I’m a huge fan of multitasking in all areas of my life. To me nothing is more satisfying than a productive Sunday evening at home, a purifying mask on my face, a conditioning treatment in my hair, supper (and tomorrow’s lunch) in the oven, the dishwasher running, a load of laundry washing and one drying, a Swiffer duster in one hand, the vacuum in the other, and “Hoarders” on the TV in the background. My husband must really adore me, for I am quite a sight!
I pretty much like anything that kills two birds with one stone. A beauty product that pulls double duty as a lip stain/cheek tint? I want it. A walking date to catch up with a friend? Let’s do it. I can’t even seem to watch a little TV without jotting down a new recipe idea or at least doing a quickie mani/pedi.
As a matter of fact, as I write this very column I’m sitting outside getting a little vitamin D, flipping through the new issue of Shape magazine, texting my Nana and my mom, and enjoying a cup of coffee. So it comes as no surprise that I love, love exercises that work multiple muscle groups all at once — also known as compound exercises.
Isolation exercises such as bicep curls, triceps extensions, hamstring curls or quadriceps extensions isolate a specific muscle group and are great for spot treating or fine-tuning. On the other hand, compound exercises work your entire upper or lower body and give you a great calorie burn.
With weight lifting I alternate days, doing lower body weights on Mondays, Wednesdays and sometimes Fridays, with upper body weights on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
When I’m pressed for time I’ll combine several lower and upper body compound exercises into one day’s workout. For heavier weight days I do three sets of 10-12 reps. For lighter weight days I do three sets of 15-20 reps.
Two favorites
Lunges and pushups are two of my favorite compound exercises I learned early on. Lunges work the legs, booty, and help increase balance. For a basic lunge, I start in a standing position with feet shoulder-width apart. Step your right leg forward until your knee is directly over your ankle. Step back into starting position and repeat with your left leg. That’s one rep.
Hold on to a chair if you need to at first. Master this move using just the weight of your body, and then you can add additional weight, one dumbbell in two hands held up to your chest or a dumbbell in each hand held down by your sides.
There are lots of lunge variations to keep your body challenged. I love three-point lunges, where you not only lunge forward but also to the side and backward.
Another favorite is a curtsy lunge, where you step back at an angle and curtsy.
Pushups work my chest, shoulders, arms and abs. We all know how to do a pushup, so I’ll spare you the step by step. If you can’t do full body pushups, start on your knees and work your way up. If you can’t do them on your knees, start on a wall or a countertop.
When I first added pushups to my routine I could barely do three on my knees, much less full body pushups. So I started out doing as many as I could on a window ledge and worked my way up to the real deal.
I’ve mentioned before, but it bears repeating: I am not a trainer or a health care professional. What I share with you is from my own real life experience. As a precaution, remember to check with your doctor before starting any new exercise program, especially if you have any health problems or concerns.
Leah Sullivan of Columbus has been on a productive journey to a healthier lifestyle and shares some of her experiences with readers. Follow {Nourish} on Facebook
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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