Who ate way too much Valentine’s Day chocolate? ME! And after a couple of days of it, I think it’s time for a hard workout and a CLEAN, GREEN smoothie!

I always feel so much better when I’m able to sweat after a few days of eating badly. Cardio is my favorite way to sweat, and it’s SO good for your heart! The American Heart Association actually recommends at least 150 minutes/week of moderate exercise OR 75 minutes/week of vigorous exercise.

Your cardio can be anything that you enjoy doing—walking, jogging, biking, rowing, training for a race, swimming, or using the elliptical, StairMaster, or treadmill. You can also try your hand at HIIT or High Intensity Interval Training. This is a cycle of a short burst of vigorous exercise followed by a slightly longer recovery period. It’s more effective at burning fat than exercising at a steady pace for a longer amount of time because it keeps your body guessing, while still allowing you to preserve your muscle. It also keeps your body burning fat for hours afterward because of all the vigorous exercise performed during your workout.

At least a couple of times a week, I like to spend about 30 minutes on the treadmill alternating between 1 minute of sprinting and 1.5—2 minutes of a brisk walk. I don’t stick to the same speeds just to keep my body guessing so that I really get the most from my workout. You can also alternate between jumping exercises (lunges, squats, burpees, or jumping jacks) and a static exercise like (push-ups, sit-ups, leg lifts, planks, etc.)

Make sure you warm up with moving stretches and cool down with static stretching and walking at a slow pace for a few minutes. If you’re at the gym, don’t forget to clean your equipment before and after your workout—it’s flu season and it doesn’t matter who you are, you probably don’t have time for the flu!

To maximize your recovery, try a green smoothie! One of my favorites is one scoop of vanilla protein powder, 2 cups of kale, ½ cup of pineapple chunks in the juice, 1 banana, and 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk—but the good news is that you can change up the greens, fruit, and liquid base or add a different flavor protein powder, nut butter, flax seed, oats, etc. to personalize it!

I hope you’re feeling clean, refreshed, and ready to tackle another week!

Comment below with any questions you might have about HIIT or contact Melissa at our homepage for healthy eating plans!