obsessed with these high rise crop leggings, these are like spanx for working out! | Nike Free Sneakers, (violet combo) | grey layering tee (I love throwing this over my workout tanks, light and easy) | silver tote | black jacket
There are two things I do during the week to make sure I reach my fitness goals. I use my FitBit every single day and I use the “CARDIO SANDWICH” method 3 times a week. I’ve had my FitBit for 3 months now and it is a game changer. I make sure by the end of every day I hit 12,000 steps. If I haven’t than I get moving. It tracks activity levels during the day, heart rate, sleep levels and more. My husband and my 8 year old also have one. It’s become a really fun family challenge. We compare numbers and look at our graphs during the week. My 8 year old beats all of us!
FitBit | BLACK TANK | BLACK LEGGINGS – OBSESSED (wearing them above in the print)| Nike Free Sneakers | NY HAT
obsessed with these high rise crop leggings, these are like spanx for working out! | Nike Free Sneakers | grey layering tee (I love throwing this over my workout tanks, light and easy) | silver tote | black jacket
Cardio and weight training is the perfect combination if you want to change the shape of your body. I really feel there is no better way to change your body’s current state than doing both. I like to do something called The Cardio Sandwich! My friend taught me this trick a couple years ago and I’ve been doing it ever since. See tips below or go here to read more.
* Run or walk your goal distance minus 1 mile. Run/Walk it hard, run it fast, arrange inclines and speeds but whatever you do run/walk your butt off as if it’s your whole workout.
* With a 2-minute break, jump right in to your weight training. This should be a hard but not crazy 30-45 minutes. You can do videos (I like Jillian Michaels), get a trainer’s program, or piece together compound moves from fitness magazines. Just make it an all over body work out using weights and plyometrics while constantly moving. Instead of breaks, change your exercise. The purpose it to keep your heart rate elevated. This shouldn’t be killing you (because hopefully you killed it while running) but should be intense in a different way.
*Jump right back to your cardio. I like to change it up and do the stair climber or get on a bike for the time a mile would take. Or you can run on the treadmill again or run right outside. Run that mile for distance only, not speed. Enjoy your breathing and your music. When you’re done, lo and behold, you’ve run an extra mile, and you’re ending your workout sweating and breathless. With The Cardio Sandwich you start with fresh energy to burn fat, and use your “lifting time” to build muscle, then top it off with more fat burn and an extra helping of endorphins. Super effective.
I started out with a 5 mile Cardio Sandwich (run 4, lift weights, then run 1) and now I run a 6 mile Cardio Sandwich 3 times a week. I mix my running up with intense interval walking because my knee can’t handle all the running. (old injury) I’ve said it before, nothing slims my legs up more than interval walking and lunges. It’s the perfect combo! You can also do the Cardio Sandwich by time. 30 minutes of your cardio, followed by 30 minutes of weights, then topped off with 20 minutes of cardio. You decide. It’s your workout. Your cardio will burn fat and your weight training will shape your body!
Good luck and let me know if you have questions. I used this method to get my baby weight off 6 years ago. I had 70lbs to lose. Now I do this to stay on track and maintain. 3-4times a week works for me!
xx,
Jenna
Shop the Story
Comments & Replies
Leave a comment
So if you are doing this say three times a week- what are you doing the other two days? resting or a different type of workout? Ive been doing weights 5 days week and cardio with it maybe twice a week and looking to switch things up! Thank you for the new idea:)
I’ll take a spin class at soul or do a barre class. Good luck! Let me know how it goes.
What Jillian Michaels workouts do you like? I love her 30 day shred but would love to switch it up.
hey! I love the 30 day shred as well! I do that one and I love the 6 week 6 pack. I bought them off amazon a year ago and I have like 4 of them but to be honest I stick with 30 day shred. Tracey Anderson has some really good ones too. I LOVE her. xx
Oh I can’t wait to try this! I have old knee injuries too (soccer, ugh!)…. So running is nearly out for me these days. When you say interval walking, what do you do? Walk, run, or you mean you walk the whole time changing the incline? Just curious, bc it works great whatever it is!! 🙂
lately it’s just been incline walking. SO I’ll start at a speed 4.1 to warm up. Then every 3 minutes I adjust the speed and incline. I’ve found some killer treadmill workouts on pinterest for walking. Good luck! xx
A 70-pound weight loss is incredible! You look incredible! Thanks for sharing your experience! I am so inspired and motivated to get in the shape I want to be in.
You can do it!! You got this. Stay consistent and be patient. It will happen. xx
I’ve been doing the cardio sandwich for years without even knowing it! Thanks for giving it a cute name
hahaha!
This is an interesting technique! I’ve done the whole… cardio then weight training and weight training then cardio.. but never sandwiched them haha. How many days a week do you shoot to do this?
you’ll be surprised what that extra push at the end can do! xx
Hi Jenna, thanks for your fit tips! I am excited to try out this “cardio sandwich’…but just a question, when you do the cardio portion and then you go to switch to the weight training – how do you do that if you are doing cardio outdoors, for example if you run outside? Hope this makes sense! Thanks.
You can use your own body weight for the lifting part. Walking lunges, squats, tricep dips off a bench or bleachers. Hold planks, do push ups, burpees. Lots of options. Or run outside and make your way back home. Use weights at home and then head back outside for the last push. Good luck!
Love this post! Thanks for sharing your fitness outfits and workouts!
http://www.lesleyandeve.com
of course! thanks for following along. xx jenna