Category Archives: Workout Wednesday
Overcoming Workout Relapses
A body in motion stays in motion—until life gets in the way. Despite your best intentions, situations out of your control can hinder your ability to stay active. Even the most devoted fitness enthusiasts face challenges with exercise adherence.
To avoid a fitness relapse, it’s helpful to recognize potential barriers to exercise and develop plans to overcome them. Here are some of the biggest obstacles you may face in maintaining a physical activity regimen and strategies to avoid them.
Time
The most common barrier to exercise is lack of time. Jobs, kids, social obligations and other responsibilities frequently add up to shrink your available time for exercise. When time is tight, physical activity is easily pushed aside.
Overcoming this obstacle requires mental shifting and planning. Human bodies are meant to move, and viewing exercise as a necessary part of a healthy human existence makes creating time for it is easier. Plan exercise into your schedule and mark it on your calendar as you would any other obligation. This way, you have to plan time to be active in advance, as opposed to hoping you’ll find a few minutes to squeeze it in.
If you still find lack of time is an issue, start with five minutes of activity daily. These five minutes will add up to modest health improvements, but more importantly, they will instill a habit of regular exercise you can build upon.
Stress
When life gets hectic and you’re feeling overwhelmed, exercise might seem burdensome. Though most people know exercise is a powerful stress-buster, it isn’t easy to act on that knowledge during high-stress times. Moreover, because exercise is a stressor on the body, intense exercise during tense periods may be unwise (not to mention unenjoyable).
To reap the stress-reducing benefits of activity and avoid relapse during chaotic times, focus on movement that is enjoyable and rejuvenating. If a high-intensity fitness class or an 8-mile run feels overwhelming, it may be. If exercise feels like an additional stressor, you’re far less likely to do it. Decide which modes of movement feel energizing and/or relaxing to you, and focus on these when stress levels rise.
Weather
When the sun is shining and the birds are chirping, it’s easy to get out and move. During rainstorms or when temperatures drop to single digits, it’s much harder. Instead of waiting for sunnier days, plan a strategy for the change in seasons. While your normal routine may take you outdoors or to the gym, your inclement weather sessions might look different. Determine a safe, warm and dry place you can move during winter months. This may be in your basement with an exercise video or walking laps at the mall. Remember that all movement counts when planning strategies that take weather into account. If you always wait for perfect weather, you’ll be inactive much of the year.
Plateaus
Even with a well-structured exercise routine, you will reach fitness plateaus. If a change in physical appearance or a certain number on the scale is your only reason to be active, this can quickly lead to frustration and relapse. To prevent this, create non-weight-related goals to drive your exercise behavior. Make a list of all the benefits you perceive from exercise, such as increased energy and stamina, better sleep, enhanced mood or simply the joy of moving your body. When you’re struggling through a plateau, pull out this list and reconnect with your intrinsic motivations for being active.
Injury or Illness
Sometimes you just can’t (and shouldn’t) exercise due to injury or illness. To prevent this setback from turning into a full-on fitness relapse, focus on what you can do rather than what you can’t. Sprained your ankle and can’t run? This could be the perfect time to start swimming or to focus on upper-body strength training. Have a cold and feel totally wiped? Step outside for a short walk and breathe some fresh air. The key component during illness or injury is to keep up your momentum with some kind of activity, so as not to break your regular exercise habit.
The Long Haul
When your fitness routine starts to backslide, take inventory of what’s getting in the way and employ targeted strategies as needed. Most importantly, remember that there’s no end goal in the game of fitness and health. Rather, it is a continuous process of learning, growing and improving your health and well-being through movement.
https://www.acefitness.org/acefit/healthy-living-article/60/6436/overcoming-workout-relapses/
Get Kids Moving – Arm and Leg Tag
Arm and leg tag: Set up a perimeter for the game of tag based on how many people are playing (bigger area for bigger numbers). Each person is trying to avoid being tagged by another person. If you are tagged on the arm or side, you lose the use of an arm. If you get tagged on your hip or leg, you lose the use of your leg. Once you lose both arms and both legs you are out. You continue to try and tag others as long as you have one arm, even if you are standing in place and people are running by.
https://www.acefitness.org/acefit/healthy-living-article/59/5069/youth-fitness-arm-and-leg-tag
3 Easy Hip Strengthening Exercises (Gluteus Medius)
Heart Rate Calculator
For age-based heart rate calculator follow this link:
https://www.acefitness.org/acefit/healthy_living_tools_content.aspx?id=7
Additional Information:
Aerobic conditioning is the ability of the heart, lungs, and circulatory system to supply oxygen and nutrients to the working muscles. It involves the ability to persist in activities, such as elliptical training, walking, jogging, and cycling. Improved aerobic endurance is associated with increased health and reduced risk of chronic disease, such as obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and stroke.
To experience the health benefits of aerobic endurance training, you should participate in prolonged aerobic exercise (eventually reaching 20 to 60 minutes of continuous training) at an intensity (or level) that stimulates the aerobic system. Fortunately, if you are a beginner who has been inactive for a long time, you can start with 5 to 10 minutes of aerobic exercise and still get aerobic health benefits. The intensity of aerobic exercise (or how hard you work) is simple to determine if you know how to measure your heart rate and if you pay attention to how you feel during a workout.
Measuring Heart Rate
The measurement of heart rate, or pulse, is represented in beats per minute (bpm). To assess heart rate, place your fingertips on either the radial or carotid pulse site. If you choose to take your pulse at the carotid side, avoid putting heavy pressure on the carotid arteries because they contain receptors that sense increases in pressure and respond by slowing the heart rate.
To determine the number of beats per minute, take the pulse rate, counting the first pulse beat as zero, for 10 seconds and then multiply by six.
Target Heart Rate
The rate at which your heart beats during exercise can be used to assess how hard you are working. When performing light to moderate exercise, your heart rate increases as your work rate increases. This ensures that blood gets to the muscles so that they can get the oxygen and nutrients they need to continue working.
Being able to measure your heart rate allows you to determine aerobic exercise intensity by taking your pulse during the workout and comparing it to your target heart rate. A common method to determine your target heart rate is based on a percentage of your estimated maximum heart rate. Use the link above to use the heart rate calculator.
Now that you know your target heart rate range, you can check your pulse at regular intervals (every 5 to 10 minutes) during the workout session and compare your exercise heart rate to your target heart rate. If your exercise heart rate is below the target range, increase your pace or effort slightly to achieve the proper intensity. If your exercise heart rate is above the target range, decrease your pace or effort slightly to remain with the range.
While this method is widely used in the fitness industry, it can be inaccurate for many people. Therefore, gauging intensity using a percentage of predicted maximum heart rate should be used along with another method to ensure appropriate exercise intensity. A commonsense method called perceived exertion should always be used in conjunction with other heart rate-monitoring methods. Perceived exertion is a technical description of simply paying attention to how you feel during a workout.
How Do You Feel During A Workout?
Exercising at an appropriate intensity should feel somewhat challenging, but it should also feel like you could continue on for a prolonged time period. If you are working at too easy of an intensity, you will still receive some health benefits but you will not experience the calorie-burning effect and the aerobic benefit that you would if you were working at an appropriate intensity. If you are working too hard, you won’t last very long because you will become extremely fatigued and run the risk of injuring yourself in the process.
A quick, easy way to evaluate intensity is to check your ability to breathe and talk. You should be able to breathe fairly comfortably and rhythmically throughout all phases of a workout to ensure a safe and comfortable level of exercise, especially if you’re just beginning an exercise program. You should also be able to talk continuously, completing short sentences with no problem. If you cannot carry on a conversation, you may be working too hard. While you should challenge yourself, use this gauge of monitoring your ability to talk continuously for 10 – 20 seconds as an effective guideline.
Heart Rate Training Zones
Another way to evaluate your aerobic exercise intensity is to compare how you feel to an established guide, such as a heart rate training zone. For our purposes and for new exercisers, training target zones can be thought of as a traffic light where the green, yellow, and red lights correspond to the intensity of exercise. That is, the green training zone represents an appropriate level of intensity (light to moderate exercise) that indicates “continue,” like a green traffic light. The yellow training zone indicates an intensity that is moderate to vigorous, and if performed for too long could result in fatigue. When training in the yellow zone (moderate to vigorous exercise), an exerciser should slow down or proceed with caution if the intensity feels too high, similar to the rules for a yellow traffic light. Lastly, exercising at a very vigorous pace or very high intensity reflects training in the red zone, which corresponds to a red traffic light, which means stop.
Exercise in the red zone may be harmful to beginners or people with health conditions and should be reserved for those who are experienced exercisers or under the care of a trained health professional.
Pack the Parks Day
Pack the Parks
WHEN:
July 23, 2016 all-day
WHERE:
Indianapolis Public Parks
COST:
Free
Pack the Parks Day will be held on Saturday, July 23. Also, Indy Parks wants to show you and your community how much we appreciate you. Pack the Parks will be a fun-packed experience as it helps you explore all that Indy Parks has to offer.
This community celebration offers special activities give-a-ways throughout the day.
Free Admission to:
o Pools & Weight Rooms
o Eagle Creek Park + Beach
o Garfield Park Conservatory + Sunken Gardens
o Plus, Activities + Games + Prizes Activities + Games + Prizes
Find a Fitness Meet-Up Group
you are able to find the various fitness meetup groups available in the Indianapolis area. An example of the one of the groups is found below:
https://www.meetup.com/Zionsville-Over-50-Walking-Talking-Meetup/about/comments/?op=all
The groups are open, without fees to join, and generally advertise if there is any cost to the activities posted. This is a casual way to introduce yourself to like-minded folks who have an interest in and are actively pursuing fitness goals like yours.
Five Questions to Ask the Potential New Gym:
What are the terms of any introductory offers? Gyms often use special introductory offers to attract new members. Just make sure you understand the terms and what the price will be once the introductory period is over.
Will my membership renew automatically? Many times people who joined a gym didn’t realize that their contract would renew automatically and that they would have to take specific steps to cancel their contract often linked to certain timing and put in writing.
How can I get out of my contract? Getting out of a gym contract isn’t always as easy as getting into one, so make sure you understand what steps you would need to take to cancel your membership. Under New York State law, you may cancel your contract without penalty within three days from the day you signed it by giving written notice in person, or by submitting certified mail, return receipt requested. Make sure to keep a copy of your cancellation letter and the return receipt or obtain a confirmation for your cancellation.
What happens if I move? Gyms have any number of different policies when it comes to how moving will affect your membership. It might depend on how far away you’re moving and if they have other locations nearby.
What happens if you go out of business? Ask the gym to explain what will happen to your money if it suddenly goes out of business. In New York State, the Department of State regulates the health club industry. The health club services licensing includes rights of cancellation and other protections for consumers should a club go out of business.
Before signing up, BBB says do your research.
Visit bbb.org. Before signing a contract, research the gym at bbb.org to see its BBB Business Review. This will show any history of complaints, consumer reviews or additional information that can help in making a decision. If you don’t see a Business Review, ask BBB to develop one.
What is your budget? Most facilities charge an upfront membership fee to join and a monthly fee thereafter. In addition, some fitness centers charge an additional fee for certain classes or amenities. It is important to decide beforehand what amount you can comfortably devote to physical fitness. Regardless of the length of a contract, ask if you can pay monthly.
Check out the gym at the time you know you want to go. You wouldn’t buy a car without a test drive, so head to the gym for a tour when you are most likely to go. Make sure the number of people there at that time will not limit your productivity. Also, check the cleanliness of the equipment and the locker room area. See if the gym equipment is in good condition and maintained properly. Make sure the facility has the equipment and classes that interest you.
Do not give in to sales pressure. Walk away from clubs that pressure you to sign a contract on the spot. BBB recommends taking a sample contract home to review before making a decision to give you time to read all of the finer details of the contract. Make sure the contract lists all services and fees, and any promises made by the salesperson. Find out what is included in the monthly fee and what will cost extra.
National Institute on Aging Flexibility Exercises
ace, age 66, has found that stretching exercises have become an important addition to her new exercise routine:
“I grew up on a farm and continued farming after I married. So, I was used to hard work and plenty of physical activity. When my son and his family took over running the farm, I needed to start a new exercise routine. Now, I begin most mornings with a walk and stretches. Good thing, too! The stretching keeps me limber, and the walking gives me plenty of stamina to keep up with my seven grandchildren. Exercise helps me stay active in their lives, and that makes it all worthwhile.”
For more exercises check out web site at the bottom of the blog entry.
back leg muscle stretch. |
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back leg muscle stretch |
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THIGH MUSCLES STRETCH |
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ie on your side with legs straight and knees together.
thigh muscles STRETCH |
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https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/exercise-physical-activity/sample-exercises-flexibility |
dy chair with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees straight, but not locked.Pennsy Trail
The Pennsy Rail Trail is a multi-use trail that is ideal for runners of all fitness levels. Geared towards the new runner, the trail is fully paved and is open in three segments. The segments are broken down into the following:
- Eastern Side: This side of the rail links the neighborhood of Irvington with the local elementary school and the Indiana Department of Transportation. Pennsy Trail spans 1.2 miles in length.
- East Side: Also east of Indianapolis is the second section of the trail that is paved. The trail spans 3 miles and runs through Cumberland county. This trail is beautiful, and includes industrial properties, open farmland, railroad bridges and a wooded corridor.
- Third Segment: The final segment starts east of Cumberland county in Greenfield. The trail spans nearly 6 miles long, and passes through farmland and the Greenfield golf course. The trail also goes across the famous Brandywine Creek.
The trail is currently proposed to extend a full length of 9.5 miles. While all three segments of the trail exist, it is proposed to connect with the Pleasant Run Trail. Upon completion, the trail will be part of a much larger, 150-mile cross-state trail.
The National Road Heritage Trail will include Pennsy Trail and will run from Terre Haute to Richmond when it’s fully complete.
Many runners consider these trails to be a best kept secret due to the lower amount of foot traffic on the trails. You’ll find that the trail isn’t as frequented as others in the state, and it’s the ideal trail for beginners, although it does have its flaws.
An issue with many of the trails is that you’ll find rotting railroad lines and artifacts left behind by people, which isn’t too pleasant. But for the most part, the trails are very scenic, and with little competition, you’ll find the trails to be peaceful.