A few tips to help you get the most out of your workout

If you’re just starting out in your pursuit for fitness, or if you’ve been working out but aren’t seeing the results you hoped for, take note of some common exercise mistakes that can prevent you from getting the most out of your efforts. 

1. Skipping the warm up.  The purpose of a warm-up is to gently prepare the body for the increased stress from the upcoming exercise session. Without this, you’re asking your body to work before the oxygen and blood flow have reached the muscles. A 5-10 minute easy jog, brisk walk, dance around the living room, will warm up your muscles and body temp and help you avoid injury.

2. Getting real with goals. Unrealistic or vague goals can lead to frustration and just plain quitting before really getting started. Try to be realistic about what you can accomplish with your schedule and lifestyle. For instance, it takes 3 1/2 to 4 hours a week of physical activity just to prevent weight gain, so it’s going to take more than that to actually lose pounds.

3. Over-doing it.  A common beginner’s mistake is to start working out too intensely which can result in sore, stiff muscles – or worse, injury.  It’s important to work consistently and gradually progress to avoid injury and make improvements. Start slowly, test the waters, and see what your body can safely handle.

4. Same old, same old.   The same workout week after week not only gets boring, but loses its effectiveness. Muscle confusion is a key concept in gaining and maintaining fitness. Switch it up as much as possible … change from the treadmill to the rowing machine or stair stepper, try a spinning or ashtanga yoga class instead of aerobics.

5. Avoiding strength training.  Many people mistakenly think they need only a cardiovascular exercise program to remain fit. But both men and women, naturally begin to lose muscle mass around the age of 30.  Strength training builds muscles, increases the metabolism, helps prevent osteoporosis and also helps us maintain balance as we age. Keep in mind that muscle weighs more than fat, so as you increase muscle mass, you do burn more calories but you may not see that on the scales at first.

6. Technique is everything. Learning the correct way to exercise is essential to getting results and avoiding injury. Improper form in a lunge or squat can lead to serious knee injuries, lifting weights improperly can lead to back injuries, not using full range of motion while exercising will produce less-than-optimal results. Form matters, so if you’ve never worked out before, it pays to invest in a few sessions with a certified personal trainer.

7. Skipping the cool down.  Just as important as a warm up is the cool down.  Another 5 – 10 minutes at a slowed pace allows your heart rate to return to normal and flushes the built up lactic acid from your system, which helps minimize or prevent muscle soreness. Never come to a sudden stop at the end of your workout.

8. Ignoring hydration. Your muscles need fluid to contract properly, so if you don’t drink enough, you can get muscle spasms or aches. Remember, if you’re thirsty, you’re already somewhat dehydrated. Drink lots of water before, during and after exercise. Sports drinks are unnecessary unless you’re a high intensity athlete working out for hours each day. The average person working out at the gym doesn’t exercise enough to deplete electrolytes and potassium levels. Stick to water.

9. Foregoing the stretch. Stretching allows greater freedom of movement and improved posture, increases physical and mental relaxation, releases muscle tension and soreness, and reduces risk of injury.  However, stretching cold muscles can lead to injury so do your stretching after your workout. Hold each stretch for 20 – 30 seconds and NEVER bounce in the stretch – bouncing increases your risk of straining or pulling the muscle. Stretching is as important to your fitness plan as cardiovascular training and strength training.

10. State of mind. Exercise should be fun, or at least it should feel good — if not during the workout, then when you’re finished. If you think of it as torture, you won’t do it! There are so many choices out there … find the right type of exercise for you, vary what you do each day, have realistic goals (come on … you really didn’t expect to lose 5 pounds in one week, did you?) and it’ll be easier to make the lifestyle change that leads to a long life, healthy body and happy state of mind.

English Muffin & Asparagus Bake

I found this recipe in the April issue of Better Homes & Gardens. Although somewhat high in cholesterol due to the eggs, this is delicious, easy to make and great for Sunday brunch, lunch or a light dinner.  I used whole-wheat english muffins, substituted 1% organic milk for the half & half and broccolini instead of asparagus (just because I’d never tried it before). Add a tossed salad and/or some fresh fruit as a side dish and enjoy!

BH&G suggestion: A nonstick skillet with flared sides is best for sliding this dish onto a platter for serving. But if your nonstick skillet isn’t ovenproof, use a regular skillet and serve straight from the pan.

Prep: 25 minutes                     Bake: 13 minutes                    Oven: 375° F

Ingredients:

• 1 orange, yellow or red sweet pepper
• 10 eggs
• 1/2 cup half-and-half, or milk
• 2 tsp. Dijon-style mustard
• 1 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning
• 1 tsp. curry powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 6 to 8 oz. thin asparagus spears, trimmed
• 1 cup fresh sugar snap pea pods, trimmed
• 1 cup red or yellow cherry tomatoes
• 2 English muffins, split and halved
• 4 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced, or 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/4 cup small fresh basil leaves

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Slice bottom half of pepper into thin rings; seed and chop remaining pepper. Set aside.

2. In large bowl whisk together eggs, half-and-half, mustard, lemon pepper seasoning, curry powder and salt; set aside.

3. In 12-inch nonstick oven-going skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add asparagus spears; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until bright green. Remove with tongs; set aside. Add chopped sweet pepper and pea pods; cook 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes. Cook until tomato skins begin to pop. Arrange muffin pieces on top of vegetables. Slowly pour egg mixture over all, making sure to saturate muffin pieces. Top with asparagus spears, pressing lightly with the back of spoon.

4. Transfer to oven. Bake, uncovered, 12 minutes. Top with pepper rings and cheese. Turn oven to broil. Broil 2 to 3 minutes or until top is golden brown, cheese is melted, and eggs are set.

5. Loosen edges and carefully slide onto serving platter. Cut in wedges to serve. Top with fresh basil leaves. Makes 6 servings.

Makes 6 servings.  Per serving: 293 calories, 18 grams fat, 375 mg cholesterol, 525 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 18 g protein.

Health Benefits of Yoga Practice

Recently, I wrote about the healing benefits of a restorative yoga practice.  What I didn’t mention is that those are only a small part of what you can experience when yoga becomes a part of your daily life. No other form of exercise has a more profound effect on you as a whole… physically, mentally or spiritually.

Yoga for the Body

• A regular yoga practice increases your heart strength. Studies show that yoga lowers your resting heart rate, increases your cardiovascular endurance and improves your maximum uptake of oxygen during exercise.
• Yoga slows your pulse rate. A strong heart beats slowly since it works more efficiently to circulate blood and oxygenate cells.
• Yoga reduces blood pressure. Two recent studies showed that people suffering from hypertension who practiced yoga saw a major drop in blood pressure.
• Yoga improves lung efficiency.  Yogis breathe deeply and slowly, improving the flexibility of the rib area, shoulders and back, allowing the lungs to expand more fully. Increased lung capacity improves oxygen flow throughout the body.
• Yoga improves blood circulation. Deep breathing and muscle relaxation allows oxygenated, nutrient-rich blood to move more freely throughout the body for healthier organs, skin and brain.
• Yoga helps the immune system. As the body moves in and out of yoga poses, stretching and contracting muscles, the lymphatic system is engaged, pumping lymphocytes (immune cells) throughout the body to protect against infection, destroy cancerous cells and dispose of toxic waste.  Yoga poses that twist and compress organs help massage and rejuvenate immune organs and channels. The practice of Yoga also generates balanced energy – vital energy required by the immune system.
• Yoga lowers cortisol levels.  Stress causes the adrenal glands to secrete cortisol into the body. High levels of cortisol compromise the immune system and are also linked to memory loss, depression, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, insulin resistance and overeating.
• Yoga is known to ease pain. Doctors prescribe yoga and meditation to help in the treatment of chronic conditions such as back pain, arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome and fibromyalgia.  Studies show that patients with chronic pain conditions who practice yoga tend to require less medication to control their pain and sometimes are able to free themselves from pills completely.
• Yoga builds strength. Yoga uses the weight of the body, particularly in standing poses, balancing poses and inversions, which require sustained isometric muscle contractions, which builds strength and tones muscles. Strong muscles not only look good but they protect us from conditions like arthritis and back pain and help prevent falls.
• Yoga increases flexibility. A balanced practice puts all of your joints through their full range of motion, stretching muscles and massaging all the soft tissues in your body.  Stretching increases flexibility, helps prevent injury, and reduces lactic acid build up which causes stiffness, tension, pain and fatigue.  Posture and balance improves, as does the ease of moving your body through daily tasks.
• Yoga balances metabolism, resulting in the ability to maintain a healthy weight and control hunger.  An efficient metabolism helps control cravings for food, caffeine, alcohol and drugs.
• Yoga balances your body chemistry.  Yoga practice lowers cholesterol levels, blood glucose levels, sodium levels and triglycerides in the blood and increases natural antioxidants produced by the body.
• Ongoing studies show that yoga helps to prevent,  treat or reduce the symptoms of a multitude of diseases, such as heart disease, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s, Type II diabetes,  multiple sclerosis, cancer, muscular dystrophy, migraines, scoliosis, chronic bronchitis, epilepsy, sciatica, OCD, and more.

Yoga for the Mind.

• Yoga is a mood enhancer.  One study found that consistent yoga practice improved depression and led to a significant increase in serotonin levels and a decrease in the levels of enzymes that break down neurotransmitters and cortisol. Another showed that meditation heightened activity in the prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain that correlates with greater levels of happiness and better immune function.  Some researchers believe these changes are a result of yoga’s boosting oxygen levels to the brain.
• Yoga reduces stress and anxiety by encouraging you to relax and focus on the present with the slow, mindful breathing that is tied to every movement and to meditation. This type of breathing decreases blood pressure by shifting blood flow away from the nervous system and increasing the flow of blood to the intestines and reproductive organs – what Herbert Benson, M.D., refers to as the “relaxation response.”
• Yoga increases our ability to focus. Some studies suggest that yoga my have a positive effect on learning and memory.  It’s often life’s distractions that inhibit concentration and our ability to stay on task. Improved blood circulation to the brain, as well as the reduction in stress, helps the mind stay calm and focused on the present.

Yoga for the Spirit.

• Yoga encourages self acceptance. Focusing inward and realizing through your yoga practice that perfection is not the goal, allows self acceptance to begin. Yoga teaches that you are a manifestation of the Divine, that you are a part of something bigger. If you view your yoga practice as more than just an aerobic workout, as an opportunity for betterment and self-examination, you’ll experience feelings of gratitude, empathy, forgiveness and acceptance.
• Yoga gives you peace of mind. Yoga slows down the mental loops of frustration, regret, anger, fear and desire that can cause stress. Stress is implicated in a great number of health problems — high blood pressure, digestive problems, insomnia, migraines and so much more.  Learning to quiet your mind will help you live a longer and healthier life.
• Yoga helps you break free from destructive emotions. Hostility and anger are strongly linked to high blood pressure and heart attacks.  Yoga reduces anger by increasing feelings of compassion and interconnection and by calming the nervous system and the mind.  It allows you to step back from the drama of your life, allowing you to remain steady and in control when faced with difficult situations and unsettling events.
• Yoga creates a balance within you so that you may live a life of peace, good health and harmony.

There’s no doubt that practicing yoga will change you. If you haven’t tried it, take a class and share your experience.  If you already practice, I hope you’ll share a story or two about how yoga has affected your life.

A Perfect Exercise

Many years ago, I heard Jack LaLanne, the “Godfather of Fitness” say “if you only have time to do one exercise, do push ups.” Why? Because the simple push up is the single exercise that engages every muscle group in your body.  To perform a proper push up, you have to use your arms, chest, abs, hips and legs. It requires that you hold you body like a plank –with all your muscles flexed – balancing on your hands and the balls of your feet. The act of lifting and lowering your entire weight is challenging, even for someone who’s fit. The push up is the ultimate measurement of your fitness level.

An Enduring Measure of Fitness

Many people simply don’t have the upper body strength to do a push up, men and women alike. As our nation gains weight, arms are collapsing under the mass of our own bodies.  And, in the effort to lose weight, we concentrate more on aerobic exercise to burn calories and neglect strength training. As we age, the ability to do push ups in proper form and more than once is an important indicator of our ability to endure the rigors of growing old.

For instance, researchers who study the biomechanics of falling note that push ups can provide the strength and muscle memory to reach out and break a fall. If you’ve ever fallen forward, you know that you automatically reach out to catch yourself, ending in a move that is like a push up. Ideally, as your hands hit the ground, your wrists and arms absorb the impact and your elbows bend to reduce the force.  But without upper body strength, your elbows buckle, and you continue to fall until your head hits the ground.  And without muscle mass to help protect your bones, one or more may break!

Through the natural process of aging, we lose as much as 30 percent of our muscle mass between the ages of 20 and 70. Regular exercise that includes strength training can prevent that decline.  Women are at a particular disadvantage because we start off with about 20 percent less muscle than men.

Based on national averages, a 40-year-old woman should be able to do 16 push ups. A man the same age should be able to do 27. By the age of 60, the numbers drop to 17 for men and 6 for women.

The Proper Form

Properly performed push ups work the pectoral (chest) muscles, the triceps (back of the arms), biceps (fronts of the arm), the deltoids (shoulders), latissimus dorsi, rhomboids and trapezius (upper back), plus the forearms, wrists and hands. Additionally the abdominal muscles, lower back, glutes, hamstrings and calves are flexed  in order to stabilize the body.

• Begin on all fours – hands and knees – with your hands positioned directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
• Straighten your legs so that you are in a plank position with your back straight, your neck in line with your spine (chin slightly tucked), your tailbone tucked and abs tight. You should be in a straight line from the tip of your head to your heels, resting on the balls of your feet.
• Inhale and lower down until your arms are bent at a 90 degree angle (your chest should not touch the floor).
• Exhale and push up until your arms are almost straight. Keep your arms slightly bent to keep the chest muscles activated and the pressure off of your elbows.
• Keep the movements controlled and repeat as often as you’re able while holding your position properly.
• Perform some stretches to complete your workout.

(To see how your core muscles benefit from the push up, try performing one push up without holding your abs tight and your tail tucked. You’ll feel the difference immediately, most likely with discomfort in your lower back as it sags towards the floor.)

If the standard, floor-based push up is too difficult, don’t give up. There are lots of modifications that you can try. Start by standing about 3 feet away from a wall or countertop, place your hands against the surface in line with your shoulders, and press up and down. Eventually, as your strength increases, move to floor push ups on your knees. One great thing about push ups is that, performed daily, your strength increases quickly.  Set a goal for yourself.  If you can perform 10 reps today, make yourself do 11 tomorrow.

Push Up Perks.

• Push ups can be performed anywhere and require no equipment.
• They’ll tone your arms, shoulders, chest and upper back without adding bulk. (Sorry, guys, but if you want bulk, you have to lift weights.)
• There are a great variety of ways to perform push ups that will increase tone in different muscle groups, such as the triceps.
• Push ups increase shoulder strength and overall health of the shoulder joints.
• Push ups improve your reaction time by training your proprioceptive fibers (microscopic nerves responsible for keeping your body balanced) to respond more quickly.

At age 95, Jack LaLanne is still doing push ups as part of his 90-minute daily workout.  As he recently told a reporter for the New York Times, “I hate it … but I like the results. Exercise is something you’ve got to do the rest of your life.”