Sweat for Success

Dr. Sara Yoga + MatWhen the sun comes out, so do the runners. And the tennis players. And the swimmers.

Who Wears Short-Shorts?

And, often, the tiny, revealing workout clothes that go with those sports. If you’re having a little exercise anxiety, you’re not alone. Some of us don’t crave a “bikini body” – what we want is a yoga-pants body! First, you need to know that you ALWAYS look good enough to work out. Whether you’re at the gym, on the trail, or in your living room in front of your favorite fitness DVD, you look 100% better than the people who are still sitting on the couch.

Sweat for Success

When it comes to your workouts, I don’t just want you to move around. I want you to lower cortisol, rev up your metabolism, boost serotonin, strengthen your joints, and de-age. And lastly, raise levels of growth hormone. Growth hormone, along with bad-boy cortisol, determines how much belly fat is deposited in your body. The difference is, cortisol increases belly fat while growth hormone flushes it out.

I just wanna make you sweat.

– Snoop Dogg & David Guetta, Sweat

And it’s totally doable. Here are my three favorite ways to get your sweat on:

1. Burst Training

Also known as “interval training,” burst training involves short periods of high intensity exercise with moderate-level exercise as recovery. It is incredibly efficient and comes without the cortisol-raising side effect of a long run. Not only that, but it is incredibly effective at raising growth hormone. Burst training is beloved by the likes of Tim Ferris, Dave Asprey, and Mark Hyman, so you can rest assured that you are in excellent company.

Sprint 8 is just one type of burst training, but it is an essential part of my personal exercise routine. Here’s my Biohacker XX Sprint 8 Protocol.

  • Jog at moderate pace for 3 to 5 minutes. I have a genetic tendency toward an achilles injury, so I warm up for 5 minutes and stretch my achilles briefly. For me, the pace is a 12 minute mile or 5mph on a treadmill.

  • Sprint all out for 30 seconds, so hard you can’t go more than 30 seconds.

  • Recover for 75 to 90 seconds. If you have trouble with math and/or have more time to spare, I encourage 90 seconds.

  • Lather, rinse, repeat. Repeat the sprint for a total of 8 cycles.

  • Cool down at your moderate pace. Done, Baby.

Learn more here.

2. Yoga

Or rather, any school of exercise that involves twisting, stretching, breath awareness, and joint work. That could also include pilates, dance, or The Dailey Method. One reason these forms of exercise are so essential is the spine work. I like to say that “you’re only as young as your spine,” and the increased blood flow that twisting, balancing, and bending sends t your spine keeps it supple and youthful.

She was flexible professional.

– Flo Rida & T-Pain, Low

Minute attention to form and flexibility – the angle of your wrists, where your eyes are looking, how wide your hips can open – brings awareness to parts of your body you rarely notice. Mindfulness to this degree helps us reformat our bodies and it lowers cortisol. Spend a few weeks exercising the tiny-but-important muscles throughout your frame with The Dailey Method, and you will discover a newfound relaxation and strength. You may not even need massage any more!

3. Team Sports

I’m not saying you should go out and join a softball team; what I’m saying is that you can make your workout time do double duty. Find a workout partner and you can turn grunt time into girl time. Calorie burning plus a good chat session will raise your oxytocin levels and also push you to work a little harder (don’t let her beat you up the hill!). Think walks, runs, gym visits, or your favorite dance class. Loving, supportive connections like these are as essential as a daily vitamin. You’ll both be stronger and happier in no time. Here’s my workout partner tip: always tell her how good her butt looks in yoga pants.