Hot enough for you? With the high temperatures, many of us are thinking of ways to cool off, and an ice cold drink usually tops the list.
But ice can be helpful to you in another way – in reducing the inflammation that comes with acute injuries. When soft tissue is damaged, it leaks out fluid around the injured site. Small capillaries may also be ruptured, leaking blood into the area as well. Applying ice to the area will constrict the blood vessels, preventing further leakage. This minimizes swelling and can numb the pain.
Apply ice to the injured area as soon as possible. Continue to apply ice several times a day for about 3 days. Apply for no more than 20 minutes at a time, and let the skin return to its normal temperature before applying again.
You can use ice cubes in a zipper bag, a bag of frozen vegetables, or an ice pack from your kids’ lunch box. If applying directly to the skin, keep the ice moving. Otherwise, wrap it in a thin towel to prevent damaging the skin. You don’t want to make your injury worse do you?
Once the inflammation is gone, usually about 4-5 days, you can begin adding moist heat to the injured area before you begin working out, but put ice on it when finished to prevent more inflammation.
So get the ice, apply it right, and shorten your recuperation time.
Here’s a roundup of links to articles found on the internet. Both healthy eating and fitness are featured this time. Take a look and see what tips you can get for improving your fitness. And if you try the Watermelon Agua Fresca, let me know how it is!
Take advantage of all the fresh watermelon available while keeping cool and getting good nutrition with this Watermelon Agua Fresca recipe.
You’re in a hurry and skip the stretches at the end of your workout. You think it won’t matter.
Think again.
Flexibility is as important to your overall fitness as cardio and strength training. And the good news is it takes less time to achieve a desired level of flexibility than either of the other two.
So why is being flexible so important? Flexibility provides two known advantages – 1) improving athletic performance and 2) making everyday activities easier on your body, potentially decreasing the risk of certain injuries.
To increase your flexibility, you need to spend about 10 minutes a day stretching your major muscle groups. Then, if you have any specific problem areas, focus on stretches just for those. Once you’ve reached your desired flexibility level, you should stretch 2-3 times a week to maintain it.
How flexible should your be? As flexible as your lifestyle dictates. You need to be able to perform all usual daily activities with ease. You don’t need to be able to do the splits or a back bend unless you wish to try out for a gymnastics team.
Here’s some tips to stretch the right way:
Warm up muscles before you begin stretching.
Do NOT bounce! Hold each stretch about 30 seconds and repeat several times.
Breathe out and relax as your stretch. It should be a slow, smooth and controlled movement.
Stretch both sides of your body.
Stretching should NOT hurt – only go to the point of resistance. You should feel some slight discomfort or a slight pulling sensation. If it makes you tense, then it’s too much and you should back off.
If you have a chronic condition or injury, you may need to adjust your stretching. Consult your trainer or doctor for advice.
So people, S-T-R-E-T-C-H it out and enjoy the benefits of a more flexible body.
Looking for something good to read this weekend? Here are links to some interesting articles found on the internet. Give them a read and leave a comment letting us know what you think.
Pay attention men! Cut out the excuses and start taking care of your health with these tips.
Trying to lose weight, or keep off weight you have lost? Here’s 6 tips to help.
“Doesn’t working out make you hungrier? Then, don’t you eat more and end up not losing any weight?”
These questions are often asked, and can be a reason people decide to avoid exercise. But, are they true?
First, we need to consider the difference between hunger and appetite. Hunger is the body’s NEED for food. Appetite, on the other hand, is the desire or craving to eat. It is instinctive, but doesn’t always correspond to true hunger.
It seems that, depending on the person, some types of exercise may increase your appetite while others don’t. None of them, however, will have any effect on true hunger.
If exercise does increase your appetite, when and what should you eat to keep from overcompensating?
If you’ve eaten a large meal, you should wait at least 3-4 hours before exercising. With a small meal, allow a 2-3 hour gap. If you have not eaten recently, plan on a small snack about an hour before your workout. This will help keep your blood sugar up, which can fall during the first 20 minutes of exercise. Good snack options include banana, yogurt, bread/cracker with peanut butter or granola bars.
You should also plan to eat a small meal containing both protein and carbs within 2 hours of finishing your workout. This is the time period when your muscles absorb the most nutrients. Eating during this time may also help your body recover more quickly.
So don’t worry about exercise increasing your appetite and leading you to overeat. Make smart food choices and time it right to get the most benefit from the food and the workout.
Do some people have slow metabolism? Can you increase your metabolism? Can you do so by taking a pill? Does speeding up your metabolism help you lose weight? What is metabolism anyway?
Metabolism is your body’s way of using energy, measured in calories. You use calories in 3 ways:
1. vital bodily functions like breathing, heart rate, waste removal, cell growth, etc, which account for about 75% of your daily calorie burn
2. physical activity like exercise, daily activities of living, work, etc
3. digestion of food, which uses about 10% of your daily calorie burn
The rate at which your body burns calories at rest is called the resting metabolic rate (RMR). Each person’s RMR is different and some are slower than others, which seems to be genetic. But you can also alter your RMR by your eating habits. If you cut calories below your RMR level, or go long periods without eating, then you will lower your RMR because the body goes into starvation mode. It will conserve your stored body fat and slow down your vital functions to stay alive longer. Also, as you age, your metabolism slows down naturally.
Exercise and other forms of physical activity burn calories and increase your metabolism during exercise and for several hours afterward. Resistance training slows the natural loss of muscle caused by aging, thus helping to keep your metabolism up. Experts recommend aerobic exercise for 30+ minutes at least 4 or 5 times a week and strength training 3 times a week. Also, eat breakfast soon after waking up and don’t go more than 5 hours without eating except for sleep.
Other factors relating to weight and metabolism are sleep, macronutrients and supplements. People who sleep significantly less than the recommended 7-8 hours a night tend to weigh more. Their levels of appetite-regulating hormones are altered, making them hungrier. Plus, they are awake longer and have more time to eat, but less energy to exercise because they are tired.
Despite the ongoing pro-protein, anti-carb diet advice, research still clearly shows that the total calories you eat are the most important factor in weight loss, not the percentage of protein, carbohydrate or fat in your diet. Various supplements are touted as increasing metabolism, which they do by increasing heart rate. But they also have side effects like insomnia, anxiety, and high blood pressure. Their interactions with prescription drugs are not always known or desired, and the long term effects of taking such supplements have not been studied.
It isn’t complicated. Watch your total calories, get regular exercise, both aerobic and resistance, and get enough sleep to help you lose weight and keep it off.
We are one quarter of the way through 2011 – how are you doing with your workout resolutions? Feeling like a bit of a grind these days? Well it is time to shake things up a bit, and the warmer temperatures and longer days give you the perfect opportunity.
Moving your workouts outside can make them fun. If they are fun, you are more likely to stick with them. You can vary your workouts by going for a walk one day and a bicycle ride the next. Memphis is full of trails and paths so you can even vary your workout location often. If moving an activity outdoors, such as running or walking, take it slow at first and transition into it. The treadmill and the walking/running path are not the same.
Need another reason? Recent research confirms that outdoor exercise improves mental well-being, increases energy, and decreases tension, confusion and anger. That right there is enough reason for me to get outside. It is also a great way to get your vitamin D, but be sure to use plenty of sunscreen if outside in the middle of the day.
If you are working out with a trainer (and we certainly hope you are!), let them know you want to try some outside workouts. You might meet at the park for a few sessions, or get some suggestions from them for other activities that can get you outside and keep your fitness goals on track.
Keep in mind that exercising outdoors means you need to have plenty of water, wear sunscreen and a hat. And the temperature can vary widely from day-to-day this time of year, so make sure you dress appropriately.
This spring, move some of your workouts outside. The change of pace and scenery will do your body, and your mind, good.
Where are your favorite places for outdoor workouts? Leave a comment and let us know!
Healthy Habits offers 1 to 1 personal training, partner and group fitness programs, BioMetrics nutrition and exercise plans, golf fitness and weight loss programs, post-rehab clinical exercise, and beginner and intermediate yoga classes in Memphis, TN.
Hot enough for you? With the high temperatures, many of us are thinking of ways to cool off, and an ice cold drink usually tops the list.
