15 Minute Fat Blasting HIIT Workout

When you are short on time but still want to get a great workout in HIIT circuits can be your best friend...fat blasting best friend that is!  I like to add these kinds of workouts on the days that I am just doing cardio.  Since I am in the process of training for a 5k I am spending more time on a treadmill than usual.  On the days I just have to get my 30 minute run in I will add this on the end to really blast some fat and work on my endurance.  I notice that when I do short, but fast paced HIIT workouts regularly my endurance improves.  Plus, our bodies naturally crave homeostasis (no change) so when we are trying to lose weight our body quickly adapts to what we are doing, it is just a way to keep up alive!  Our bodies don't know short season is fast approaching and we are trying to shed the winter weight (even though I tell it daily!).  I try to fight the plateau by constantly changing up my workouts. 

My schedule recently has been as follows:
Monday- chest, arms and my 30 minute Couch 2 5k training plan
Tuesday- walk on the treadmill- 60 minutes steady state
Wednesday- back, shoulders and abs and my 30 minute C25K plan
Thurs- rest
Friday- C25k plan & HIIT workout
Saturday- legs and a short treadmill walk at an incline
Sunday- rest


Here is one of the HIIT workouts that I have been doing:
Plank Jacks
Squat to Shoulder Press
Fast Feet
Lunge with Bicep Curl
Jump Squats

I will do all 5 exercises consecutively 20 seconds of work then 10 seconds of rest.  At the end of the round I will rest for 1 minute before repeating the circuit 3 more times for a total of 4 times.  This should take about 15 minutes total.  I use my GymBoss interval timer and love it!  It is an easy way to time my intervals of work and rest.  Here is an image you can pin to save this workout for later.  I love going to my Pinterest Working On My Fitness Board when I need to find some new moves or a new workout.

After you finish the workout and are all sweaty, have a post workout shake then come back and tell me what you thought of the workout.  Happy Fitness Friday!

What tricks or workouts do you do to beat a plateau?

Do you have a workout schedule?

Today I am linking up with Nicole at Fitful Focus, Jen at Pretty Little Grub, Fitting It All In, and Running 4 Cupcakes. 

Fitness Friday + Back & Shoulder Workout

Happy Friday Fit Friends!  It is cold and snowy here, and my little one is begging to get out in the snow and build a snow man, which is where we are headed after today's blog post is up!

In a recent post I talked about working to find my balance with eating without restricting at all.  So far everything has been going great.   I am working with my friend and "coach" Amanda from Balanced Brunette to get my macros set at the right percentage for me.  Today she made a small adjustment for me and we will see how that goes.  I am trying to get my metabolism back up and running with eating whole foods, allowing for treats, lifting weights and HIIT cardio.  Right now I'm not restricting at all, and it feels like freedom with tracking macros.  I have been using the My Fitness pal app on my phone to track daily.  I won't do it forever, just until I reach my goals.  Then I'll work to maintain with a balanced lifestyle.  It's something like If it fits your macros or flexible dieting.  For me it's finding what works best for me to reach my goals.  I'm not focusing on the scale...I'm focusing on getting my metabolism back to where is should be.  We are going to visit a friend in Florida in February, when I get back Amanda and I are going to work on a reverse diet plan to really get my metabolism back up.  This creates a faster metabolism and allows for more room to cut calories to lose fat without going too low or having to restrict.  I'm still doing more reading in the reverse diet, but as of now it seems like a great place to start.  I have dedicated 2015 to reaching my goals.  I know with consistency, balance and some hard work I will get there!

My home gym...battle ropes, post workout pump, HRM calorie burn

 As for my workouts lately they have been awesome.  I am sticking to my schedule I have created and I love my new plan.  I am loving the added challenge of my new battle ropes.  I feel like once I get into a routine with my workouts it is easy to stick to since I know what I am working out on what day.  It makes it easy to get dressed and head to my home gym in my basement to workout.  Yesterday I did my back and shoulders workout with ropes and boxing mixed in for cardio.  I love having all my fun workout "toys" to keep it interesting.  I have been shooting to hit around 700 calories per workout and since I workout 5 days a week that gives me around 3,500 calories burned for the week.  I wear my polar HRM to track my heart rate and calories.  It gives me a little extra motivation and push to hit my calorie goal.  You have to keep it fun right?!?  Do you wear a HRM when you workout?  

Here is my back and shoulder workout from yesterday:

Circuit #1- 

Single arm rows- 35lbs x 12 each arm

Rope high pulls- 30lbs x 15

Shoulder presses- 15lbs x 15 

30 second plank hold

30 second ropes 

30 second boxing 

*I repeated the circuit 3 times before moving on to circuit 2

Circuit #2- 

Lat pulldowns- 90lbs x 15 

Seated cable row- 50lbs x 15

Lateral shoulder raises- 15lbs x 15 each

V-sit with a twist- 20 lbs x 30 seconds

45 second ropes

45 second boxing

 *I repeated the circuit 3 times before moving on to circuit 2

Circuit #3-  

Single arm rear fly- 15lbs x 15 each 

Upright row with kettle bell- 30lbs x 15

Front shoulder raises- 15lbs x 12 each

30 second bicycle crunches

45 seconds ropes

45 seconds boxing 

 *I repeated the circuit 3 times 

I hope that you have had a wonderful week so far!  I have one more workout tomorrow, my second leg day.  I love doing legs!  The DOMS the next day not so much!  Today I did a new drop set and HIIT cardio workout.  I will post both those workouts in the next few days.  This is what I will be doing for the rest of January before I change it up again.  I am really excited to see where I am at the end of the month with all the work I have been putting in.

If you are struggling with the restrict/binge cycle please feel free to send me an e-mail or a message to my Facebook page.  I am an NASM certified personal trainer and fitness nutrition specialist.  I am happy to talk with you about finding your way out of this cycle.  Sometimes you need someone who knows what you are going through to just talk to.  I know it has helped me to have a few fit friends to chat with.  I am here to help in anyway I can! 

Today I am linking up with Pretty Little Grub FYI Friday and Fitful Focus for Fit & Fashionable Friday.

Head over and check them out!! I love both of their blogs!