Should I Push Myself Or Pace Myself?
At Habitat Health and Fitness in Lakeland, Florida, FL, I get a lot of clients at that ask, "Should I push myself or pace myself?" There's no answer that fits all situations. If you're just starting a fitness program, pushing yourself too hard can actually cause a set-back. On the other hand, not pushing yourself won't always give you the results you want. Whether to push or pace depends on you, your knowledge and your goals.
You need to know the proper form before you push through the workout.
Getting into shape can start slower at first, while you're learning the proper form for each exercise. If your form is bad, it can minimize the benefits of the workout or even cause injury. For younger people, it's important, but for older individuals it's far more important. The older you are and the more out of shape, the slower you tend to heal. Starting a new program can be exhilarating, but it's also the time you need to be easier on yourself.
Don't push yourself to the point of stressing your body.
You'll get faster results if you workout hard, but not if you do it too often. If you're doing strength training, you need to rest your muscles and allow them to heal. Strength training makes micro tears in your muscles, and they need time to repair. It can suppress the immune system for as much as 72-hours. If you're doing strength training every day, you don't give your muscles an opportunity to heal. That can create set backs in your program. It doesn't matter how fit you are, your muscles need a time for recovery.
You need to know how hard you're really working.
While you might feel like you're working hard, there are easy ways to measure your level of intensity. If you can talk while you're working out, with complete sentences and not just guttural grunts, you're at a moderate pace. The same is true for singing. Try a few bars of your favorite song, if it flows freely, you may need to push a little harder. Know your body. If you feel like you really need a break, take it, especially if you're new to exercise, have a medical condition or are a senior.
- Maybe you can't workout as hard as you want, but do something. It's better than nothing. If you work your body hard, you'll get in shape faster, but even a moderate workout helps improve your fitness. Don't give up. Do something.
- When people first start a workout program, they often push too hard. That can cause muscles to ache for days and can be a deterrent to future workouts. Don't push too hard at first.
- Taking it easier at first doesn't mean you have to do that forever. As you get fitter and learn proper form, you can start to push yourself more and get more benefits from each hour at the gym.
- Our trainers can help adjust the workout to your fitness level. You won't have to worry. They'll adjust the workout to your level of fitness and help you understand when to pace yourself or push yourself.
For more information, contact us today at Habitat Health & Fitness
If it were just a matter of cutting out the added sugar in coffee or opting out of that candy bar after work, cutting down on added sugar wouldn't be a problem. However, today sugar is in everything. In fact, each year the average American consumes approximately 152 pounds of sugar in a year. That's three pounds or six cups a week. Great-great-great grandma and grandpa at only about two pounds of sugar 200 years ago. Can you avoid sugar entirely? Are there healthier alternatives to white sugar that you can use to avoid the health issues too much sugar causes?
New clients at Habitat Health and Fitness in Lakeland, FL, ask me about sugar substitutes and artificial sweeteners. It's normally in response to the initial cravings of giving up sugar. Choosing to opt for an artificial sweetener may mean you're loading up your body with chemicals and that can be as bad or worse as using regular cane or beet sugar. In my estimation, giving up food with added sugar is one of the biggest obstacles in living healthier. Once you change your eating habits, you won't find adding sugar necessary and be able to taste the sweetness of fresh fruit and vegetables.
We've all seen the run on toilet paper and the problems after a storm that might make you want to stock up on healthy food staples. Stocking up is good when prices are rising, especially if you find some that are bargain priced. Start with canned goods. Not all canned goods are unhealthy. Even green beans with added salt can be rinsed to make them healthier. Canned tomatoes, corn, carrots, spinach and peas should also be on your shelf. Canned fruit packed in its own juice should be a top option.
There are many reasons people love being part of the family at Habitat Health and Fitness in Lakeland, FL. Getting responsible answers in almost any area of fitness, either directly or in a blog is one. I've been getting quite a few questions about the difference between coconut water and coconut milk, and if coconut milk is good for you. Coconut water is found naturally inside young coconuts that eventually hardens to form the meat of the coconut. Coconut milk is more like a tea. It starts with the flesh of mature coconuts that's grated, mixed with water and simmered until a desired consistency, then strained to remove any solids that remain.
IBS--- irritable bowel syndrome---causes abdominal pain and changes in your bowel movements that include constipation, diarrhea or both. It all depends on the type of IBS you have. Other symptoms include the feeling you haven't finished in the bathroom, even though you just went, bloating and white mucus in your bowel movements. It can cause considerable discomfort, but normally doesn't cause digestive tract damage. Unfortunately, IBS can last years.
At Habitat Health and Fitness in Lakeland, FL, identifying the causes of preventable health issues and making lifestyle changes to avoid future damage, can boost health and vigor. One common problem faced by many people is consistent high blood pressure---hypertension. About 45% of all people have or will develop it. It's a silent killer, because left unaddressed, it can lead to stroke, kidney damage, hardening of the arteries, dementia and early cognitive decline. In the early stages, most people don't realize they have a problem because there often aren't any symptoms.
Exercise is king at Habitat Health and Fitness in Lakeland, FL. However, when you eat healthier and consume foods that give you more energy, not only will your workout be better, so will all aspects of your life. Foods that give you energy aren't sugary treats that spike your blood sugar momentarily and then plunge you into the pit of exhaustion. They're high quality foods that keep your energy level at its best throughout the day.
Your calorie intake and energy expelled determines whether you gain weight, lose weight or remain the same. If you eat too many calories, your body stores the excess as body fat. If you eat too few, your body breaks down body fat or muscle to supplement your needs. Eating the right amount to balance calories burned with calories consumed is the ideal, unless you're trying to lose weight or gain it. Most people want to know how many calories to eat a day to lose weight, but there's no simple answer. It's all based on your body and needs.
At Habitat Health and Fitness in Lakeland, Florida, FL, we focus on fitness through exercise, but that doesn't mean we discount other lifestyle changes that can make you healthier. Eating healthy should be a top priority. Some people question whether protein supplements should be used on that quest toward a healthier body. As with most things related to fitness, it all depends on you and your needs. Protein supplements can be quite beneficial for some and unnecessary or even dangerous for others. Older people who may have a difficult time of eating and don't process protein as efficiently, may benefit from a supplement.