In episode 16 of our Q&A series, Megan Ramos will address the following questions/topics: Why do I lose inches and not pounds? Intermittent fasting vs extended fasts, which is better? […]
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Not everyone is a morning person. While some people naturally wake up refreshed and ready to go, most of us would probably snooze right...
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Hey hey! Happy Monday! Hope your week is off to a great start. How was the weekend? I’d love to hear what you were up to. We went to an outdoor festival, had a little brunch playdate party with friends, and hit the road to Orlando! I’ll be back soon with a recap, but thought I’d pop in with a post about workouts you can do when your legs are sore. This is timely because I just did a Lean Machine leg workout a couple of days ago and I’m feelin’ the burn.
You can definitely file this one under “fit people problems”: you want to work out, but you have that sore swagger from your workout 1 (or even worse, 2) days before. After a killer leg day, it can be daunting to think about getting in a solid workout when you struggle to get in and out of your chair or up stairs following your workout. (We always joke that there should be a slide or a fireman pole to get us out of the yoga studio after barre class. The stairs are the worst ever.)
Here are some ideas for workouts you an do when your legs are sore.
– Pilates. Pilates emphasizes core stabilization and working each joint through a full range of motion. This is a great way to relieve and stretch sore muscles, while still getting in a solid workout.
– Yoga. In a yoga practice (power or restorative), you’ll hold poses and work in deeper stretches to bring some relief to those muscles. This study found that yoga can reduce intensity of delayed onset muscle soreness following workouts.
(Even better if your hottie husband joins you for class)
– An easy walk… or even better: HIIT. Soreness is one of those counterintuitive things. You don’t feel like moving, but you’ll feel a heck of a lot better if you do. Just shake your legs out with a neighborhood walk, or for more relief, do some sprint blitzes on the treadmill. Warm up for 5-7 minutes, then alternate sprint intervals (30 seconds) with walking (1 minute) for 15-20 minutes total. (As always honor your body and talk to your doctor about making fitness changes.) I know that when I muster the energy to go for it, I feel so much less achy after moving.
– Warm up with moderate cardio before your intense workout. A good warmup will help wake up your muscles for the work at hand. You’ll increase blood flow to the muscles, move safely through proper form, lubricate your joints, gradually prepare your heart for exercise, increase oxygen to the muscles, and mentally get in the zone. I like to do moderate cardio for 5-7 minutes before any workout, and some functional bodyweight moves (squats, push-ups, pull-ups, planks) before strength.
– Use proper form. Proper form will not only help to prevent muscle compensations and imbalances but will also help to keep you from injuring or straining yourself, which can be mistaken for “soreness.”
-Ice then heat. Ice your legs during the day, then enjoy a warm bath later that night.
– Hydrate appropriately. By drinking enough water, you’re replenishing the water lost during the workout and preventing dehydration, which can make muscle soreness even worse!
– Follow a balanced fitness plan + progress appropriately. Overtraining can definitely make your muscles feel more sore and set you up for overuse injuries and burnout. Make sure to alternate cardio intensities and give your muscles a break in between workouts (for example, don’t work your legs out 2 days in a row. They need about 2 days to repair and recover.).
(My beloved sleep mask)
– Make sure you’re getting enough sleep. Sleep is just the best ever, for so many reasons, but lack of sleep can increase pain risk as we age. Just another reason to call it a night a little earlier.
– Try some tart cherry juice. I’ve always been fascinated by these studies regarding tart cherry juice. It can help reduce muscle soreness, inflammation, improve sleep, and increase performance. It also has a nice, slightly tart taste. Check out one of my favorite tart cherry recipes here!
So, tell me friends: what workouts do you do when you’re sore? Anything you’ve found to help?
Stretching: yay or nay?
xo
Fit Guide friends: your first month will be in your inbox at midnight tonight! It’s not too late to take the quiz and/or sign up here.
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You’ve changed but your friends and family just cannot put their finger on it. Have you had your hair cut? Is that a new shirt? No, you’re losing weight. Your lifestyle is changing and you’re making choices to improve your wellbeing. And here’s your next decision – should you tell the people in your life that you’re on a diet?
You might want to keep your efforts hidden, and that is completely understandable. Fear of failure or embarrassment might be stopping you from sharing your intentions (“what happens if I don’t reach my goal?”) or what if the lads think you’re boring for not having a beer, or your mum’s offended if you don’t want her infamous roast dinner?
Weight loss is difficult at the best of times and we want to ensure that we are setting ourselves up for success. We need a support network – friends, family, the other dudes at the gym who look a bit like you – but you need to choose wisely.
It’s true that making your intentions public could be detrimental. Studies from New York University have found that as humans we crave recognition, acknowledgement and achievement, and telling your friends and family that you intend on changing your lifestyle may prompt them to praise you; meaning you’ve already received that recognition and the feeling of achievement resulting in waning interest and motivation.
However, the benefits of telling people you’re on a diet often outweigh the negatives. Have you ever thought about losing weight or starting to exercise but not actually done it? When it’s just a thought it’s so easy to forget about it. Saying it out loud makes it real. In an interview with Self, University of Scranton professor John C. Norcross said “public commitments are more effective than private declarations” and we reckon that sums it up quite well: if you know that people are expecting to see you slim down, you’re more likely to actually do it.
But announcing your weight loss plan during your weight loss may result in some subtle sabotage and you succumbing to peer pressure and banter (Remember when they called you boring for not having a pint?). Occasionally those closest to you might get jealous, or miss the ‘old you’. How many times has someone told you that one slice of pizza won’t hurt, or that you should start your diet next week? Stay strong when these comments come your way, and it’s useful to arm yourself with some answers so you don’t feel as though you want to buckle to the pressure. Keep your friends close and your goals closer.
So when and why should you ‘come out’, if you feel it’s appropriate at all? When you feel like you need some support. Accountability is the key and we can use the people around us to keep us in check. Remind yourself of goals and share these with your friends – this will help you feel more accountable and make you feel less guilty for declining their offers (and they might feel bad for pushing you away from your goal!)
But what should you do if your friends and family just aren’t on board? Here are some tips that might help you navigate those awkward social settings.
Utilise this at your own risk! If the lads are bumping up the banter because you laid off the Doritos when you were watching the game, tell them you’ve had a big lunch or your saving yourself for your takeaway tonight. Don’t get caught! Don’t be tempted to tell them you’ve gone vegetarian because they’ve bought burgers to be found snacking on the beef jerky a day later.
If you’ve taken any progress pictures, now is your time to shine. Not only is it motivational to see how far you’ve come, you’ve got a bloody good visual excuse not to overindulge just because everyone else is. Show off your progress and leave ’em speechless – then they won’t be able to tell you what to do.
If your friends are being relentless, and you feel comfortable in doing so, why not be completely frank and share your objectives/how your progress is going. Hopefully this will reinforce how important this is for you, it continues to keep you accountable and will help you stand your ground if they are fully aware of what you’re achieving.
Social gatherings are quite often based around food. People eat to celebrate, to commiserate, because they’re bored or simply to spend time with each other. With some smooth talking, you could convince your mates to socialise differently. You could make a day of it and go watch a football game, go clay pigeon shooting or even something badass like axe-throwing. Or if you want to keep it closer to home, why not play a few games to keep the attention off food, or score yourself some activity points and suggest a kickabout at the local park? It doesn’t always have to be about food or drink.
And if they don’t work? Perhaps it’s time to re-evaluate your relationships. Do you need that sort of negativity in your life? You don’t have to cut them out completely, but maybe you need to avoid the subject with them. A positive lifestyle change is something that should be encouraged, supported and celebrated.
Whether you share your goals and progress is ultimately up to you and what your motivations are. If you’re one who loves a surprised reaction and the compliments when you meet your crew, then your secret is safe with me but I like to share my experiences with my nearest and dearest. I love a good ol’ pep talk when I need one and I thrive on being told when I’m doing well. A good support network helps you find that often elusive self-control.
But if you feel as though your friends are sabotaging you or you need more support from like-minded individuals, why not reach out to other people just like you? Talking to people with similar goals and interests might be beneficial, so look out for local weight loss groups or see if there are any fitness clubs – it’s surprising how motivating it can be to be a part of a running or cycling club. And if you’re looking for something that takes a bit less effort, there’s always the MAN v FAT forums.
The post How to tell people you’re on a diet (and how to get them on your side) appeared first on MAN v FAT.
Unlike the portrayal often seen in TV crime dramas, the process of officially confirming the identity of someone who has been killed often requires painstaking scientific investigation to prevent mistakes.
Der Beitrag "Sports with Hay Fever: What to Do About Pollen Allergies" erschien zuerst auf Runtastic Blog.