lose 30 pounds in 30 days workout plan

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In a perfect world, we’d have enough time to fit in a killer workout and then watch our TV show with a bowl of popcorn and a glass of wine, Olivia Pope-style. But there are only so many hours in a day, and sometimes, there just isn’t time for both. The struggle.

Whether your goal is to run a race, lose weight, build cardio endurance, or be active every day, you don’t have to sidetrack your fitness efforts or deal with a too-full DVR. Andrew Conklin, a master trainer at Crunch Gym in NYC, developed this walk-jog workout that’s meant to be enjoy while watching your favorite 60-minute TV show. The routine incorporates longer walking and jogging sections, so you don’t have to distract yourself from your show every five seconds to change the speed or incline. 

“A jog/walk workout helps the body acclimate to running longer distances, and walking breaks allow for an overall longer workout,” says Conklin. He even uses a walk/jog method in his marathons—he’s done 32 (!!!). “This workout can help a person train for a 5K, 10K or a half-marathon,” he adds. And even though high-intensity interval training gets all the credit when it comes to weight loss, you’ll still be burning calories during this routine.

Here’s your 60-minute TV show-meets-treadmill workout routine:

• Warm-up: At the beginning of the show, set the treadmill to 1.5 percent incline and walk at a 3 MPH pace. Continue to do this until after the first commercial break.
• Workout: When the show is on (air time), set the treadmill to 3 percent incline and run at a 5 MPH pace. During the commercial breaks, return the treadmill to 1.5 percent incline and walk at a 3 MPH pace. Continue this pattern throughout the show and slightly increase your pace every time the show comes back on—try to hit a 6 or 7 MPH pace by the end.
• Cool-down: During the last air time (or just before the hour is up), keep the treadmill at a 1.5 percent incline and walk at a 3 MPH pace. 

Whether you go with Dancing With The Stars, The Walking Dead, Grey’s Anatomy or anything on Bravo (my personal workout channel of choice), one thing’s for sure—you’ll be lapping everyone on the couch.

You may also like: Here’s a fat-burning plyometric workout to try at home

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