fit tips
EveryBody with Keith Glines : On Common Myths
MYTH # 3 : I NEED TO STRETCH PRIOR TO WORKING OUT
I might lose some people here , too . Without getting too far into the physiology of stretching ( look for that article later !), I ' m going to say that an even better way to get your body ready for exercise is to go through some easy motions that mimic the activities you ' re going to be doing . Start with small motions and gradually increase the size of the moves . We call this a dynamic warm-up . It increases blood flow and body temperature , helps activate the nervous system , and prepares the tissues you ' re going to be challenging for your activity .
There ' s been plenty of research over the past 10-15 years that has concluded that static stretching prior to exercise or an athletic event does not decrease the incidence of injury and doesn ’ t improve your performance . There are theories that it can actually impede performance , but that ' s beyond the scope of this article , so check back in later editions to get the scoop on that ! Never hesitate to ask a trainer if you need help figuring out what to do for your dynamic warm-up .
MYTH # 4 : THESE ACHES AND PAINS I HAVE ARE DUE TO OLD AGE
This might be a bit of semantics , but the act of getting older doesn ' t inherently mean you ' re going to have aches and pains . Aches and pains are usually a sign of some type of dysfunction , and it ' s our body ' s defense / alert mechanism letting us know that something isn ' t right . As we age , we might accumulate dysfunctional patterns that lead to these aches and pains . It ' s a very common phenomenon , but that doesn ' t make it normal . Some of these dysfunctions can come from previous injuries ( car accidents , ankle sprains , lower-back injuries , etc .), improper exercise form / technique , inappropriate applications of force ( too much weight ), repetitive motions ( sitting hunched over a computer ), emotional stress , and a whole lot of other possibilities ! Life can beat us up physically and take its toll on our bodies , so taking steps to correct those issues as they pop up can be the difference between being 80 and feeling 80 .
If you ' re concerned about your aches and pains , seek guidance from a medical professional to find if there ' s a pathological
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An even better way to get your body ready for exercise is to go through some easy motions that mimic the activities you ' re going to be doing .
state that needs to be addressed . Your personal physician is a great place to start . Schedule a consultation with one of the Physical Therapists from Elite PT for further advice . We also offer a service called Muscle Activation Techniques ( MAT ), which is designed to help identify and correct muscle imbalances . If your medical appointment shows no sign of pathology , schedule your free consultation with a MAT Specialist and see if they can help .
MYTH # 5 : I ' M GOING TO LOSE WEIGHT BY GOING TO THE GYM
I touched on this a little earlier in the section on lifting weights , but I think it ' s really important to dive into this a little further . The reality of weight loss lies in creating some type of caloric deficit . The goal is to burn more calories than you take in . It ' s a simple energy equation , but it ' s not an easy thing to do . Sometimes it feels like our body is out to sabotage us because we start to exercise , and we get even hungrier than we were before we were exercising . That doesn ' t seem fair ! But , if we consider that our body ' s number one goal is self-preservation , then we can realize that our brain recognizes the deficit and wants to make sure we ' ll hang on to our energy needs in case of an emergency ( illness , sickness , etc .). So , it might trigger your appetite to tell you to eat a little more , getting rid of the deficit .
There are people in the industry that believe that weight loss consists of about 80 % of effort on your diet and 20 % exercise . The exercise component is there to help maintain muscle mass and your metabolism , but changes in your diets are what will really make the big leap for your weight loss . Most people ( including me !) need some help and guidance with their diet plan , so don ' t hesitate to ask for some . Knowing what to eat , when to eat , portions , replacement options , etc . takes a lot of knowledge . There are professionals that study this and are here to help , so use them as a resource and don ' t try to tackle this yourself . We have some very knowledgeable people on staff that would love to assist you with your diet plan . Look for our Registered Dietitian , Jeannie Versagli .
MYTH # 6 : EXERCISE ISN ' T FUN
The reality is that exercise does include challenging yourself on some level . For some , the resistance that we push against presents
Sometimes it feels like our body is out to sabotage us because we start to exercise , and we get even hungrier than we were before we were exercising .
our challenge . For others , the resistance we present ourselves in even coming to the gym presents quite an obstacle . If we change our perspective and think about exercise as something that we " get " to do instead of something we feel we " have " to do , it can change our mindset about coming in the first place . Once we make it to HAC , then we can look for ways to make it more enjoyable . Have you ever tried a group fitness class ? Exercising with others can be really enjoyable . We encourage the " buddy system ." Find someone you can encourage to come workout with you . There will be days that you don ' t feel like getting here , but a buddy might give you just enough reason to make it happen . If large groups aren ' t your thing , how about a Small Group Personal Training class ? The camaraderie in those classes can be amazing ! Have you ever worked with a personal trainer ? Our jobs are to select the appropriate exercises for you , which includes some things you may not like , but also to find some things you do like . So , if you ' re not enjoying anything about your trips to HAC because it feels too much like work , change things up and look for something you haven ' t tried yet . We have so many options , and if you need help selecting one , just ask !
This wraps up this edition of EveryBody . I encourage everyone to think about these topics and seek some answers of your own . Question me on these and other topics as well . I love to be challenged and to learn . Also , please ask a trainer for help if you need it . We are here to help , but don ' t know you need help unless you ask ! Thanks for reading !