The Why and How of Working Out Twice per Day

If you are looking to increase your weight loss or workout results, working out twice per day just might be your golden ticket. When you workout multiple times in one day, you are giving your metabolism multiple jump starts that will help increase the carbs burned, muscles developed, and overall physical fitness. Multiple workouts per day really is a win-win and could be the difference between a successful weight loss regimen and the dreaded plateau phase. 

That being said, there are some dangers of working out multiple times per day. The first, of course, being fatigue to the body. When we overwork our bodies, we can risk getting muscle fatigue and overuse along with all the not-so-fun things that go along with it. If you begin having muscle aches, uncontrollable shaking, or extreme pain, you are overworking that body. To avoid this costly error, it is best to complete one heavy and one light workout per day.

It is especially important to slowly increase your workout regimen. Those that are already extremely physically fit will have less of a problem jumping in to double workouts than those who are not. Be sure that you are listening to your body and not having any single workout be longer that 90-minutes. Keeping workouts shorter will also decrease the risk of workout burnout which could happen twice as fast if you are working out super hard and twice as often.

A great equation for double workouts is to workout between 4-6 days of the week with one hard and one light workout per day. This will give your body plenty of rest time to recover and still keep you on track for all those incredible fitness goals. My favorite way to do this is one cardio workout that increases my metabolic rate at the beginning of the day and one toning workout towards the end- preferably before a big meal like dinner.

By doing one cardio workout and one lighter workout you will be increasing your metabolic rate twice in one day (the big one coming from your cardio session), toning muscle along with burning fat, and increasing physical fitness without increasing the risk of physical injury. This is also a great way for those training for a race to get more results from there workout regimen in less time. Run training twice in one day can be detrimental to the body, but, run training once with a recovery training later in the day can, actually, improve race times while decreasing time needed between long runs.

Now, for after the workouts. What we do to our bodies' directly after a workout can have as big an impact on our physical fitness as the workout itself. Keep your metabolism going strong by eating a post workout snack rich in proteins and complex carbs. These are exactly what the body needs to recuperate and continue the positive effects of the workout the whole day through.

Here is an article all about what to eat before, during, and after a workout.

Likewise, it is important to increase the amount of water you are drinking since you are increasing the amount of hydration your body needs. A good rule of thumb for me is to increase my water intake by 20% to 40% on double workout days depending on the duration and intensity of the workouts. Days where my workout includes a 10-minute toning and 3-mile run will need less hydration than a hot yoga session and a jog.

Working out twice in one day can turn fitness goals into fitness realities faster and decrease risk of injury. This also means that the workouts can be less intense or shorter while still having the same effect. Just be sure you are being smart while getting fit. Plenty of the proper nutrients from your daily diet and a good multivitamin along with lots of water are vital for this step-up in your physical fitness. My favorite vitamins are those that are 100% organic and have all the daily nutrient content in them already. These are my go-to and they are buy one, get one free for September!

What is your biggest workout tip?

What Protein When?

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Ok, have you noticed that their are, almost literally, a ton of proteins out on the market these days? I mean, really. We have the whey, soy, powder mixtures, and a whole bunch of others. Each of these proteins does something different and is best used to get different results. Of course, some have milk, animal bi-product, and other allergens. 

The first thing to know about this crazy protein maze is that each protein is measured by it's biological value. Biological value, or BV, measures the amount essential amino acids in a protein. The higher this value, the better the source of protein and the leaner muscles it will produce. 

Whey Protein

Like the saying, curds and whey, whey is the watery substance that separates itself from the curds during cheese production. It is a milk by-product and therefore, has lactose. Although, some with mild or moderate lactose intolerance may be able to take whey without any unwanted side effects.

Many protein bars and shakes advertise that they use whey protein because this is the protein with the highest BV with a score of 104. This is a great form of protein for those working out to gain muscle, but should be taken at the right time and from the right source. The benefits of whey protein include reduced stress, lowered cortisol levels, lowered risk of asthma in infants, reduced risk of cancers including colon cancer, improves weight loss, and reduced blood pressure, whey has also been found to reduce the risk of allergies in children when given between birth and 6-months of age. To get all of these health benefits, be sure to take micro-filtered whey; this is they process where whey is separated from milk. 

There are two main forms of whey protein, whey isolates and whey concentrate (or just whey). Whey isolates will be absorbed into the body faster and are great to take after a workout for immediate effects for increased lean muscle production, but they lack all the other benefits. For this reason, whey concentrate is better to take throughout the day. 

As far as whole proteins go, eggs have the next highest BV with a score of 100. Beef protein has a BV of 80. 

Milk Protein

Milk protein ranks just under egg with it's BV. This protein has a BV of 100! Milk protein is also the most common form of protein found in meal replacement shakes, protein bars, and protein powders. Although, there are plenty of these products on the market that have a protein mix- most likely using both milk and whey. 

When using milk protein in protein additives like protein powder, you are most likely using a casein protein powder, the most abundant protein in milk. Casein is separated by milk through ultrafiltration. Casein protein is also slowly absorbed into the body, meaning that the amino acids will take longer to absorb, but will keep you full for longer. This form of protein also helps balance protein levels in or body over a longer period of time. 

Since casein is released slower than other proteins, it is no wonder that this form of protein is what we commonly see in meal replacement shakes because of it's weight loss benefits. Whey and casein protein combinations have also been shown to massively increase muscle performance and the growth of lean muscle when taken after a workout. 

Soy Protein

Soy protein is among the proteins with the lowest BV, at 49-74 depending on it's base. Bean based soy proteins have the lowest BV. This protein has, however, been shown to help both men and women lower the bad LDL cholesterol while keeping the good HDL cholesterol levels un-touched. Soy has also helped women balance hormone levels during menopause and helps men and women reduce the risks of osteoporosis. 

If your goal is muscle growth, soy protein is probably not your BFF.