Treadmill vs. Stair Master

Today was way too hot! I can’t believe that anyone can exercise in this heat!
I tried, and it was early in the morning and I still suffered. So, if you planned to hit the gym after work, I can imagine how that went!

My plan for the day was to do my intervals running at the gym for 20 minutes, but when I got to the gym I couldn’t bring myself to face the treadmill. You see, the intervals I do are beyond hectic and today… I just didn’t feel like doing that. So, I got on the stair master and did my intervals on it. Felt easier (cause there is no impact) but my T-shirt felt as if I had just taken it out of the laundry by the time I was done.

I had oats for breakfast and hake with salad for lunch. Snacks were the mandatory protein bar and Myoplex shake. Then for dinner, I was in no mood to cook, so I had some left over skinless chicken and some grapes! I know… not the most delicious combination you ever heard of, but I didn’t even feel like making a salad!

Melissa

Jeni:

Hey guys,
Happy Monday! How is everyone?

Just a word of clarity to start off with – for those that haven’t been following the blog from the start: I am a weight loss coach who works with clients on one-on-one basis and develops nutritional and exercise programs for each client to help them achieve their goal weight. Melissa is a client of mine whose goal is to lose 10kg and who agreed to blog about her experience, so she can give you a taste of what it is like. Melissa is given exercise and nutrition directions on a daily basis and is currently preparing for the Two Oceans Half Marathon in April. Since the beginning, 6 weeks ago, Mel has lost 3.5kg and a total of 22 cm around her lower body.

On the subject of doing stair master in stead of running:
Stair climbing is an excellent workout and minute for minute it delivers the same aerobic benefits as running. It is really great for the quads (the front part of your legs) while the high knee lift motion stretches the hamstrings (the backs of the legs) and helps extend your stride length – a nifty side benefit for runners. In fact, stair climbing is not too dissimilar to running hills, but most people would brave the stair master way before they consider running up Constantia Nek. Plus, the fact that you are never really airborne significantly reduces the pounding on your legs and the jolting of the knees!

Now, if you are looking for a great calorie-burning routine, don’t hold onto the rails. You’ll get much better workout (and promote better running form) if you avoid leaning forward and pump your arms as if you were running. Try to keep your feet flat on the platform; running up on the balls of your feet can strain your Achilles tendon or aggravate the arch of your foot.

And never feel like you are getting off easy in comparison to running! If you maintain proper form (hands off the rails), consistent speed and a reasonable resistance level, you might be burning even more calories than the old-faithful treadmill!

Ciao!
Jeni