Exercise Articles

Eating Schedule : Before and After Workouts

Dedicating yourself to a healthy lifestyle by eating the right diet and living a more actively seems simple. But it entails a lot of discipline and a little know how. This is true especially for those who are planning to spend a couple of hours at the gym.

The body needs a steady source of energy and nutrients. This holds true for those planning to lose weight or adding muscles. Energy is needed to power your various workout exercises and getting enough energy is essential to proper functioning in the gym. What happens after workouts is also essential. It determines the most safest and opportune time to eat and help your body in the recovery process.

Before Workouts

If you're planning to go on a workout it is important for you to adjust eating times accordingly. Working out with a full stomach could have a negative effect on your workout. The body spends energy digesting, energy which is needed during a workout. This only makes you tire easily as your body divides itself between digesting and providing you with energy during workouts.

Working out in the gym entails focus both mentally and physically. And a full stomach could make you feel lethargic or overly relaxed. Lifting weights especially free weights can be taxing mentally and needs full focus. Hard to do when your body is still busy digesting a meal.

Eating after Workouts

Your body's natural reaction after a workout is to replace lost energy stores. Strenuous workouts may have caused minor muscle tear which require immediate repair. Feelings of hunger is triggered, signaling you that your body is in need of instant nourishment.

If you're about to go through a long workout, one or two hours for example. Be sure to have something handy to provide you with a quick energy source. Eat snacks rich in protein and carbohydrates. Bring snacks in the gym to immediately replenish energy and jumpstart the repairing process. Water is also essential. This is needed to prevent dehydration after a grueling workout.

A 15 minute minimum is required after exercising before you eat.

For those not hungry

For some especially for those whose goal is losing weight, eating after your workout could be detrimental to your weight loss efforts. Eating after a workout actually helps the body restock lost fats which might have been lost during the workout. If you feel hungry, only consume that which is enough to keep you going through the day.

Drink water, pure fruit juices or an energy drink to prevent dehydration and replace lost electrolytes. Even when you're not feeling hungry or trying to lose weight, replacing lost electrolytes is essential for maintaining proper energy levels.

Eating habits before and after workouts

Working out in the gym is one of the best and fastest way to a healthier body. But it entails an extra sense of discipline. This includes proper eating habits to maximize every second you spend in the gym. So the next time you plan on going to the gym, take note of this simple guide on eating before and after workouts.

Fitness for All March Madness: 31-Day Walking Challenge

It’s officially March Madness season, so why not kick off this month with a 31-day Walking Challenge? This challenge can be done by itself or in addition to other exercises or workouts that you currently do each day.

Happy Walking! 

Day 1: Walk 1 mile

Day 2: Walk 1 mile

Day 3: Walk 1 mile

Day 4: OFF

Day 5: Walk 1 mile

Day 6: Walk 1 mile

Day 7: Walk 1 mile

Day 8: OFF

Day 9: Walk 1.5 miles

Day 10: Walk 1.5 miles

Day 11: Walk 1.5 miles

Day 12: OFF

Day 13: Walk 1.5 miles

Day 14: Walk 1.5 miles

Day 15: Walk 2 miles

Day 16: OFF

Day 17: Walk 2 miles

Day 18: Walk 2 miles

Day 19: Walk 2 miles

Day 20: OFF

Day 21: Walk 2 miles

Day 22: Walk 2.5 miles

Day 23: Walk 2.5 miles

Day 24: OFF

Day 25: Walk 2.5 miles

Day 26: Walk 2.5 miles

Day 27: Walk 2.5 miles

Day 28: OFF

Day 29: Walk 3 miles

Day 30: Walk 3 miles

Day 31: Walk 3 miles

Fitness for All Winter Workouts

Even though it may seem like winter may never be over, soon enough in just a few short weeks it will be.  But before you gear up for spring and getting back outdoors to take in nature and get some exercise, here are some winter workouts that you need to make time for before the spring flowers bloom.

• Take a spin class.  These intense indoor cycling classes can burn hundreds of calories and keep your bones strong.
• Put your swimsuit on and hit up the local indoor pool.  Once spring and summer roll around no one wants to be swimming indoors, but on those cold winter days, nothing feels better than taking some laps in a warm swimming pool.
• Hit the wall and find somewhere with an indoor rock-climbing wall.  This non-traditional cardio exercise not only exercises your body, but also your brain.   It can also burn up to 650 calories an hour!
• Ice skating isn’t just for kids, figure skaters or hockey players.  Visit your local indoor ice rink (or outdoor ice rink if you have one close by) and tone your legs, core and butt while having fun and stabilizing muscles that assist with balance and coordination.
• Try a boot camp workout.  Inspired by military training, these “booty-busting” classes are gaining in popularity all over the country and combine strength training moves with high-intensity cardio for a full body workout.
• Put on your boxing gloves and pretend you are Rocky!  Most gyms or community centers offer basic classes in boxing and because this is such a multi-faceting workout, you will notice that you are toning up more than bulking up the more you try it.
• Tai chi is another good winter workout to try when the winter blues have got you down.  Tai chi is a low-impact exercise with its roots in ancient China.  Tai chi helps balance yin and yang, improves cardiovascular health, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve balance

In the News Exercise for the Elderly

Health experts are constantly conducting research and learning more and more about the benefits of exercise for the elderly.  Sedentary adults are more likely to suffer from heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, certain cancers, and joint and muscle disorders. 

To help ward off these conditions and to deal with the everyday wear and tear that aging has on our bodies, experts suggest that individuals over the age of 50 should consult their physician and a personal trainer to come up with a fitness plan that works for them.

Another condition that exercise for the elderly has proven to help is the arthritis-stricken population.

The appropriate exercises can reduce inflammation and relieve stiffness in those particular joints.  It also increases flexibility, muscle strength, power and stamina.

Elderly adults who exercise also gains the benefits that their younger counterparts also gain including: weight control, the ability to manage daily stress and improved self-confidence.

Experts have also found that exercising as you age can also reduce the risk of premature death, can curb depression and minimizes the development of brittle bones.