Circuit Training, Winter Workouts, and Dr. V - Jillian Michaels Podcast Summary October 14, 2011

Jillian gives her winter workout tips and alternatives to the cold if you just can't get outside. Dr. V stops by to give up her top seven weight loss tips.

To listen to the weekly free podcast, visit the iTunes store and search for The Jillian Michaels Show.

Janice is concerned that those of us who aren't rich or lucky enough to live in warmer climates may be dreading going back to the gym after weeks of outdoor running, hiking, and... dancing in the woods? Really Janice? Janice notes that the days are shorter and we want to hibernate. Our motivation wanes.

Jillian's Winter Alternatives

1. Go outside and try winter sports

2. Take a class

3. Get a good library of fitness videos (Jillian's are the best, in my opinion)

4. Try an active video game for fun family time and a little movement (Jill's not a fan of Wii; she prefers X-Box Kinect)

As for winter motivation, Jillian says to focus on the WHY. Why are you working out? Why does you keep going? What are your goals? Visualize your goals to keep going. Don't lose the momentum! Post your list of motivations to stay focused. Keep having seasonal fun and enjoying all of the seasons without slipping on your workouts.

Remember: exercise helps battle doom and gloom.

If you have to skip one or the other, do you skip cardio or weights? Jillian says try to integrate them or use resistance training. Circuit training! Go from one exercise to another quickly, without resting between exercises. Mix in jumping jacks for high intensity intervals. This will make it aerobic exercise while conditioning your muscles at the same time. It's the most effective way to train metabolically, functionally, and practically due to its time savings.

Think of all of the wasted time between reps before you climb the cardio machines. Keep moving! Save time! Don't think of cardio and strength as separate entities; try to integrate them!

On the edges of the scale, there are exceptions. If you're small and wanting to bulk up and not burn calories, then resting between reps makes sense. Conversely, if you're morbidly obese and can't do jump squats, etc., try more cardio. Obese people are incredibly strong just from moving their body weight. In that case, cardio yourself to thin. The chances of injury are lower on a cardio machine instead of jumping into circuit training without supervision.

When asked if this can this count as a workout, Jillian says: "yeah!" There are more efficient ways to shred calories, but Jillian says if you love it and that gets you to do it - GREAT! Do it! If it's something you'll do, don't worry about maximum efficiency. Have fun! You'll do more of the things you love!

When you are forming in the womb, before your brain is formed, your heart is beating. Before you can think, your heart is taking care of you. Jillian says to follow that instinct, from your heart, and let it lead you just as it did before your brain got in the way (seriously paraphrasing here).

In no particular order, Dr. V gives us her top seven weight loss tips.

1. Have a blood panel run by your primary care physician or get a referral to an endocrinologist. Weight loss is about energy (calories)! Endocrinologists specialize in all of the hormones that go into metabolism and how the body processes energy. These tests will help you know what you are working with and whether you may need medical help.

2. Avoid over-consumption of fruit juices, diet soda, and alcohol. Fruit juice consumption has dramatically increased with our obesity epidemic. If you compare fruit juice's nutritional content with a fast food burger, you're better off with the burger. The juice is high in calories. Dr. V says just eat the orange or other fruit. Then you get the rind and the fiber. Be careful of over-consuming fruit juices. Don't give kids Diet Soda. Dr. V says they're bad for brain development because some of the artificial sweetners may lead to memory problems and brain disfunction. The Diet may be worse than the real thing. Also, cut out the alcohol to lose huge weight. Alcohol is pure sugar.

3. Don't eat white starches, pasta, rice, etc.; go for whole grain. The body seems to metabolize whole grains slower than non-whole grains, which decreases hunger.

4. Have lean protein (without sugary or high-calorie dressings or marinades). Vegetarian and vegan diets are fine if you carefully manage them, but they are hard without time and willingness to educate yourself. Lean protein is important because without it, anything else you eat won't hold you over. You'll get hungry. Protein gives you satiety. If you just eat a salad, you'll be hungry in an hour. Carbs? Two hours. Get protein to stave off hunger.

5. Water. Drink at least 64 ounces of water. That's many, many bottles. It's critical because hydrating yourself stops you from being hungry. When your body is fatigued, you will be hungry. Dehydration leads to fatigue. Every time you're hungry, try drinking some water.

6. Free foods. It's critical to load up between meals and with your meals on "free foods." What are free foods? They are high in fiber and cellulose (vegetables) and almost no calories. Lettuce, tomatoes, mushrooms, cabbage, etc. are essentially zero calories. Instead of a bag of chips, eat some celery sticks or lettuce leaf by leaf. If you get in this habit, it will fill you up without the calories. Dr. V makes a bed of chopped cabbage or lettuce under her lean protein at each meal. Jillian recommends a dehydrator to make your own kale chips. Dr. V microwaves lettuce and then puts it in her soup (Jillian says this sounds gross, but she still loves her).

7. Take a 30 minute walk before or just after you eat. This doesn't count as exercise. This is important because we know that our skeletal muscles use sugar (glucose). All of us, not just diabetics, if you walk before or after eating, your skeletal muscles are primed and will open up all the skeletal muscle doors and the sugar goes inside the cells. This is important to give the cells energy, which is how they burn calories and stay efficient without converting the sugar into fat.