Be Done With Those Post-Run Headaches

You know those days when you feel like that run on the treadmill or elliptical could go on forever and you would be fine with it? Maybe you are running off stress or maybe you're just filled with a ton of energy. You feel great; not at all dizzy, or overheated, or hungry, or feeling any pain and then an hour or more later, a dull headache moves in. 

If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. Headaches can be caused from a couple reasons. One of them being that you are not consuming enough water throughout the day. Maybe not just drinking water, but incorporating water-filled fruits & vegetables like bananas or sweet potatoes. 

Once the actual run starts, if it's under an hour or when it's cool out, hydrating during your workout isn't necessary. If you're running longer than an hour, it's hot, or you're sweating buckets, mix an electrolyte package with your water. 

Something you may not realize is the time of day that you are running also matters. When you run early in the morning, stay hydrated the night before and sip 8 ounces of water 15 minutes before heading out. Later in the day, you should have a water bottle on you all day and drink from it frequently. 

Low blood sugar levels can also cause headaches. One to two hours before your workout, have something quick such as a fruit and nut bar, whole-wheat toast with nut butter, or a small bowl of cereal. After your run, you’re going to want a mix of carbohydrates and protein.

A tightness in the neck or shoulders can also contribute to causing the headache. Take time after your run to stretch out the neck, shoulders, and upper back then reward yourself by relaxing in a hot shower and give yourself a little well-deserved upper-body self-massage.

If none of these tips seem to be working for you, it's best to see a doctor to make sure there isn't a more serious underlying issue.

Original: http://www.fitsugar.com/How-Prevent-Postrun-Headaches-35399990

Running & Weight Loss

Did you start running months ago & are disappointed with the results you’ve seen? While running does burn mega calories, here are some reasons you may not be seeing the weight-loss results you're after.

Post Run Pig-Outs

Burning tons of calories can cause a famished feeling afterward, but it's important to refuel the correct way. Choose junk food as your recovery food and not only are you overdoing it on the calorie front, you'll be hungry again in the next hour. Although a post-run snack is essential, make sure it's packed with protein and filling carbs and does not exceed 150 calories. If you exercised before a meal, enjoy a sensibly portioned plate, and don't go overboard as a way to reward your efforts. If you still find you're utterly famished after a workout, it probably means you need to fuel up before you exercise.

You Don't Run Enough

If you're running and not seeing results, look at your calendar. Doing one 45-minute run once a week or a couple 20-minute runs won't burn enough calories to lose weight. In order to lose a pound a week, you'll need to cut 500 calories each day, through a combination of diet and exercise. If losing weight is your goal, run three to four times per week and incorporate other forms of calorie-burning cardio and/or metabolism-boosting strength training on the other days.

You're Burning Less Than You Think

You just got back from a run, you're covered in sweat, and you're convinced you burned over 500 calories. But did you really?  If you didn't run for that long or that fast, then you're not burning as many calories as you thought. It's best to track your workout just to be sure, using a heart rate monitor or a running app for your phone.

Same Workout, Different Day

If you found a great three-mile loop in your neighborhood, running it for a few weeks can help running become a habit. The problem lies with continually doing the same running workout. Your muscles will quickly adapt to the demands you're placing on them, which is a surefire way to hit a weight-loss plateau. Avoid this issue by mixing up your running workouts: include speed intervals, hills, long runs, short runs, and run on different surfaces and in new places to keep your muscles guessing and continuously strengthening. As mentioned earlier, it's also important not to make running your sole source of exercise. Include other forms of cardio as well as strength training since muscle mass burns more calories and speeds up your metabolism.

It's Not Just About the Scale

Running is one of the best ways to tone your lower body because it helps diminish fat while building muscle. Muscle tissue is more dense than fat tissue, so it takes up less space. This means that although your weight might not decrease (and might even go up a little), other body measurements will change, such as waist circumference, bra size, or the shape of your tush. The number on the scale isn't always the best way to monitor your progress. Even though the scale's not budging, you might be able to fit into those skinny jeans you had your eye on.

Original Source: http://www.fitsugar.com/Why-Running-Doesnt-Help-Weight-Loss-23050499

Food Baby

Surely we’ve all heard of the phenomenon that is the food baby. When indulging doesn’t quite do justice to how much you truly just ate, all of a sudden your stomach is protruding and making you, men or women, look as though you’re pregnant. The growth of your stomach may sometimes make you feel as though your stomach is about to burst.

Did you know that your stomach can go from holding a shot glass size when empty to holding up to 4 liters, or a little more than a gallon of milk? The point at which you are normally comfortably full is usually only 1-1.5 liters. When you overeat, you normally get a feeling of discomfort, but when you make it a habit to eat that way the feeling of being miserable will go away because your stomach muscles will stretch. Over time, when you consistently are over-stuffing yourself, you are causing your stomach to adapt to be able to hold more food and liquid. Your stomach doesn’t shrink back up to its normal size and then you will require more food to make you feel full. The pain you feel from over eating will also be caused by your body working overtime to digest the large about of food you consumed. 

Do you normally feel like working out after you’ve just binge eaten? No, most people don’t and it’s not something you should force either. When you exercise, the blood flow to your digestive track is lessened, which leads to nausea and bloating. So don’t think that a hardcore workout is going to help that food baby disappear. If anything, go for a walk which will help your stomach muscles grind and push food into your intestinal tract faster. You also, however, should not go lie down or go take a nap although sometimes that is exactly what you want to do. It is suggested that you stay upright for at least half an hour. 

So if you want to avoid the sensation of being along 7 months into your pregnancy, pigging out, binging, going hog-wild, are all activities that should be avoided.  

Via:

http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/7-disturbing-facts-about-food-baby

Fit Tip: Become a Better Tennis Player

Professional tennis players are some of the best athletes in the world. Tennis involves strength, speed, agility, footwork and endurance to last the match. Getting more court time to practice your strokes is important, but even for recreational players, sports-specific conditioning is the key to improvement.

Strength Training: Strength training increases the power of your shots and minimizes injuries by protecting the joints that are subject to repetitive stress. Try a combination of dumbbells, resistance bands and cable machines. Focus on the whole body – legs, arms, back, shoulders and the core. Try a circuit style workout moving from exercise to exercise. Make sure to incorporate rotational movements and balance exercises.

Plyometrics: Speed and agility training are critical for tennis players to get to the ball faster and recover quickly for the next shot. Plyometric exercises like squat jumps, split lunges and box jumps can help prepare the body for those quick moves. Incorporate side-to-side lateral hops and jumping rope for improved footwork.

Cardio: In tennis, sometimes the only way to win is to outlast your opponent with greater stamina. Build your aerobic base through cardio workouts like a group cycling class or lap swimming. Tennis also involves bursts of intense physical activity followed by short periods of rest. Incorporate interval training, like suicide runs (sprinting between two or more predetermined points), to work on speed and endurance.

Stretching: Stretching after every game will help prevent muscle soreness and reduce the potential for injury.

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Fit Tip: Focus on Legs

One of the easiest ways to tone your legs is to get up and use them more with consistent walking, jogging or biking routines. These cardio activities will also burn calories and help reduce overall body fat. But if you are looking for lean, strong legs, the prescription is strength training. Rely on variations of good old-fashioned squats, lunges and deadlifts to firm up the muscles in your glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves. 

Try the following leg exercises to train your muscles and get your legs ready for summer:

Take the Stairs: Choosing the stairs over the elevator is one of the easiest ways to work your legs during the day and you don’t need any extra equipment, just your body weight. Make it even more effective by taking the stairs two at a time. Push yourself up with your glutes and hamstrings to work the back of your legs. 

Squats: Squats are one of the best moves for leg toning and glute firming. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, toes facing forward, abs tight and arms at your sides.  Bend your knees to lower your body into a squat position, going as low as you can but no farther than 90 degrees. Pretend you are sitting back into a chair. Sit back and keep your knees over your toes, keep your chest lifted and spine long. Push through your heels and squeeze your buns to rise back to the starting position.

Deadlifts: There’s no doubt, the dead lift is one of the best exercise to tone the glutes and backside of the legs. Holding a barbell or two dumbbells at your side, keep your arms straight and knees slightly bent. Slowly bend at your hip joint, not your waist, and lower the weights as far as possible without rounding your back. Keep your spine neutral and abs tight. Squeeze your glutes to pull yourself up.

Stability Ball Leg Curl:  This is a great exercise to target the back of your legs. Grab a stability ball and lie on your back with your knees at a 90 degree angle and ankles on top of the ball. Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips off the ground. Keep your glutes squeezed tight, hold your hips off the ground and roll the ball toward your glutes and back to perform the rep. If that’s too challenging start with a simple hip lift and work your way toward the leg curl.

Alternating Reverse Lunges: Step back with one leg and bend both knees, lowering your body towards the ground. Align your front knee over the ankle of your front foot and stay on your back toe. Come back up to standing and switch legs. 

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Guide to Common Running Injuries

As a runner, I’m not a stranger to some aches, pains and even injuries now and then. If you’re experiencing the same or are a new runner looking for tips, check out this Guide to Common Running Injuries from the team over at Up & Running. The great part is it's interactive.

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Fit Tip: Working Out While Under the Weather

Flu season is on its way to becoming an epidemic in the U.S. and while a flu shot is preventative, it won’t always help you escape a winter cold.  While your dedication to hit the gym every day is admirable, there are some symptoms of sickness that should make you think twice. Please use common sense.  If your symptoms are severe, skip the exercise and see your doctor.  Otherwise, follow these guidelines to decide when you’d be better off staying at home, getting rest and keeping your germs to yourself.

Do a neck check. You can exercise while sick if your symptoms are all above the neck, like a runny nose, a sore throat, nasal congestion and tearing eyes. Of course, you should always listen to your body and take the intensity of your workout down a bit if your regular pace feels too strenuous.  

If it’s below, don’t go. If you have any symptoms below the neck, such as body aches, chills, coughing, fatigue, stomach problems or diarrhea, it’s advised to take it easy until you're feeling better. And if you're running a fever, no matter where your symptoms are, put off exercising until your temperature returns to normal.

Follow common courtesy. Just as no one likes gym goers who sweat on equipment and don’t clean the machines, you won’t make any friends having a nonstop sneezing or coughing spell. If you suspect you’re contagious, follow common courtesy and stay home. If you do go while under the weather, use hand sanitizer and wipe down all machines after use.

Listen to your body. When suffering from congestion or low energy, exercise often helps you feel better. Know your limits and take the intensity down a notch. A brisk walk can sometimes unclog the sinuses better than an afternoon on the couch. Gentle exercise will rev up circulation and counteract that sluggish, rundown feeling. Exercising while sick is a personal decision and you’re the best judge of what your body can handle.

To avoid getting sick remember to keep up a healthy lifestyle without running yourself down. Take time to relax, get seven hours of sleep, drink plenty of water, eat healthy and wash your hands—a lot.

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13 Ways to Burn off a Holiday Meal

Some people can consume up to 4,000 calories from just one holiday meal. That’s twice the amount of calories most people need in a day. If you want to start 2013 on the right note instead of packing on extra pounds during the holidays, marry your indulgences with some serious calorie burn. While calorie burn varies based on your weight and ratio of muscle to fat, here are some ideas to burn a few extra calories..

Eat one serving of mashed potatoes at 250 calories and you’ll need to hop on the treadmill for an hour long power walk to burn them off.  A 150-pound person walking for one hour at 4 mph would burn about 272 calories.

Take the treadmill up to a 5% incline and you’ll double the calorie burn, making up for a serving of candied sweet potatoes or a cup of eggnog at around 400 calories each.

You can also burn those calories with your favorite winter sports and activities.

Sledding: 250 calories

Snow shoeing: 300 calories
Skating moderately: 230 calories
Cross-country skiing: 300 calories
Downhill skiing: 210 calories
Snowboarding: 250 calories
Walking the dog, moderate pace: 125 calories
Shoveling snow: 230 calories
(Approximations based on a 150 pound woman for 30 minutes of activity.)

Watch portions and be on the lookout for ways to burn extra calories this winter. Dance at your Christmas party (600 calories), take a 60-minute walk to do some holiday shopping (240 calories) or spend two hours preparing a holiday meal (320 calories). 

Discover more fun calorie burning facts at caloriesperhour.com.

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Fit Tip: Impact vs. Intensity

Many people confuse the terms “impact” and “intensity” when it comes to workouts. “Impact” refers to the force of your body used in a particular exercise, while “intensity” refers to the level of difficulty, focus and your power.  

High impact exercises include running, jogging, plyometrics (jumping) and other workouts where the body is making contact with, or pounding, the ground. Low impact exercises typically mean that one foot stays in contact with the ground, such as walking, climbing, riding a bike or pedaling the elliptical.

Since high impact exercises tend to put more stress on the joints – particularly ankles, knees, hips and backs – the good news is that low impact does not mean low intensity.

Follow this advice to find a low impact/high intensity workout that works for you:

Low impact can be high intensity. Another word for intensity is exertion – how hard you are working. When it comes to workouts, intensity also means raising your heart rate or your concentration level, which can happen concurrently while performing a low impact exercise. Add intensity to your workout by increasing your range of motion, increasing your speed, adding resistance, changing directions (moving forward/back/diagonal instead of stationary), ramping up your incline or moving your arms above your heart and head. 

Low impact/high intensity workouts:

• Power walking and swimming are two excellent examples of low impact, high-intensity workouts that provide no impact on your joints. By adding short bursts of speed or an occasional steep hill to your walking workouts, you can increase the intensity of your workouts as well as your calorie burn.
• Climbing stairs, riding a bike or pedaling an elliptical are all great low imapct workouts that can fall into the high intensity category depending on your effort. 
• Try walking lunges while pressing hand weights overhead or side step with deep squats and a resistance band around the ankles.  
• Don’t forget dancing and aerobics, which usually incorporate lots of overhead arms and movement using large ranges of motion.   

Benefits of low impact/high intensity workouts.  If you want to get in a good workout, increase your calorie burn and get your heart rate up without all of the jumping and pounding on the ground, try a low impact/high intensity workout.  Protect your joints, but push yourself to work hard.  Don’t use the excuse that you can’t increase your heart rate because your body can’t take the high intensity pounding anymore. Instead, work your mental muscles and push yourself to achieve!

This Fit Tip was brought to you by Life Fitness

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Fit Tip: Multi-Machine Cardio Workouts

exercise xenophobe (noun): 1. Any individual who works out on the same machine every day and is comfortable with their current workout. 2. An exerciser who avoids trying out an unfamiliar machine. See also: In an exercise rut.

Ok, that is a fictional term. But repeating the same cardio routine every day is getting a little dull, right? Not to worry; this 30 minute triple cardio workout is guaranteed to put some pep in your step. Simply spend ten minutes on three different cardio machines for a workout that will spice up any routine.

Try something new.  Make like Magellan and go exploring. Have you steered clear of the Summit Trainer or avoided the cardio rowing machine in favor of a familiar treadmill?  Conquer the foreign territory of a new piece of equipment by committing to a 10 minute session.  Using your muscles in a different way will reinvigorate your mind, too. Here’s a triple workout to try: Start with three minutes of walking to warm up, followed by seven minutes of walking at a fast pace on the treadmill. Then switch to the elliptical cross-trainer for the next ten minutes. Finally, hop onto an upright bike and pedal briskly for seven minutes, and decrease your speed for three minutes to cool down.  

Throw a wrench in it. Once you’ve acquainted yourself with each different cardio machine, change up your program to combat boredom and stave off humdrum-ness. Jack up the incline or add hand weights to your walking workout on the treadmill. Choose an elliptical with handlebars to get your upper body moving at the same time.  Try increasing the resistance on your stationary bike and make it a hill workout instead of a flat ride.

Minimize time to maximize results. Keeping your workout on each machine shorter in duration means you can pay more attention to your body and its movements instead of zoning out. Make the most of your limited time on each machine by pushing your intensity to achieve results.

Success, multiplied. Exercising on different pieces of equipment engages many more muscles than a workout on one machine would, including two of the most important muscles we have: our brains and our hearts.  Cardiovascular exercise improves heart health, and planning each new triple program will engage your mind as well.

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Fit Tip: Cardio Exercise Technique

Don’t cheat your body of a good workout by using poor form. Avoid the mistakes that can affect your workout results and cause injury by focusing on your technique. Next time you go for or a run or jump on the treadmill, keep in mind these dos and don’ts of cardio exercise technique.

Posture

• Don’t slump over the treadmill or elliptical, holding on for dear life. Your hands only belong on the equipment for balance and not support. When you use the equipment as your prop, you are not burning optimal calories and you aren’t effectively working your lower body. Plus, you are putting unnecessary strain on your wrists and back by leaning into the equipment.
• Do straighten up your back, look straight ahead, rest your hands lightly on the rails and get the most out of your workout.

Stride

• Don’t shorten your steps on the treadmill or tip-toe on the summit trainer. Fast and furious doesn’t necessarily equal a better workout. These shallow steps can reduce the benefits of your workout. 
• Do think full range of motion. Taking longer, comfortable strides work the large muscle groups in your legs and burn even more calories in the long run.

Variety

• Don’t get too comfortable with your routine. Becoming adept at your routine is a good thing. Getting to the point where you can do it in your sleep is not. Remember, your muscles can become as bored as your mind.
• Do increase the incline or speed on the treadmill or do a different pre-programmed workout on that elliptical trainer for a change. Challenge your muscles and make sure you aren’t stuck in auto-pilot where you won’t make progress to a strong fit body.

Breathing

• Don’t hold your breath or take shallow breathes while doing your cardio. Your muscles need oxygen to keep moving.
• Do take deep breaths and allow air in through both your mouth and nose when you are walking or running.  Use the "talk test" to figure out if your pace is appropriate. If you are a beginner, you should be able to speak a sentence or two without gasping for air. If you are feeling breathless, slow the pace slightly and focus on deep breaths.   

Follow these tips for good form and get a great cardio workout. 

 This fit-tip was brought to you by Life-Fitness on  10/02/12

Workout Lingo Decoded

Sometimes it can seem like the fitness world has its own language. Add in the ever-changing fads and trends and it can be close to impossible to keep up. That is – unless you’re like us here at Life Fitness. We live and breathe this world, and its language, so we’re here to help you stay on top of it all.

Aerobic/Anaerobic Exercise: Aerobic exercise refers to a workout powered with oxygen. Think long periods of running or biking. Anaerobic exercise is the opposite - powered without oxygen. Generally, that means weight lifting or resistance training performed for short periods of time. 

High Intensity Interval Training: HIIT is a form of interval training that combines short intervals of maximum intensity exercise separated by longer intervals of low to moderate intensity exercise. These workouts are short, but that doesn’t mean they’re easy.  

Circuit Training: Circuit Training is short sets of strength training or resistance workouts, followed immediately by another set working a different muscle group. There is very little rest between exercises. Many gyms have a set of circuit training machines to help you progress through this type of workout

Functional Training: Simply put, this trend is purposeful training. It focuses on training movements similar to those you would make in every day life, not individual muscles, and involves multiple joints on varied planes. Moves often occur with either the foot or hand in contact with the ground or another object. For example, a medicine ball squat with an overhead lift would work your arms, legs and back – all muscles you would need to lift a heavy box onto a tall shelf.

Target Heart Rate: Target heart rate refers to the percentage of your theoretical maximum heart rate (TMHR) that will maximize the benefits of your workout, without overworking your heart. If you're a beginning exerciser, try to work at about 50 to 60 percent of your TMHR. A moderately fit person should aim for 60 to 75 percent and an advanced exerciser should shoot for 70 to 85 percent. Use this target heart rate tool from Mayo Clinic to calculate yours.

VO2 Max: This is the maximum amount of oxygen the body can use during a period of intense exercise that largely depends on body weight and the strength of the lungs. It’s the point during an exercise where intensity level can continue to rise, but the amount of oxygen you’re taking in does not increase with it. VO₂ max typically declines with age, but the better shape your in, the higher it can be.

Superset: Supersets involve doing two exercises, one after another, with no rest in between. The alternating exercises can be for the same muscle or two completely different parts of your body. For example, you could perform a set of deadlifts, alternating with a set of reverse lunges, 3-4 times for a superset that would work your lower body.

CrossFit: CrossFit is a new fitness trend that describes itself as the “sport of fitness.” CrossFit gyms focus on “constantly varied, high-intensity, functional movement.” They also believe that “no aspect of functional movements is more important than their capacity to move large loads over long distances, and to do so quickly.” Many CrossFit enthusiasts will post their workout results on the website and even compete against other at the CrossFit Games.

What other terms would you like explained? Leave a comment and let us know.

This Fit Tip was brought to you by Life Fitness on 9/20/2012