Sustainable Fitness: adapting to fall weather
Hey everyone, welcome back to Sustainable Fitness! If you’ve been following along with us these past few weeks, you have now reached the home stretch of our first cycle… only two weeks remain before our rest week! If you’re just joining us now, don’t be afraid to start from this point moving forward.
Today, we’ll discuss an alternative to running and another healthy habit.
Mountain climbers + Tabata
For those of you who are currently living in a warm-weather environment, I envy you! I currently attend Syracuse University, where the weather this time of year is unpredictable to say the least. As the temperature drops, so does one’s motivation to bundle up and go on outdoor runs. If you’re like me, 40 degrees is certainly a deterrent.
However, there’s nothing we can do to change the weather, so we must adapt. Mountain climbers are a suitable substitute for running. Although not ideal, it provides quite a burn when performed using a Tabata timer. So, how do you do mountain climbers and what is Tabata training?
1. Mountain climbers
This movement works your lower body, core and shoulders, all while providing a good cardio workout as well. It is performed by starting in a push-up plank position and then bringing one knee to your chest at a time at a relatively quick pace.
Check out this video for a demonstration of mountain climbers.
2. Tabata training
Tabata training is a great way to exercise because it can be used for virtually any movement. To perform a movement using Tabata, you complete repetitions for 20 seconds and then rest for 10 seconds. This represents one round. If you complete 10 rounds of Tabata, it will take you five minutes.
Check out this description of Tabata for a more complete explanation.
Now, let’s discuss our 3rd healthy habit: eating healthy
I’m not here to lecture you and provide a template for a complex, rigorous diet. If you find that sort of thing effective, more power to you! However, most people that I know who have tried it have found it unsustainable.
Something that is far more realistic is being disciplined enough to include a fruit and a vegetable with each meal while cutting sugars and sweets out of your weekly diet.
According to HelpGuide.org,
“High-fiber foods such as fruit, vegetables, beans, and whole grains are higher in volume and take longer to digest, making them filling — and great for weight-loss. It’s generally okay to eat as much fresh fruit and non-starchy vegetables as you want — you’ll feel full before you’ve overdone it on the calories.”
Yes, this healthy habit will be the hardest to implement in your everyday routine. Personally, I try to stick to this rule during the week and then eat my sweets over the weekends. The most important thing is finding what is realistic for you and trying your best to achieve it.
Routine for the FINAL two weeks:
- Six core routines of your choosing
- Five bodyweight circuits — 10 push-ups and 10 air squats on the minute for 15 rounds
- Two outdoor runs OR Tabata mountain climber sessions of 10 minutes each
- Two mobility sessions of your choosing
Remember, we’re almost there. I’ll see you in two weeks to recap our first fitness cycle.
