Fitting into an old pair of jeans again. Competing in that bucket-list race. Chasing around children and grandchildren. Or perhaps simply not panting after taking the stairs. Whatever your goal, there are many motivations to get your body moving.
And there’s also many different ways to put your body in motion. But how should you move and what is enough? There’s intensity, frequency, and type of movement (strength training vs cardio) to consider. That’s a lot. So, no wonder it can feel hard to find the “right” way for you.
And then there are the excuses. Before you dive deeper into how to move, let’s breakdown some barriers by taking a closer look at common concerns.
I don’t have time to exercise. Often the scheduling of exercise is what keeps people from being active. Even if your days are filled with family, errands, and meetings, it’s possible to find the time to move. Start by redefining what a workout looks like for you. This means discarding the idea that exercise must be done in a gym. Now that you’ve broadened your options for place, get creative. Use the 5-10 minutes between engagements to lunge (or any other movement) in your office. Or turn your conference calls into walking meetings and take the call on the go. Lastly, while a dedicated workout session will provide strength gains and potential weight loss, working microbursts of exercise throughout your day as a replacement comes with benefits. When you’re especially busy, these sporadic, focused efforts throughout the day are much better than remaining sedentary and can even be better than one longer session.
I don’t like running, so I can’t do cardio. Running is only one way to get cardio (short for cardiovascular) exercise. Consider other activities that still get your heart pumping but don’t require expensive shoes or the dreaded treadmill. If it gets you moving with your breath and heart rate quickening, it’s a good cardio option. Think brisk walking, dancing, swimming, or yoga. Read on for more ideas to come.
I’m new to exercise and weights feel very intimidating to me. How else can I build strength? While weights are a great way to build muscle and overall body strength, there are other routes to the same destination. Your bodyweight can be enough (think: power yoga) and if you want a little extra, consider resistance training with bands. This can be a great way to get strong without a lot of equipment.
I enjoy exercise, but I’m not really sure how much I should be getting. The American Heart Association and Centers for Disease Control have come up with guidelines for adults. Make sure that on a weekly basis you’re clocking in either 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio (about five days of 30 minutes exercise sessions) or 75 minutes of vigorous cardio (spread over two-three days)—along with two days of strength training.
The aforementioned guidelines are the minimum for weight and general health maintenance. If your goals require weight loss or muscle gain, you’re likely looking for more specifics. So, let’s break down strength training vs cardio exercise separately to really understand how they each work. Then you can explore the benefits of a strength-and-cardio-combo routine.
Strength Training
An activity counts as strength training if it involves significant effort to work your body’s major muscle groups (legs, core, shoulders, arms). While cardio exercises are recommended for certain durations, strength training doesn’t come with a similar prescription. Rather, you should continue to work your muscles—using resistance, machines, or hand weights—until the activity becomes difficult to continue. This muscle discomfort is actually indicative of minute muscle tears. To build up your muscles, you must first break them down.
Young people often focus on getting big, defined muscles for physical attractiveness. But as you age, strength becomes less about appearance and more a function of safety and independence. Sarcopenia is muscle loss associated with advancing age. With every decade past 30 years of age, adults will lose, on average, four percent of their muscle mass.
Maintaining muscle mass through the years will help you avoid injury, sustain mobility, and enjoy freedom of movement without assistance. Indeed, risk for bone fractures and other injuries increases significantly once sarcopenia sets in.
Participating in strength activities is important not only for building muscle, but also for increasing bone strength. And as you continue to age, both are extremely important. Weakened bones are more susceptible to breaking. Often these breaks are seen in the hip, spine, or wrist. The good news is that exercise—and, specifically, strength-based exercise—can shore up your bones.
It might seem counterintuitive, though. Hauling weights around seems like a way to break a bone. Not the case! In fact, bearing weights (whether your body’s own weight or added resistance) slows bone loss and even builds bone. The stress put on bones while strength training essentially kickstarts the cells responsible for bone-building.
You have several reasons to start strength training. But where do you start? In theory, lifting weights sounds simple, but there are so many options. This can make it difficult to pick and stick to a routine. Peruse the following chart to gather ideas on how to build muscle throughout your body.
How
Example Set
Muscles Worked
Extra Tip
Squat
Place the bar across your shoulders. Keeping your chest high and feet hip-width apart, push your butt backwards and sit back as if reaching for a chair. Sit deeply with weight on your heels. Don’t let your knees pass your toes. Engage glutes as you stand up tall.
3 sets of 10 squats
Increase number of reps and/or sets as you gain strength.
Add weight slowly as you gain strength.
Gluteus maximus and medius, hamstrings, quadriceps
Play with the width of your stance to focus on different muscle groups.
Turning your toes out wide will help recruit inner thigh muscles when squatting.
Deadlift
Place a barbell (additional weight optional) in front of your feet. Keeping your chest high and feet hip-width apart, begin bending your knees as you reach for the barbell. Arms should be outside of your legs for a wide grip. Keep your lower back flat and your shoulders pulled back as you grip the bar. As you rise, keep weight in your heels. Engage glute muscles as you stand up tall.
3 sets of 10
Increase number of reps and/or sets as you gain strength.
Add weight slowly as you gain strength.
You can substitute a barbell for two hand weights or a kettlebell, depending on your preference.
Stationary forward lunge
Step one foot far enough forward that, as you lower, both knees come to right angles. Your front foot should be fully planted on the floor; your back foot should be on its toes. Your front knee should not surpass your toes as it bends. As you rise, return the moving leg next to the standing leg and repeat alternating legs each time.
2 sets of 10 lunges per side
Increase number lunges per side as you gain strength and stability.
Add weight slowly as you gain strength.
Gluteal muscles, hamstrings, quadriceps
This movement works the same muscles as a squat, but requires more range of motion and therefore allows for further muscle development. Shake things up by trying out backward lunges (stepping back instead of forward), or walking lunges (alternate which leg steps forward each time moving you forward across the surface).
Standing shoulder press
Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level, with elbows bent (imagine each weight is a food tray and you are a server). Knuckles face the ceiling; palms face one another. With feet hip-width apart and slightly bent knees, push weights above your head until your arms are fully extended. Bring weights back down to shoulder level, keeping a comfortable space between your sidebody and elbows. Keep shoulders relaxed (maintain space between your shoulder and ear).
3 sets of 10
Increase number of reps and/or sets as you gain strength.
Add weight slowly as you gain strength.
Do this while standing to recruit muscles from your legs and core. Seated shoulder press will focus solely on the upper body muscle groups.
Open your arms to the side, turning your wrists so that palms face forward (knuckles still to ceiling). The ends of dumbbells can touch over head as you press fully. This wide press will fire slightly different muscles.
Skull- crushers
Lay down on a mat or bench with two dumbbells in hand. Bend your knees. Lift weights into the air so your arms are fully extended above your chest. Weights should be touching (palms face one another, knuckles to ceiling). Keeping your elbows stationary, lower the weights toward your forehead. Return weights to starting position and repeat.
3 sets of 8
Increase number of reps and/or sets as you gain strength.
Increase weight slowly as you gain strength.
Triceps
(with challenge: core and hip flexors)
If more comfortable, you can do the same movement with one weight in both hands. Hold the ends of one dumbbell in either hand.
If you’re up for a challenge, add on a core component by lifting your feet off the mat and bringing knees to a 90-degree angle. As you lower weights toward your head, extend your legs out. Return them to bent position as your arms rise again.
Cardio Training
While you may be familiar with the term “cardio training”—or even more simply put “cardio”—you might not have considered where it comes from. Cardio is short for “cardiovascular” because exercises of this type are aimed at strengthening your heart. They are also known as aerobic, because they require oxygen and increase the efficiency of oxygen distribution throughout the body by the heart.
With this knowledge in mind, it’s easier to see the connection between this type of exercise and heart health. With as little as 15 minutes per day, you can support a healthy heart. Plus, cardio or aerobic exercise plays a role in weight maintenance and weight loss. But before you dive into that, let’s get an idea for the different cardio exercise in which you can engage.
Aerobic exercises are any type of activity that get the body’s major muscle groups moving in a rhythmic way for a prolonged period of time. This type of movement gets your heart pumping, elevating your heart rate, and causing you to breathe harder than normal. The range of activities that meet these requirements are wide, so you’re likely to find one you enjoy. Pick from a range of solo activities or sports, group games, or recreational activities to get your heart pumping.
Solo
Group Games
Outdoor Recreation
Swimming
Water polo
Hiking or trail running
Dance class
Tennis (doubles)
Mountain or road biking
Heavy yardwork
Soccer or flag football
Skiing or snowboarding
Recall the heart-health guidelines for exercise from above. At a minimum, adults have two options. First, engage in 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise throughout the week. The second option is 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic exercise. No matter your choice, you should also include two days of strength-based training. This can simply involve your bodyweight or weights. Not sure what constitutes moderate or vigorous aerobic exercise? Check out the table below to spark some ideas.
Over the years there have been many exercise crazes and popular routines. And some have pitted strength training vs cardio. Is this well-founded? Well no, not if you’re strictly interested in general health and weight maintenance. Both types of exercise are necessary to strengthen bones, fend off muscle loss, and keep your metabolic processes in balance. But if you’re focused on losing a lot of weight or building a lot of muscle, your routine might require some tweaks.
A few years ago, Duke University conducted a study comparing groups of people assigned to one of three groups. Group 1 utilized resistance (or strength-based) training. Group 2 was given an aerobic (or cardio) routine. Group 3 did a routine that consisted of both resistance and aerobic training.
Participants in the cardio-based exercise group lost more weight than those focused on strength-training. In fact, the strength group gained weight, though all of it was attributed to muscle gain, not fat. And those in group 3 experienced the healthiest changes in body composition. Combo exercisers both lost the most fat and gained muscle mass. Researchers noted that while these composition changes are the most favorable, it did come at a cost: time investment. Group 3 participants spent the most time in the gym.
There are some great takeaways from this study that can help you decide what’s best for your goals. Do you want to maintain your weight? Are you concerned with adding muscle? Are you pressed for time? These are all appropriate questions to consider as you build your personalized workout routine.
Building a Strong Workout for a Stronger You
Remember that health guidelines for exercise are only minimums (150 minutes/week or 75 minutes/week for moderate and vigorous exercise, respectively). These are great guidelines to follow if you’re simply maintaining your body weight.
Cardio burns the most calories, minute by minute. This means if you were to spend 15 minutes lifting weights versus 15 minutes running, the latter would expend more energy.
If your goal is to lose weight, combining both strength and cardio is your best bet. To really fine-tune your routine, start with strength training and finish off with cardio. Doing so will elevate your heart rate so your heart continues to work at that elevated level during your cardio session.
Consider your age as you build your own workout. As you pass 30 years of age and enter into each new decade, the need for muscle-building becomes more pressing.
Exercise is not the only answer. Weight maintenance and weight loss is hard to do if diet isn’t considered. Build your workout routine along with a balanced diet for success.
The only thing left is to get moving. Get started by recalling your motivation. Whether it’s to maintain, lose, build, or generally enjoy life, all are valid and achievable. Start by naming your motivation and goal to make them real. Find activities you enjoy and recruit friends or family to keep you company and hold you accountable. And before you know it, you just might be in those old jeans, crossing the finish line of your bucket-list race, or conquering those stairs with a smile.
About the Author
Jenna Templeton is a health educator and freelance science writer living in Salt Lake City, Utah. After receiving a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from Virginia Tech, Jenna spent five years as a research scientist in the nutritional industry. This work fueled her interest in personal wellness, leading her to pursue a graduate degree in Health Promotion & Education from the University of Utah. Outside of work, Jenna enjoys live music, gardening, all things food, and playing in the Wasatch mountains.
https://askthescientists.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Workout-ready-AdobeStock_191448951.jpg418835Jenna TempletonJenna Templeton2019-02-04 08:00:162022-07-21 14:08:35Strength Training vs Cardio: How to Build a Workout
You change into your workout clothes, get your equipment ready, and start your workout. And within a few minutes you’re already feeling tired, worn out, and not ready for what you have planned. It feels like you’re wasting your time. You want to do better, but today you just don’t have the motivation—and fuel—to push through.
Everybody has had a bad workout before. It happens. But when it comes time to exercise, you want to minimize the obstacles that keep you from performing your very best. They can be caused by stress, mental or physical fatigue, poor nutrition, or a number of different things. Some of these factors can be outside of your power, but nutrition is one you can control.
All of your food choices during the day play an important role in making sure you have the nutrients you need. But your pre-workout foods can have the biggest influence on how you perform while exercising. See which nutrients and foods to choose before exercise.
Where to Look For Energy
Providing energy should be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about pre-workout foods. Exercising while fasting can play a role in weight loss, but is not going to lead to your best performance. What you read below is all about performing your best, and eating before your workout is essential to that.
To decide what your energy needs will be, you first need to know what type of workout you are going to have. A low-intensity, 20-minute workout has very different needs than a higher-intensity workout lasting over an hour.
Your goal should be to consume enough calories to match your planned workout. (If you will be exercising more than an hour, you will also need to refuel during your workout.) Your 20-minute, moderate-intensity workout will need 100 to 200 calories. A longer session will require up to 500 calories or more.
For Energy, Carbs Are King
Have you ever wondered why professional athletes always have a big cooler or bottles full of sugary drinks? Or why there are so many energy blocks, gels, and drinks for sale that contain nothing but sugar? That’s because when it comes to energy, carbohydrates—or carbs—are king.
Your body can also use fat and protein for fuel. But carbohydrates are your body’s preferred energy source. The reason for this preference is that simple carbs are the quickest and easiest to digest.
During exercise, your body will first burn the sugar (simple carbohydrates) in your blood, most commonly glucose. Then your body move on to long-term carb storage (glycogen). Only after those are gone will it make a serious attempt at using fat and protein for energy.
When you’re eating before or during exercise, the goal is to keep your sugar storage full. This prevents your body from having to use as much fat and protein for energy. Have you ever hit a wall about an hour into an endurance workout, where all of your energy seems to disappear? That’s your body running out of carbs.
You might be thinking, “but I want to burn some fat.” You can certainly do that through exercise, but it will limit your performance. A good balance would consist of a pre-workout meal to fuel your upcoming exercise. Then choose a diet for the rest of your day that will help you lose fat.
Unlike the healthy foods you should eat the rest of the day, pre-workout foods are not going to be as balanced and varied. You should limit the amount of fat, protein, and fiber that you eat pre-workout. This means you won’t be eating a lot of vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, meat, or dairy. High-glycemic carbs found in fruit, grains, and even some sweets will give your body access to easy energy, and help it focus on exercise, rather than digestion. (See below for some food ideas.)
Micronutrients and Water Are Important, Too
Your performance isn’t just about energy. Each of the essential micronutrients play a role in your health and in your workouts.
B vitamins are used for supporting energy metabolism. Calcium and magnesium help you keep strong bones. And vitamin C supports healthy tendons and muscles.
Electrolytes are also essential nutrients. They are needed in higher amounts than other micronutrients, and require some special considerations during exercise. Sodium and potassium are electrolytes that help your muscles contract. A shortage of either may lead cramping and hindered performance.
Try to get a little bit of sodium and potassium in your pre-workout meal. Extra can then be added during exercise.
Your need to supplement extra electrolytes depends on how much you sweat during your exercise. Salt (sodium chloride) is the primary electrolyte lost in sweat. Sweat typically has 0.5-2.3 g of salt per liter. That means really intense exercise could result in losing several grams of salt per hour.
Judge your workout intensity and your personal sweatiness to determine how much salt you need to eat before and during your workout. One of the easiest ways to add salt and other electrolytes is through a sports drink.
Hydration
Water is necessary for digestion of the food you eat during your pre-workout meal. Sufficient water is also needed for a healthy blood supply, which moves oxygen, sugar, and other nutrients through your body. It is essential for muscle contraction.
Dehydration limits the amount your body can sweat. And sweat is important to keep you cool and performing your best. Failure to stay hydrated can also lead to impaired concentration. This is key for technical sports like basketball, tennis, skiing, and more.
Proper hydration begins several hours before your workout. Make sure to drink plenty of water leading up to and during your workout. You can sweat 1-3 liters (about 1-3 quarts) per hour. Drink regularly during exercise to replace as much as you can.
One test to find out if you are doing a good job with hydration, is to weigh yourself immediately before and after your workouts. Your goal is to finish at about the same weight that you started. If you finish higher, then you may be starting out dehydrated or drinking too much during your workout. If you finish lower in weight, try to drink a little bit more while you exercise.
Don’t go overboard on water though. Too much can lead to stomach aches. You can replace any remaining water you need after you’re done with your workout.
Will Caffeine Help?
Other nutrients also offer fitness benefits, but can be harder to get from food. Caffeine is one of those. This stimulant reduces fatigue and drowsiness, and can improve your performance.
If you’ve ever looked at the label of energy drinks or pre-workout products, you know that nearly all of them contain caffeine. But caffeine may not be right for you. Depending one of your genes (CYP1A2 gene), it may offer no benefit, or actually be detrimental to your performance.
A genetic test is one way to know if caffeine will help or hurt you. But you might also be able to find this out through personal trial and error. Does caffeine help you concentrate and focus on the task at hand? Or does it just make you jittery and distracted? Listen to your body and mind, and don’t force something that isn’t working.
You will find some caffeine in chocolate, but the only natural sources with a higher dosage are tea and coffee. For the highest doses, look to energy drinks, pre-workout mixes, and supplements.
Pre-Workout Foods To Try
There are lots of great foods that you can use in your pre-workout meal. Here are a few ideas that incorporate the information above into helpful suggestions. You should try to eat pre-workout foods about 45 to 60 minutes before you exercise. Regardless of which foods you pick, you should experiment with a variety of options to find out which ones work best for you.
Oatmeal
Instant oatmeal is a good source of carbohydrates. A single serving has about 150 calories. If you need more calories, look for an already flavored oatmeal, or consider adding fruit. Oatmeal does have some fiber, so don’t overdo it or it can upset your stomach.
Bread
You can eat bread plain, toasted, or as part of a sandwich. Jams and jellies are a great way to add extra calories and simple sugar to your bread. White bread has less fiber and will be easier to digest than whole-wheat bread. Skip the peanut butter or regular butter because the fat will slow down your digestion.
Did you know that endurance athletes will eat jam and salt sandwiches during their races? It’s a convenient way for them to replenish calories and electrolytes lost during exercise.
Fruit
Dehydrated or fresh fruit are great ways to give you energy for a workout and add some micronutrients to your diet. Be careful about your choices, though. Some fruits are high in sugar alcohols, which can lead to bloating, gas, and act as a laxative. Which is the last thing you want while exercising.
Bananas, strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, and citrus fruits are all lower in sugar alcohols and are safer choices. Watermelon, peaches, pears, blackberries, apples, cherries, and plums are higher in sugar alcohols, and too much could ruin your workout.
Coffee
If caffeine helps you through your workouts, coffee is a great natural source. Add some sugar to your coffee, or eat another pre-workout food on the side to get the calories you will also need.
Candy
Pre-workout is your chance to splurge. If you have a bunch of candy at home that is too good to resist, use it to your advantage. Rather than eating it before bed or another sedentary time, try using the candy to fuel your next fitness challenge.
Sweets that are higher in sugar and lower in fat are your best choices. Gummies and hard candies are options that are easy to eat before and during your workout.
You have the knowledge to test and figure out your best pre-workout foods. But fueling your fitness doesn’t stop there. It requires healthy eating throughout the day. Beginning right after you’re done exercising.
Post-workout, you want replenish any water you lost through sweat and haven’t yet refilled. Like water, your energy also needs to be replenished. Older research prescribed an exact ratio of carbs to protein (3:1) within 30 after exercise. Newer research has shown that any balanced meal within a couple hours of exercise will help replenish your energy storage and rebuild your muscle.
Unlike pre-workout, there is no need to stick with high-carbohydrate foods. The rest of your day should include a good amount of protein, healthy fats, fiber, and mix of vegetables and fruits.
https://askthescientists.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Prework-out-AdobeStock_140684032.jpg418835Austin WinegarAustin Winegar2019-01-08 12:44:322022-07-21 14:11:04Fuel Your Fitness with the Best Pre-Workout Foods
Weight may be a number on a scale. But it hangs heavily over the health of many people. That’s because excess body weight can drag down many aspects of your health. So, if you’re looking to maintain a healthy weight, you aren’t alone. Weight management is one of the biggest concerns for people around the world.
Setting goals, making a plan, and using a checklist are all important ways to jumpstart your weight-management journey. But first, you need to get some information.
Take this short quiz to weigh the amount of knowledge you have about weight management. Then see the answers and share your score—and the quiz—so everyone in your life can fill up on this important information.
https://askthescientists.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Weight-management-AdobeStock_214666560.jpg418835staffstaff2018-11-19 08:00:152022-07-24 22:28:1811 Questions to Help You Maintain—Not Gain—Weight
You’re deep asleep when your alarm clock rings at an early hour. It’s still dark, but it’s time to get up. You triple-check that your bags are fully packed—are you missing anything?—and book it out the door to the airport. Whether you’re flying for work or play, the stress of an early morning flight is a constant.
Seasoned travelers are ready for most things—for the noise, the turbulence, the germs in the recycled airplane air. But one thing travelers don’t often prepare for is maintaining your fitness on the go. The list of reasons—ahem, excuses—can run long.
The good news is that traveling doesn’t have to differ from home so much. It’s possible to take your healthy habits on the road with you. With a little bit of planning and forethought, you can take your fitness goals on the road with you. This will keep your routine intact, and also help you maintain energy, so you can feel your best during your trip.
Read on for tips on how to travel so you won’t unravel your wellness along the way.
Flying Fit
Research has shown that a sedentary lifestyle is associated with less favorable health outcomes for a variety of reasons. Not exercising or moving around burns fewer calories, promotes muscle loss, slows metabolism, encourages poor circulation, and more.
For these reasons, health professionals encourage breaking up sedentary periods with frequent activity. For example, if you work a desk job, incorporating frequent walking breaks into your day is a good way to keep your blood flowing.
The same is true for long flights. Sitting for long periods in a confined space makes circulation difficult. In some severe cases, blood clots or deep vein thrombosis (DVT) may become a concern. With DVT, a clot formed in the lower limbs could break free and block flow in a pulmonary artery—a very dangerous scenario.
Moving around on the plane helps with proper blood flow, general comfort, and you can sneak in some exercise. Try the following if you’re on longer flight. (Always heed movement restrictions given by the crew for safety reasons.)
When you are seated, avoid crossing your legs. This further impedes circulation.
Get up and walk the aisle frequently. Setting an hourly timer can help you accomplish this. The movement will improve circulation, which can help ease any cramping.
Wear loose and comfortable attire. Unnecessarily tight or restrictive clothing will only further complicate circulation issues.
Stay hydrated (see more on this in the section below)! Use the routine drink service to order beverages that will quench your thirst. Water is your best bet, over sugary or alcoholic beverages.
If you’re stuck in your seat, don’t despair. There’s plenty you can still do. It’s possible to stretch and be active even from your seat. Start from your feet and work up.
Circle your ankles. You can do this by bending one leg at a 90-degree angle and propping it over the other. Start clockwise and rotate your ankle 10 times. Switch directions and repeat. Then switch feet and repeat the entire process.
Stretch the piriformis. It’s a muscle found deep in your buttock—a muscle that quickly tightens with lack of activity. With one bent leg still resting on the opposite leg, lean slightly forward. This is commonly called the figure four stretch, and will engage the piriformis. Hold for 30 seconds and switch legs.
Loosen your shoulders by adjusting your posture. Roll your shoulders back and down so they’re not hunched forward—a common position that promotes tightness and can contribute to tension headaches.
Circle out your arms. This can be difficult in tight spaces, but you can easily modify it by bending your elbow so that your hand touches your shoulder. Once in this position, start by circling out one bent arm clockwise 10 times, then reverse direction. Switch to the other arm and repeat. If your seating area is crowded, you can do this while walking the aisle.
Stretch your neck. Like the shoulders, the neck is an area that, when tight, often contributes to headaches. In tight spaces, this is likely to happen, especially if you’re leaning forward for much of the flight to read a book or focus on a screen. Carefully and slowly, lower your chin to your chest and hold for several seconds. Do the same in the opposite direction, looking up toward the ceiling. Then stretch the sides of your neck by slowly pulling one ear down to its closest shoulder. Switch sides to complete the circuit.
Get Creative with Your Workouts
Many hotels include gyms and other workout facilities. But it can seem difficult to carve out time to use them during travel. Fear not. There are still ways to incorporate more activity into your days on the road.
The simplest one is considering different options of getting around. Is your meeting close-by— within walking distance? Are stairs an option instead of an elevator or escalator? Can you park further from the entrance to a building? These are small changes, but they can stack up. If the options present themselves multiple times a day, over a week of travel, the number of extra steps can become substantial.
If you’re stuck in meetings all day or don’t have access to a hotel gym, you can incorporate desk- or chair-based exercises into your day to keep you moving. Here are some easy options that require no equipment or athletic clothing:
Chair dips: With your palms on the seat of a chair, move the rest of your body away from the chair so your legs are bent at 90-degree angles. Dip your body below the seat of the chair so your arms must control the movement. Start with 3 sets of 5 and work up from there. Dips are great for your triceps and shoulders.
Seated bicycle: Much like the supine abdominal exercise, the same movement can be done sitting on a chair. Place your hands behind your head and raise a bent knee (90-degree angle) to meet the opposite elbow. Do the same on the opposite side. Try for 3 sets of 10 at first. This exercise is great for engaging your oblique muscles.
Seated Warrior 2: This is the same pose as the yoga position, but the seat of a chair supports the bent knee. Ensure your thigh is supported by the seat and your knee is at a 90-degree angle. Your back leg should be extended out behind you, with your foot perpendicular to your front foot. Extend your arms out to the side. You should feel a generous stretch across your chest and especially in the hip flexor of your back leg. This is key if you are sitting for a long time. Wake up the legs with 30-60 seconds of this stretch on each side.
Explore New Workouts
Even if your hotel does have a gym and you have time, it’s easy to let excuses get in the way. And it really can be hard to get motivated to use the space if it’s cramped, lacks windows, or doesn’t have the equipment you prefer. But that’s OK. There are still ways to get a great workout, outside of a lackluster facility.
A lot of people enjoy exploring new cities. It’s a great way to learn about new cuisine, visit historical sites, or take in new scenery. The same can be true for fitness classes. Hop on the internet and search for local studios that provide new routines or trusted favorites. This could be a yoga class, dance studio, boxing gym, or something different entirely.
Classpass.com, Yelp, and even Facebook can be great places to search for studios near you, wherever you are. Each site will give you information on price, type of workout to expect, and reviews from class-goers. Don’t limit yourself—treat exercise as another way to immerse yourself into the new city and culture you’re visiting. Expand your horizons and get your sweat on in the process.
Make Your Hotel Room Your Home Gym
If you aren’t able to explore the area near you, a great workout is still possible—even in a hotel room. Many at-home workouts that are available online are designed to be done in small spaces. Just move any furniture out of the way, if you can. Then check out YouTube or popular fitness websites for videos you can watch right from your laptop computer. You can find all sorts of options—from yoga and circuit training to kickboxing.
You can also put your smart phone to work for you. Try downloading a fitness app. Most offer plenty of options for workouts that require no equipment. And you can choose the type and length of workout you want to do.
A tabata-style workout is a low-tech option that works well if you’re short on time. These workouts only last for about 20 minutes. All you need is a stopwatch. You will perform a round of activity at high intensity for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds, then repeat. Each round takes four minutes, total.
You have some flexibility in how you can complete the workout. Try doing a circuit of five sets of different exercises. Or you can keep it limited to five total exercises. It sounds easy, but these workouts will really get your heart pumping. Make sure you mix it up. Alternate cardio moves (like jumping jacks) with strength exercises (like push-ups) for a full-body workout.
Here’s a sample workout for you to try:
20 Minute Tabata
20 seconds high intensity • 10 seconds rest
Repeat each round 4 times
Round one
Jumping Jacks
Squats
Round two
Burpees
Pushups
Round three
High Knees
Bicycle Crunches
Round four
Jumping Lunges
Tricep Dips
Round five
Mountain Climbers
Plank
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!
Now that your fitness is taken care of, it’s time to address keeping yourself hydrated. The two go hand-in-hand. At home, it’s easy to take advantage of the fact that a simple water glass is readily available. When you hit the road, don’t make the mistake of leaving your water bottle behind. Invest in a sturdy, reusable one-liter water bottle and pretend it’s your traveling companion. That means it goes everywhere with you.
Your body’s proper function (and survival!) depends on frequent hydration—especially if you’re moving around with the tips above. So how much should you be consuming each day? The general guideline has been eight, 8-ounce glasses per day for a total of 64 ounces (1.9 liters). A lot of factors influence how much water you should drink each day: health status, exercise intensity and frequency, and climate. So if you’re sick, working out a lot, or in a dry climate. You should adjust your water intake accordingly.
Now that you have your trusty one-liter bottle with you at all times, you have an easier measurement to follow. Consider refilling your water bottle 3-4 times per day to make sure you’re getting enough for all your needs.
Preparing for your Next Trip
If you’re a seasoned traveler, you probably have your packing list down. Toiletries, extra socks, your favorite creature comforts. Hopefully this guide has helped you realize that you don’t need to take up precious room in your suitcase with gym clothes and athletic shoes.
You can stay active, fit, and well-hydrated with minimal gear. All you need to bring along is some intention and determination (along with your trusty water bottle, of course). Exercise and fitness can often sound daunting, but you’re now well-prepared to sneak in steps, stretches, and more movement without overhauling your itinerary.
So, whether you’re on the road for work or play, find the tiny moments throughout the day to take care of yourself. The moments can add up significantly—and your body will thank you.
About the Author
Jenna Templeton is a health educator and freelance science writer living in Salt Lake City, Utah. After receiving a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from Virginia Tech, Jenna spent five years as a research scientist in the nutritional industry. This work fueled her interest in personal wellness, leading her to pursue a graduate degree in Health Promotion & Education from the University of Utah. Outside of work, Jenna enjoys live music, gardening, all things food, and playing in the Wasatch mountains.
https://askthescientists.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Woman-with-luggage-AdobeStock_64875892.jpeg20003000Jenna TempletonJenna Templeton2018-07-09 10:00:182022-07-24 22:49:10Travel Fit: Tips for Fitness on the Go
Knowing isn’t quite the same as doing. Especially with exercise. When it comes to your physical fitness, action wins out over wisdom every single time. You don’t need to be an exercise physiologist or trainer to get active and stay fit. But fitness knowledge has power.
Understanding a little bit about fitness is a good start. It’s worth the effort to learn what fitness looks like, how you can achieve it, and what activities promote it. This fitness knowledge can help you set sensible goals and start charting your path to physical wellness.
But fitness should be fun, too. So, instead of reading all about fitness facts, you can take a fun quiz.
It’s time to exercise your brain. After you’ve gone through all 10 questions, you’ll see your score and the answers to questions you missed.
https://askthescientists.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/fish-oil-muscle-soreness1-copy.jpg488637staffstaff2017-03-15 14:31:422022-07-25 10:12:21Fish Oil Supplementation Increases Joint Range of Motion and Diminishes Muscle Soreness and Strength Loss After Exercise
https://askthescientists.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/FitnessMonitorMan.jpg481900Austin WinegarAustin Winegar2017-03-06 09:22:242022-07-25 12:12:16Can Fitness Trackers Improve My Health?
Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (URTI) can be caused by more than 200 different viruses, and it is estimated that the U.S. population suffers more than one billion colds a year (2-4 per average adult, 6-10 per average child). A number of lifestyle factors contribute to URTI risk, including poor nutrient status, lack of sleep, and stress. A new paper published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine adds exercise habits to the list of lifestyle factors affecting URTI risk.
1,023 subjects between 18 and 85 years of age were recruited for this study, with 1,002 individuals completing all study requirements. Subjects were selected from multiple BMI groups (roughly one-third were of normal weight, one-third were overweight, and one-third were obese) to ensure adequate representation. A comprehensive validated survey on lifestyle, diet, activity levels, stress, and URTI incidence and severity was completed by each study participant.
After controlling for potential cofounders, total days with URTI symptoms were 43-46% lower in the highest third of aerobic activity when compared to the lowest third, while URTI severity was reduced 32-41% for the high group. Low stress levels, high exercise frequency (≥5 days/week), and high fruit intake (≥3 servings/day) also correlated with reduced URTI incidence.
The exact mechanism by which aerobic exercise reduces URTI risk is still uncertain, although it appears to be a combination of factors, including transient increases of certain immune cell types, a reduction of stress hormones, and specialized benefits to key organs (particularly the lungs, which serve as a primary barrier against URTIs).
https://askthescientists.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/1887850.jpg8001200staffstaff2017-01-16 01:53:472022-07-25 10:25:48Regular Exercise is Associated with Healthy Immune Function
00staffstaff2016-06-24 17:09:492022-07-25 11:04:28Picky About Protein?
Short periods of intense exercise are known to suppress hunger through appetite regulating hormones. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition compared the effects of high-intensity exercise on central (brain) response to visual food stimuli.
The researchers recruited 15 healthy lean men in their early twenties. The study participants completed two 60 minute tests: exercise (running at 70% maximum aerobic capacity) and a resting control. After each test, images of high- and low- calorie foods were viewed and the brain response to the foods was measured using an MRI.
After the exercise session, thirst and core body temperature were increased while appetite response was significantly suppressed. Exercise significantly suppressed ghrelin (an appetite stimulating hormone) and enhanced the release of peptide YY (an appetite reducing hormone). When compared to the resting control, neural (brain) response in the brain’s reward related regions were stimulated in response to viewing the images of low-calorie foods, but suppressed upon viewing images of high-calorie foods.
This study found that high intensity exercise increases neural responses in reward-related regions of the brain in response to images of low-calorie foods, and suppresses activation during the viewing of high-calorie foods. These central responses are associated with exercise-induced changes in peripheral signals related to hydration and appetite-regulation.
Exercise is a well-known important component of a healthy lifestyle. This study provides further evidence that exercise can do more than just providing a caloric deficit, it may also influence you to make healthier food choices.
https://askthescientists.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/AdobeStock_103347736.jpeg8011200staffstaff2016-05-26 16:08:142022-07-25 11:08:30High-intensity exercise may influence appetite regulation and food selection
Thanks for sharing! Entering your USANA ID number creates a unique URL, which allows you to receive credit on referrals.
Here’s how it works: When the link is clicked, a cookie (if allowed) is created. Shopping buttons on applicable product pages will appear to the referred user. A click on these buttons passes your referral information to USANA’s Shopping Cart, tying purchases made on cookie-containing devices to you for 30 days. In addition, if a person clicks on this unique URL and then later visits USANA.com and makes a purchase (within 30 days), you receive credit for the sale.
Fitting into an old pair of jeans again. Competing in that bucket-list race. Chasing around children and grandchildren. Or perhaps simply not panting after taking the stairs. Whatever your goal, there are many motivations to get your body moving.
And there’s also many different ways to put your body in motion. But how should you move and what is enough? There’s intensity, frequency, and type of movement (strength training vs cardio) to consider. That’s a lot. So, no wonder it can feel hard to find the “right” way for you.
And then there are the excuses. Before you dive deeper into how to move, let’s breakdown some barriers by taking a closer look at common concerns.
An activity counts as strength training if it involves significant effort to work your body’s major muscle groups (legs, core, shoulders, arms). While cardio exercises are recommended for certain durations, strength training doesn’t come with a similar prescription. Rather, you should continue to work your muscles—using resistance, machines, or hand weights—until the activity becomes difficult to continue. This muscle discomfort is actually indicative of minute muscle tears. To build up your muscles, you must first break them down.
Young people often focus on getting big, defined muscles for physical attractiveness. But as you age, strength becomes less about appearance and more a function of safety and independence. Sarcopenia is muscle loss associated with advancing age. With every decade past 30 years of age, adults will lose, on average, four percent of their muscle mass.
Maintaining muscle mass through the years will help you avoid injury, sustain mobility, and enjoy freedom of movement without assistance. Indeed, risk for bone fractures and other injuries increases significantly once sarcopenia sets in.
Participating in strength activities is important not only for building muscle, but also for increasing bone strength. And as you continue to age, both are extremely important. Weakened bones are more susceptible to breaking. Often these breaks are seen in the hip, spine, or wrist. The good news is that exercise—and, specifically, strength-based exercise—can shore up your bones.
It might seem counterintuitive, though. Hauling weights around seems like a way to break a bone. Not the case! In fact, bearing weights (whether your body’s own weight or added resistance) slows bone loss and even builds bone. The stress put on bones while strength training essentially kickstarts the cells responsible for bone-building.
You have several reasons to start strength training. But where do you start? In theory, lifting weights sounds simple, but there are so many options. This can make it difficult to pick and stick to a routine. Peruse the following chart to gather ideas on how to build muscle throughout your body.
While you may be familiar with the term “cardio training”—or even more simply put “cardio”—you might not have considered where it comes from. Cardio is short for “cardiovascular” because exercises of this type are aimed at strengthening your heart. They are also known as aerobic, because they require oxygen and increase the efficiency of oxygen distribution throughout the body by the heart.
With this knowledge in mind, it’s easier to see the connection between this type of exercise and heart health. With as little as 15 minutes per day, you can support a healthy heart. Plus, cardio or aerobic exercise plays a role in weight maintenance and weight loss. But before you dive into that, let’s get an idea for the different cardio exercise in which you can engage.
Aerobic exercises are any type of activity that get the body’s major muscle groups moving in a rhythmic way for a prolonged period of time. This type of movement gets your heart pumping, elevating your heart rate, and causing you to breathe harder than normal. The range of activities that meet these requirements are wide, so you’re likely to find one you enjoy. Pick from a range of solo activities or sports, group games, or recreational activities to get your heart pumping.
