Working Out While Sick

Yesterday I had a bit of a workout dilemma. This week I came down with a head cold. It’s not bad but, like most people, I really dislike being sick. I wanted to hit the 5:30 Body Pump class at my gym but I wasn’t sure if working out while I’m sick was a wise thing to do. Would it make things worse? Would it help? 

Dr. Edward R. Laskowski, the co-director of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center and a professor at College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, advises that if your symptoms are above the neck such as a stuffy head, runny nose, slightly sore throat it’s usually okay to workout. He suggests taking the intensity of your normal workout down a few notches and shortening the length of your workout, as well. Men’s Health actually cites a study from Appalachian State that showed that participants with colds who performed moderate exercise were able to cut their sickness time down up to half compared to participant who did not exercise while they had a cold. 

However, if your symptoms reside below the next such as chest congestion, cough, and body aches it’s suggested that you forgo your work out. A. Marc Harrison, MD warns about the following:

 

1.       Never exercise with a fever, lower respiratory tract infection, or symptoms of systemic illness (muscle aches, chills, malaise, etc.).

2.       Do not ignore symptoms that could be attributable to the heart, including shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat, fainting, chest pain or lightheadedness. See a doctor immediately if you have any question about the health of your heart.(Harrison 2012)

 

If you exercise with a fever, you are in danger of raising your core body temperature even higher. This is may make you sicker. This may also lengthen your illness.  

I decided that although I only had a head cold I wasn’t going to hit the gym and went for two mile walk around my neighborhood instead. Even though a little exercise might help me feel better I didn’t want to share my sick germs with my fellow gym-goers. If you decide to go to the gym when you are sick remember to wipe off all the equipment you use with antibacterial cleaner (my gym has bottles around the gym or bring wipes with you). Also, make sure you wash your hands often and remember that your workout towel carries germs, too. Just remember, sharing workout tips is okay; sharing your sickness is not.

 

 

References:
 

Harrison, M. M.D. (2012). “Scare Tactics to Prevent You From Exercising While Sick.” Triathlete Magazine. Retrieved from: http://www.active.com/triathlon/Articles/Scare_tactics_to_prevent_you_from_exercising_while_ill
 

Laskowski, Edward R. M.D. (2011, June 18). “Is it OK to exercise if I have a cold?” Mayoclinc.com. Retrieved from: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/AN01097

 

Mann, D. (nd) “Exercise When Sick: A Good Move?” WebMD. Retrieved from: http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/features/exercising-when-sick
 

Yaworski, J. (2012, January 17). “Are You Too Sick to Work Out?” Men’s Health. Retrieved from: http://news.menshealth.com/are-you-too-sick-to-work-out/2012/01/17/

It's Not Always What You Do But What You Eat

I’m choosing this Thanksgiving week to discuss nutrition. Thanksgiving marks the time when eating tends to take an upswing while time to exercise falls to an all time low. It seems like a good time to talk about the fact that no matter how hard you work out and how active you are, if you aren’t consuming good, healthy food your body isn’t working at its prime state.  If you want to optimize your fitness and get and stay at a healthy weight you have to be mindful of what you consume. 

We will start with that word you’ve heard so often—calorie. There are two ways to look at the term calorie. When referring to food it’s the unit of energy that food supplies your body. When referring to physical activity a calorie is the amount of energy your body uses in performing an activity. To maintain your current weight you want to take in the same amount of calories as your body burns. To lose weight you want to take in fewer calories than burn during activity. If you are interested in gaining weight you will want to take in more calories than you burn (OWH 2008).

With all the nutrition advice out there it’s easy for a person to get confused. One minute we are being told to avoid carbs and eat large quantities of meat. The next minute we need to follow a gluten-free vegan diet. We won’t even talk about the fad diets out like the one promoting the use of cayenne pepper and lemon juice to cleanse the digestive tract (I won’t even provide the reference link for this diet, just believe it exists).  

The soundest advice I have found and try to follow in my own life is something along the lines recommended by the Harvard School of Public Health. “Eat a plant-based diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; choose foods with healthy fats, like olive and canola oil, nuts and fatty fish; limit red meat and foods that are high in saturated fat; and avoid foods that contain trans fats. Drink water and other healthy beverages, and limit sugary drinks and salt. Most important of all is keeping calories in check, so you can avoid weight gain, which makes exercise a key partner to a healthy diet.”  



The Harvard School of Public Health’s website has 10 simple and helpful tips to eating right that you might want to check out. 10 Tips For Healthy Eating

 

They have also developed a Healthy Eating Plate which is a visual reference to what and how much you should be eating.  To learn more about how it works click here: Healthy Eating Plate

Remember to help your body work efficiently you need to be attentive to the fuel you feed it. We all slip sometimes but sticking to a healthy diet will help improve your fitness experience.



References:

(2008, June 17). “Fitness and Nutrition. Office on Women’s Health website. Retrieved from: http://www.womenshealth.gov/fitness-nutrition/food-fitness-healthy-weight/index.html
 

 “The Nutrition Source: What Should I Eat?” Harvard School of Public Health. Retrieved from: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/

 

"The Nutrition Source: Healthy Eating Plate. Harvard School of Public Health. Retrieved from: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-eating-plate/index.html

 

 

Remember to Stretch

A few months ago I noticed that I was having pain in right my hip flexor. It would tighten and hurt every so often when I would take a step. As you can imagine, it was far from fun. I had gone back to running fairly regularly and I noticed a connection to the pain and my running. It’s my nature to research things so I hit the Internet and found out that I might need to improve my stretching routine before and after my runs. I also learned that because my job involved me sitting for long periods of time my hip flexors spent a lot of time contracted which only exacerbated the problem. 

So, when I started doing some research for this post I thought it would be easy. We are talking about stretching and that seems like a pretty straightforward subject.  Stretching….it’s good for you, do it! Well, as it turns out, it’s not quite that simple. There is question over whether traditional stretching before your workout helps or hinders athletic performance. Because this is not a forum of debate but, instead, a place to share useful information about getting and staying in shape we are going to assume that stretching is good (because I personally believe it is) and discuss the how and when to stretch.

Before we start, here are a couple terms we will focus on:

 

Static stretching “is when you stretch and hold the muscle just beyond its normal range of motion. Each stretch is ideally held for 15 to 30 seconds. Its primary purpose is to increase flexibility of the muscles and ligaments.” (Rohmann, 2011)

Dynamic stretching or active stretching is stretching the muscle while moving. (Reynolds, 2008). It is “comprised  of controlled movements involving leg and arm swings that slowly bring the muscles close to their range of motion limit without exceeding it” (Rohmann, 2011)

Pre-Workout Stretching

Stretching before exercise “can improve your flexibility, reduce risk of injury, and improve your overall quality of life.”(Belleme, 2008) It is recommended that for dynamic stretching is the best form of stretching before working out as it helps to increase blood flow to your muscles.  As Gretchen Reynolds writes in her New York Times article, dynamic stretching “increases power, flexibility and range of motion.”

Dynamic stretching serves another very important purpose. It lets your body know what it’s about to do.  It’s like a rehearsal before the big show. Reynolds’ article suggests the most effective dynamic stretches are the ones that mimic the action the body will eventually perform.  For example, since I am a runner part of my stretching should involve lunges and squats.

Post-Workout Stretching

Static stretching after a workout helps to prevent muscles from contracting. (Van Hart) It is commonly thought that stretching after a workout will help decrease muscle soreness and help in recovery.  According to personal trainer, Stephanie Pipia, “static stretching suppresses the central nervous system, relaxing the muscle spindles by lengthening them, and has been shown to actually reduce power and force production in several studies.” (Rammohan, 2012)

Remember when performing static stretches to hold the stretch for at least 30 seconds. Also, and this may seem obvious but you’d be surprised, stretch both sides.  If you stretch your left hamstring, don’t forget you have a right hamstring too and you probably worked that muscle equally as hard. (Belleme, 2008)

As an update to my story I did start stretching more before my run, even though many of my stretches are still static (I’ll try those lunges and squats next time I run) and I spend more time stretching post-run. I take time to concentrate on stretching my hip flexors.  I have found that the pain has lessened significantly since I’ve made these changes. So I will remain with the “stretching is good” mindset.

 

References:

Belleme, G. (2008, June 18). “Importance of Stretching Before Exercises.” LiveStrong.com. Retrieved from: http://www.livestrong.com/article/473698-importance-of-stretching-before-exercises/

Reynolds, G. (2008, October 31). “Stretching: The Truth.” New York Times. Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/02/sports/playmagazine/112pewarm.html?_r=0

Rammohan, Y. (2012, April 10). The Best Way to Stretch Before and After a Workout. Shape Magazine. Retrieved from: http://www.shape.com/blogs/weight-loss-diary/best-way-stretch-and-after-workout

Rohmann, Riana. (2011, May 26). “Stretches Definition.” LiveStrong.com. Retrieved from: http://www.livestrong.com/article/350043-stretches-definition/#ixzz2CG36owoC

VanHart, Z. (2012) “What to Do After a Workout, When Exercise is Over, the Work Isn't.” SparkPeople.com. Retrieved from: http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=117

Building Strength

My daughter and I have finally found a group fitness class we can agree upon. It's called Body Pump. Until now it's been a losing battle to get her to take classes with me. Maybe it's the years of her watching me teach classes or that when we did take a class like Zumba together the instructors who knew me always showed her extra attention (something a teenage girl does not want while trying to shimmy and shake her way through a class based on Latin dance).So I suppose, of all the classes we can agree upon, Body Pump is perfect. It's a strength training class and strengthening your muscles is important for every age and gender.

According to the Mayo Clinic, strength training is an important of a balanced fitness plan for both sexes. It's not just for those bulky guys you see grunting at the gym. the benefits of strength training are numerous:

· Reduces body fat

· Increases lean muscle mass

· Helps to burn calories more efficiently

· Helps to develop strong bones (which is super important as you age)

· Reduces risk of injury

· Boosts stamina

· Helps to manage chronic diseases such as arthritis, osteoporosis, obesity, and diabetes

If these benefits have you interested, here are some things to remember as you begin (after you get the thumbs up from your physician, of course) courtesy of the Mayo Clinic:

· Start slow

· Warm up with stretches and aerobic activities like walking are great

· When choosing weight/resistance, find weight that ill tire your muscles in 12 reps

· Recover--allow one day between strength workouts (my personal suggestion is to work upper body one day and lower body the next)

Mueller and Nichols from SparkPeople also suggest:

· Cool down--stretching is very important

· Change your routine every 6-8 weeks to avoid plateaus and general boredom--keep those muscle guessing so they work efficiently

· Breathe--inhale on the easy part and exhale on the exertion (lift). I cannot stress breathing enough. Please avoid holding your breath. No good comes from forgetting to breathe.

There are several types of resistance training you can do. These include using your own body weight. If you don't believe using body weight makes a difference just do a few good squats and see how you feel. I find resistance bands or tubing great for traveling and working out at home. Mueller and Nichols suggests that free weights are good for more advanced individuals while weight machines are good for beginners. Last but not least, there are several group fitness classes that you can find at your local gym or recreation center. They are my personal preference, of course, because they offer camaraderie and good music and far less grunting then you'll find in the weight room!

Remember that strength training is not about becoming a body builder. It's about building lean muscle to protect your joints, strengthen your bones, and enable you to do other fitness activities more efficiently and easily.

 

References:

Mueller, J. and N. Nichols. (2012, February). "Reference Guide to Strength Training." SparkPeople. Retrieved from http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=1033

Staff. (2010, June 30). "Strength training: Get stronger, leaner, healthier." Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/strength-training/HQ01710

 

Going Mobile--Apps Galore

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m pretty attached to my iPhone. It goes everywhere with me. I’ve been known to panic if I don’t have it. It is my lifeline at times. But get this…I rarely ever use it as a phone!

One of the things I DO use it for is to help me with my quest for fitness. There are many fitness apps available now for iPhone or Android based phones.  They come in handy if you don’t have a gym membership (or even if you do), need motivation, travel often, or just want to try something new. Many of the apps track your fitness so you get to see your progress and many sync to online websites where you can share your progress with others.

These are a few of the fitness apps on my phone right now. I don’t work for any of these companies and do not get paid to endorse any of these apps. They are just ones I have found and liked or liked the idea of.  You’ll notice that many of them are for running.

Ease Into 5K (Bluefin Software, LLC)—This is a 9 week program that does what its title says. It eases you into being able to run a 5K. I started using it when I began running two years ago. Since finishing the program I have completed three 5Ks and plan to run more.

• Has GPS built in
• Syncs with your playlist
• Voice prompts tell you when to walk/run/cool down
• Can connect to Facebook so you can tell your friends how you did on your run

Bridge to 10K (Bluefin Software, LLC)—The next step in the program. Another six weeks and technically I could be running a 10K. (I’ll admit, I haven’t tried this one yet but more on that another time).

• Has all the same cool features as Ease Into 5K
• There is an Ease Into 10K if you felt the need to skip the 5K version and go big

Nike Running (Nike)      

• Logs and maps your runs
• Voice prompts tell you your distance and time
• GPS tracking works well
• Syncs with Nikeplus.com where you can set goals
• Can set it to get “Cheers” from your friends on Facebook

 Map My Fitness (MapMyFitness)

• Maps runs through GPS or manual entry
• Syncs with online account at www.mapmyfitness.com
• Maps pace, time, and elevation
• Works with your phones playlist

Bootcamp (Bluefin, LLC)—I haven’t used this one yet but I really plan to. It works you through different work out routines. Some exercises use hand weights or a medicine ball.

• List of some of the workouts
• “Feel the Burn”
• “Cardio and Core”
• “Quick Cardio”
• “Killer Quads”
• Uses music from your phone
• Voice prompts and timer

Pocket Yoga Builder (Rainfrog, LLC)—Another app I haven’t used but have every intention of doing so. It would have really come in handy when I was teaching yoga!

• Build your own yoga routine
• Add music using playlists on your phone
• Provides  voice prompt

If you have any apps that you use that I haven’t mentioned, please share them with us. Comment and give us the name and tell us what you like about it.

Abs Wonderful Abs

It’s time to focus on our first muscle group. We’ll do this every so often just as a change of pace and it’s helpful to know what you are working and why. So today it’s all about the wonderful abdominal muscles.



Figure 1 Abdominal Muscles (www.fitfirma.com)

The transverse abdominus, rectus abdominus, external oblique muscles, and internal oblique abdominus help make up the core (see Figure 1). “Think of your core as a strong column that links the upper body and lower body together. Having a solid core creates a foundation for all activities.” (Better Health Channel, 2012) A strong core will also help protect against back strain, assists in balance, and is a strong factor in improving posture.

An important fact that you should remember is doing abdominal exercises will not change the amount of fat along your waistline. As Deborah Mullen, a certified strength and conditioning specialist, explains, “The fact is that ab exercises will train your abdominal muscles, but you will have the same layer of fat sitting on top of these muscles unless you create a calorie deficit by burning more calories than you consume. The most effective combination is aerobic exercise, strength training and healthy eating habits. You might not like this answer, but it is the only one that will work in the long run. Don't look for quick-fixes--as we all know, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!”

There are many ways to strengthen your core region. I’m a big believer in Pilates and yoga. They are core based and very effective in working the entire region. If those two practices don’t work for you there are many effective exercises you can do. I have included a link to that will give you a bunch of different options. You might also look into using a balance ball (those huge balls you may have seen at the gym) because they require your stabilize they are very helpful in working your core muscles.

Abdominal Exercises from Divine.ca

DISCLAIMER AND CAUTION: Remember to always be mindful of your body. Pay attention to your back and do not do anything that will put undo strain on it. If you have any issues with your back or health in general, consult your doctor prior to starting any routine. There is also such a thing as straining your abdominal muscles. So take it easy. Doing 200 crunches in one shot will NOT give you a six-pack.

References:

1. http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Abdominal_muscles

2. Mullen, Deborah L. (1996-2008) Simple Fitness Solutions.“Truth About Training The Abdominal Muscles. Retrieved from: http://www.simplefitnesssolutions.com/articles/ab_muscles.htm

Finding Motivation When You Just Want to Sleep

I don’t think you can have a conversation about fitness without discussing motivation. Motivation is that force that gets you out of bed, up off the couch, or just off your butt and moving.  Because it’s so important motivation is not a subject I’m going to just approach, write about it once and then walk away. It’s something we will come back to often because it is an ongoing thing that never goes away while you’re finding fitness.  

So let’s start with getting up in the morning to work out. I’m a pretty early riser (6-7am even on weekends), not by choice—probably by genetics. That being said, I will admit that I do not like getting up to work out. In my heart I know I should get up every other morning, at least, and go for a run but finding the motivation to get out of bed, get dressed and put on my running shoes is beyond difficult.  So trust me, I get it.

We will ignore the negatives of getting up earlier to work out. Part of motivation is looking at the positives and letting go of the negative stuff that keeps you from doing something. Let’s, instead, focus on the positives of getting up and working out first thing in the morning….. 

1.       It crosses one thing off your to-do list—We all have these crazy busy lives. Work, school, taking care of others, taking care of ourselves,  cleaning, cooking, grocery shopping, and the list goes on. It’s difficult to squeeze in fitness so why don’t we just do it first thing and it’s done for the day.

2.       It only hurts for a little bit—Okay working out shouldn’t really hurt. I am talking about that mental hurt of peeling yourself out of your warm bed even before you need to just so you can go for walk, run, or whatever form of exercise you chose. From experience, I can tell you that once you get into a routine it gets easier. You just have to suck it up, start the routine, and stick to it. WARNING: Do not break your routine because then you have to start all over again.

3.       ENERGY—There is an energy boost that you get from working out in the morning that you’ll probably won’t get working out any other time of day.  Getting the blood pumping early in the day seems to last throughout the day. This alone should be great motivation for getting up!

 

These are just three positives. Once you get going you will find more. In fact, come back and share them with us. I’ve included a short article that focuses on getting up and running in the morning but it translates to any other form of exercise.

http://www.fitnessrepublic.com/running/tips-for-running-in-the-morning.html

I’m going to lead by example. I’m going to set my alarm to get up tomorrow morning (a Sunday, no less) and go for a run.

 

Hints for Group Fitness Novices

I have a confession to make. I am not just an ordinary woman constantly searching for fun ways to stay fit. Nope. I’m actually considered a fitness professional—or at least I used to be. For seven very enjoyable years I was a group fitness instructor. I probably would still be instructing if only there were more hours in the day. It was a truly gratifying experience and I miss it.

This brings us to our first topic...Group Fitness—the Basics.  I have to admit that I’m pretty biased when it comes to group fitness. It’s a passion that started long before I got my certifications to teach. It goes back to taking aerobics class at about the age of 11 at the Nautilus gym in Phoenix, AZ. This was back when we worked out on carpeted floors and jumped around in leotards, tights, and, yes, leg warmers.  Poor fashion choices aside, the energy and fun of the group fitness classes has continued to be one of my favorite ways to stay in shape.  

For those of you who are new to group fitness walking into your first class can be a bit daunting.  Maybe you’ve stood outside a class at the gym thinking, “Wow, that looks like fun but there’s no way I can do that.”  My answer is—you won’t know until you try. Here are a few pieces of advice to make you feel more comfortable joining in a new class. 

Step Into the Room—This is really the first step. You have to take a deep breath and go inside. Sure, it may be intimidating and it seems like everyone else has been taking the class forever but, remember, everyone in that room had to step inside the room for the first time, too.  You’re only going to be new this one time.

 

Introduce Yourself—Most instructors get to class a little early to set up and cue up their music. Walk up and introduce yourself and let him or her know that you are new. This serves a couple purposes; it lets your instructor know to pay a little, quiet extra attention to you throughout class and the instructor can let you know up front what to expect and what equipment you may need for class. A good instructor will make you feel welcome and help ease some of your anxiety.

If the instructor is late, pick a person near you and ask a few questions. If the class involves equipment go ahead and ask what you’ll need. Most students I’ve met are more than willing to help out newbies. They are always happy to have a new member to their fitness team.

Get a Good View—It’s important to find a spot where you can see the instructor. You may not want to be up front and center but don’t hide in the back of the room where you can’t see or be seen. From a student’s point of view, you’ll want to be able to see what is going on in the front of the room. If you’re in a group weight class or yoga it’s important to see good form. If you’re taking a class that moves like Zumba or Kickboxing you just want to see what the steps are.  

From an instructor’s point of view, our job is to make sure individuals are following good form and make sure everyone is safely moving through the class. If you are hiding in the back the instructor may not be able to give you needed corrections or verbal cues that can help you out.  

 

Return to Class At Least Two More Times—I was taught as an instructor to encourage a new person to come to class at least three times before they decide it’s not for them. It’s almost a guarantee that the first time in class will be more about figuring out what is going on than working out and having fun. It may be very frustrating and you may leave feeling a little discouraged. Go back for two more tries. You’ll be more familiar with the mechanics of the class and be able to concentrate on your body and how it’s feeling. Hopefully less frustration will equal more fun.

If the Class Isn’t For You, Move On—The cool thing about group fitness is there is a variety of classes out there. If the class you picked just doesn’t make you happy after putting in an honest effort, feel free to move on. Check out the schedule, ask around, and find something that fits you better. Even if you do like the class you picked, it’s good to mix up your schedule and try other classes. Variety is good for the brain and body.

Jessica Smith, a personal trainer and group fitness instructor adds a couple extra tips in an article posted on FitSugar:

"If there is something you cant do yet, please don't do it."--If something is too complicated or outside your current fitness level, do not attempt to do it. Look for modifications (most instructors will offer some). "Avoid injury," Smith writes, "by progressing slowly..."

"Listen to your body--the whole class"--She wisely advises not to get swept up in the excitement and the music and ignore how our body is feeling. Take breaks, drink water, and pay attention to your breathing.
 

Remember it’s about having fun and getting fit at the same time. Go out, find a class and give it a try.

References:

Smith, J. (2012, January 16). "From the Community: New to Group Exercise Classes? 4 Helpful Tips From an Instructor." FitSugar. Retrieved from http://www.fitsugar.com/Beginner-Tips-Taking-Group-Fitness-Class-21280065