’ve not partied the night before) you can join me for a game of badminton that I often do with some of my clients at the Racquet Club on Soi 49.

I do outdoor and TRX training at Lumpini or Benjasiry park. We even play basketball at an International School on Soi 15 (indoor court but must be book and paid for)
So Sundays can be a great day not only for a spot of exercise but socially too. If you are up for it, give me a call or drop me a line.

For the real high intensity cardio people out there who love the H.I.I.T training (High Intensity Interval Training), below are the top three cardio exercise which will provide amazing results!

1. Jumping Rope - This is one of the simplest, yet most effective exercises one can do. In just 15 to 20 minutes, jumping rope will give you an unparalleled total body workout. Jumping rope is ideal for cardiovascular endurance and enhances performance in virtually any sport but only you know how to land softly on your knees…. tennis, basketball, football, skiing, volleyball and more. This simple exercise is also great for hand-eye coordination, lateral movement, foot/hand speed and agility.

2. Sprinting - Sprinting not only burns HUGE amounts of calories while sprinting, it also keeps your metabolism flying for days after. Sprinting combined with running / jogging can bring amazing results. But for most of you, if you are not ready for sprinting, all you have to do is keep running on the treadmill as fast and as long as you can without feeling too much pressure on the knees. Once you’re feeling half dead, take a deep breath and walk a bit (not too long though) till your heart rate goes down to less then 120. Then repeat again!

3. Spinning - These high-intensity workouts to music simulate a challenging bike ride, complete with hills, valleys and varying speeds, all dictated by the group instructor. Again, for most of you who don’t go to the health club. You don’t know what “spinning” is. It’s a great cardio workout invented by an American bike rider called Johnny G. (I am Johnny G Spinning certified so I’m thinking of doing a spinning class with some of you in the future) Ok, I’m not going to spend too much time on this long story but the point is most of you have a stationary bike inside your condo’s gym that can be used to burn tons of calories. How? Get on the bike, ride it and sweat like pig!! Make sure your knees and ankles are in one line.

"If the shadow could speak its logic, I think it would say something like this:  "If you take my advice but fail to solve your problem, you did not try hard enough.  If you fail to take my advice, I did the best I could.  So I am covered.  No matter how things come out, I no longer need to worry about you or your vexing problem".
       - Parker Palmer, A Hidden Wholeness

Stay strong

Russell  Lee