The old adage, 'no pain, no gain,' has been disregarded as false just as often and sincerely as regarded as gospel. When I work with health coaching clients I'm very up-front about the difficulties of changing one's habits. Some "pain" will be involved. In this blog I will address the pain of peer pressure and self-image as it relates to exercise.
It is not uncommon for some people to experience emotional pain as they begin to work with their bodies in ways that friends, coworkers and family members are not. There might be some pushback, especially if your efforts toward health are perceived as threatening to those who are not ready to make changes. The reality is that friction in these relationships might cause some short term discomfort. Best advice: Acknowledge that your feelings are a little hurt and you are disappointed in their lack of support, and intentionally focus on the other ways they bring joy into your life. Over time you'll likely connect with a new set of acquaintances at your fitness center who will completely understand your motivations and support your efforts.
Some people avoid the gym or exercise/yoga classes, or doing exercise in public, like walking or running, because of a poor self image. Reality check: Shame about one's body is painful. But that pain is there whether you're active or not. A big part of taking back your health is addressing a negative body image. Best advice: The truth is that exercise is an essential way you can help your body deal with inflammation that drives weight gain and chronic disease. Because you have chose to significantly increase your physical activity you have chosen not to be a victim to the vicious cycle of inflammation and weight gain/difficulty in weight loss/development of or healing from chronic disease. Celebrate every workout as a way in which you are taking responsibility for your own health and wellness. Be proud of yourself for putting yourself out there; be very proud.
Bottom line: Life is a series of tradeoffs. Getting physically fit means trading comfort and comfort food for a longer and more joyful life. Good health is not just waiting for you; it will not 'catch up' to you one of these days. If you want to keep it or if you want to reclaim it, you will have to do the hard it work that is required. Its the sweetest pain I know.
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Monday, August 18, 2014
The Pain of Gain: Exercise, Part 2
The old adage, 'no pain, no gain,' has been disregarded as false just as often and sincerely as regarded as gospel. When I work with health coaching clients I'm very up-front about the difficulties of changing one's habits. Some "pain" will be involved. In this blog I will address the physical pain that comes from increasing the body's activity level.
As muscles are tapped and pushed even to modest limits there will likely be soreness for a day or two. Muscle soreness may be repeated as you explore different muscle groups and progress to new limits over time. But there are some things you can do to prevent unnecessary discomfort.
Best advice: If you have decided to work out at a gym but have no idea where to start, then I highly recommend inquiring about a personal trainer to show you the ropes. Injury prevention is the first priority. Its hard enough to start or restart an exercise routine, but having to deal with an injury right off the bat can derail your good intentions for weeks or even months. Ask a trainer to help you set up a weekly schedule so that you are not overtaxing particular muscle groups and ensuring that you are doing some overall conditioning work as part of every workout - appropriate to your wellness goals.
Don't eat an hour before you workout but do eat as soon as possible afterwards; focus on protein sources like quality eggs, plain whole fat yogurt with a small amount of fruit, and whole grains like quinoa (a complete protein).
Invest a few minutes of stretching before and after a workout to help prevent unnecessary soreness. Simple yoga poses for releasing the lower back, hips and shoulders can be really helpful when you're winding down. Don't know how to do these? Just take a couple of basic yoga classes (around $12) and you'll quickly pick up on stretches you can use at home or in the gym. You could just Google them, but its nice to actually do them with guided instruction the first couple of times. For example, I like "child's pose" for releasing the lower back at the end of my gym workouts, and that one is part of nearly every yoga class. Most yogi's will tell the class which poses release what part of the body as you're going through them.
Be gentle with yourself. If you are working out regularly as well as cleaning up your eating habits you will make significant progress in a relatively short amount of time. But don't be surprised if other people see the changes in you before you do.
Drink an abundance of water: the day before, the hour before, sips consistently during your workout, after your workout, the rest of the day, and the next day. Drinking water can prevent some soreness and help your body heal from micro tears in your muscles that might have occurred during your workout.
Focus on your breathing; never hold your breath during the strenuous parts your workout and remind yourself to take deep breaths expelled fully periodically. This will become second nature, but in the beginning its easy to forget to breathe.
Epsom salt baths are highly recommended for those just starting out (use the recommended amount of salt even if its seems like a lot).
Too much exercise too soon is not a good thing. When you are just getting started take whole days off between workouts. Your muscles are not growing while you are working out but rather during periods of rest. If you are doing weight-bearing/resistance exercises remember that your body continues to burn fat from a workout for up to 48 hours, as opposed to 24 from aerobic exercise, so adequate rest between workouts cannot be underestimated.
Bottom line: Life is a series of tradeoffs. Getting physically fit means trading comfort and comfort food for a longer and more joyful life. Good health is not just waiting for you; it will not 'catch up' to you one of these days. If you want to keep it or if you want to reclaim it, you will have to do the hard it work that is required. Its the sweetest pain I know.
As muscles are tapped and pushed even to modest limits there will likely be soreness for a day or two. Muscle soreness may be repeated as you explore different muscle groups and progress to new limits over time. But there are some things you can do to prevent unnecessary discomfort.
Best advice: If you have decided to work out at a gym but have no idea where to start, then I highly recommend inquiring about a personal trainer to show you the ropes. Injury prevention is the first priority. Its hard enough to start or restart an exercise routine, but having to deal with an injury right off the bat can derail your good intentions for weeks or even months. Ask a trainer to help you set up a weekly schedule so that you are not overtaxing particular muscle groups and ensuring that you are doing some overall conditioning work as part of every workout - appropriate to your wellness goals.
Don't eat an hour before you workout but do eat as soon as possible afterwards; focus on protein sources like quality eggs, plain whole fat yogurt with a small amount of fruit, and whole grains like quinoa (a complete protein).
Invest a few minutes of stretching before and after a workout to help prevent unnecessary soreness. Simple yoga poses for releasing the lower back, hips and shoulders can be really helpful when you're winding down. Don't know how to do these? Just take a couple of basic yoga classes (around $12) and you'll quickly pick up on stretches you can use at home or in the gym. You could just Google them, but its nice to actually do them with guided instruction the first couple of times. For example, I like "child's pose" for releasing the lower back at the end of my gym workouts, and that one is part of nearly every yoga class. Most yogi's will tell the class which poses release what part of the body as you're going through them.
Be gentle with yourself. If you are working out regularly as well as cleaning up your eating habits you will make significant progress in a relatively short amount of time. But don't be surprised if other people see the changes in you before you do.
Drink an abundance of water: the day before, the hour before, sips consistently during your workout, after your workout, the rest of the day, and the next day. Drinking water can prevent some soreness and help your body heal from micro tears in your muscles that might have occurred during your workout.
Focus on your breathing; never hold your breath during the strenuous parts your workout and remind yourself to take deep breaths expelled fully periodically. This will become second nature, but in the beginning its easy to forget to breathe.
Epsom salt baths are highly recommended for those just starting out (use the recommended amount of salt even if its seems like a lot).
Too much exercise too soon is not a good thing. When you are just getting started take whole days off between workouts. Your muscles are not growing while you are working out but rather during periods of rest. If you are doing weight-bearing/resistance exercises remember that your body continues to burn fat from a workout for up to 48 hours, as opposed to 24 from aerobic exercise, so adequate rest between workouts cannot be underestimated.
Bottom line: Life is a series of tradeoffs. Getting physically fit means trading comfort and comfort food for a longer and more joyful life. Good health is not just waiting for you; it will not 'catch up' to you one of these days. If you want to keep it or if you want to reclaim it, you will have to do the hard it work that is required. Its the sweetest pain I know.
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