Fitness Expert Proves You Can Gain Muscle on Ketogenic Diet

 

Fitness expert Mike Roussell, PhD, recalls, ‘The other day, I was on a phone call with a good friend and fellow strength coach, Joe Dowdell, CSCS, of Peak Performance in New York City. I told him my current deadlift personal record stood at a respectable 420 pounds but that I aspired to pull a 500. He told me it was “doable.” Great. Then I threw him a curveball worthy of Dodgers southpaw Clayton Kershaw. I wanted to add 80 pounds to my deadlift … while following a ketogenic diet. Joe let out a big sigh. Staying on a ketogenic diet means eating so few carbohydrates that when your glycogen stores empty, your body cashes-in on a process called “ketosis” for energy. The carbohydrate threshold to stay in ketosis will vary by individual, but the guideline for most folks is fewer than 50 grams of carbs.’ But how can you eat so few carbs and still build your muscle wellness?

 

‘I was dead-set on eating fewer than 20 grams of carbohydrates per day,’ Roussell details. ‘How low is that? One medium banana would place you over your daily limit! Wait, don’t carbs stimulate muscle growth? How could this work in the long term? More important, can I add 80 pounds to my deadlift without eating much carbs? These questions and more piqued the scientist in me. So I set out to find the answers not only by poring over the scientific literature but through real-world application on the gym floor as well.’ The question is, then, did he do it?

 

‘Carbohydrates create anabolism largely by setting off a cascade of hormone-driven events,’ Roussell explains. Chief among these events is secretion of a hormone called insulin from the pancreas. Many people realise that insulin regulates blood glucose levels, but insulin is not a one-trick pony. It is so multifunctional that many experts believe it to be absolutely integral to muscle synthesis—among other things. For example, one of insulin’s many roles is driving amino acid uptake; in other words, it gets amino acids out of your bloodstream and into your muscles. Thus, carbohydrates and the ensuing insulin response obviously have a great deal to do with muscle growth.’

 

Roussell comments, ‘It’s clear that carbohydrates are anabolic. It’s time to circle back to my original deadlift conquest. Was building strength and muscle possible while on a ketogenic diet? Dowdell’s sigh notwithstanding, I found that the answer is an emphatic yes! Don’t get me wrong, being ketogenic while training hard was no cakewalk. In three and a half months, I packed 80 pounds into my deadlift and pulled a new PR of 500 pounds on my first attempt. It turns out that while carbohydrates are anabolic, I am still able to achieve an anabolic feat in the nearly complete absence of carbohydrates. The human body is an amazing machine, possessing the ability to make intelligent adaptations to a variety of situations.’

 

So how did Roussell’s body adapt? ‘In a chronically low-carb environment, the body doesn’t follow the normal biochemical rules because it has to change,’ Roussell notes. ‘It becomes much more efficient with muscle glycogen, it up-regulates gene expression of certain enzymatic machinery needed for maximum performance, and it adapts as needed to excel in the presence of far fewer carbohydrates and much less insulin. Quite simply, my adventure in carbohydrate-less anabolism was to prove that you can perform at a high level on minimal carbohydrate—at least in the short term. Carbohydrates are not required to flip the protein synthesis switch, but perhaps there are other ways to make the overall anabolic process more efficient and effective. Does that mean everyone should adopt a ketogenic diet? I don’t think it is for everyone (and perhaps not for the long-term), but it’s still interesting to see what your body can achieve through thick and thin.’

Categories: carbohydrates, fitness expert, gaining muscle, Insulin, ketogenic, ketogenic diet, Long term, Muscle, muscle growth, Real Life, roussell

Building Muscle: How to Lose Weight and Tone Up

Whether you want to enhance your overall wellbeing, lose weight or tone up; building muscle is the way to go. Team MuscleTech’s Lindsay Cappotelli explains, ‘Hopefully most of us know by now that the myth of women getting huge and “manly” from lifting weights is just that – a myth. Rather than turning women into big, bulky “hulks”, muscles create a lean and toned figure. They can transform your body from soft and flabby to tight and firm.’ With over 10 years of fitness experience, Cappotelli is the perfect person to give you tips for building muscle.

 

1. Don’t Overdo Your Cardio: According to Cappotelli, ‘Women often make cardio the focus of their workout routine and the weights get pushed to the back burner, when it should actually be the opposite. If you don’t have extra body fat to lose, you could even consider eliminating cardio completely, or limiting it to just one to two short, high intensity interval type workouts a week.’

 

2. Eat More: ‘Another mistake women make when trying to gain muscle is simply not eating enough,’ says Cappotelli. ‘Eating nothing but salads all day just ain’t gonna cut it! In order to gain muscle, you must consume slightly more calories than you burn. In addition to lean beef, chicken, turkey, and eggs, having a couple of protein shakes is one way to help you hit your protein and calorie requirements for the day.’

 

3. Lift heavier: Cappotelli urges, ‘Ladies, don’t be afraid to get out of the 12-15 repetition zone! When I started lifting heavier with reps in the five to eight range was when I really began seeing results. Plus, lifting heavy and being strong is an amazing feeling! Focus on getting stronger on the basic, compound lifts and try to keep adding more weight to the bar. Don’t be afraid to lift heavy! You may be surprised by how strong you really are.’

 

4. Keep a Workout Journal: ‘I think this is a crucial often overlooked component,’ Cappotelli comments. ‘Instead of just going to the gym and doing random things or whatever you feel like that day, it’s best to go in with a plan. Keep track of your exercises, weights, repetitions, and rest time in between sets, so that you can try to improve upon that from week to week. I like to plan out my workouts ahead of time every four to six weeks and make sure that I am constantly improving in some way.’

 

5. Train with Intensity: Cappotelli notes, ‘Many women don’t know what it really means to lift with intensity, so they never get the results out of weight training that they truly could. When you are performing an exercise, you should be extremely focused; not just going through the motions. Focus on the muscle you’re working. Put your mind into it. Feel it moving and contracting. Focus. Breathe. Strain. Make every rep count!’

 

6. Take Pictures of Your Progress: ‘It’s sometimes hard to see how your body is changing when you look at yourself every day,’ Cappotelli asserts. ‘Taking progress pictures every few months is one of the best ways to see how your body is changing. Weighing and measuring is one way to keep track of results, but photos will tell the true story.’

 

7. Have the Right Mindset: Cappotelli points out, ‘Results won’t come overnight, and there may be times when you feel that you’re not making any progress at all. Try not to get discouraged. It can take years to transform your physique, so don’t give up! If you’re doing the right things consistently, the results will come. Be patient, trust the process and don’t forget to enjoy the journey!’

Categories: Building Muscle, cappotelli, gain muscle, Lose weight, Muscle, nbsp, results, tone, Weight Loss, Women

What Everyone Ought to Know About Whey Protein

In the world of vitamins, minerals and supplements, whey protein is an often overlooked supplement – and yet it can be miraculous for your wellness and wellbeing. It is basically one of the most essential supplements that you could possibly take. Whey protein is often made into protein shakes, and these can be brilliant for weight loss, muscle building and general good health. It can be very hard to know which whey protein supplement to choose, however, as the ingredients can be baffling.

 

One thing to look out for is the production process. If you look out for isolate whey, it means that it goes through the microfiltration process more than once. This means that the powder that is produced is around 90% pure protein, whereas for concentrate whey, it is only around 75 – 85% at best.

 

The protein type is also really important. If you are looking for something to take straight after a workout to help you build your muscles, then whey protein is exactly right for you. On the other hand, casein is best for a bedtime protein, which you can take before you head for bed in order to release protein overnight to help your muscles grow and recover. Soy protein is best for vegans as it is derived from soya beans, and it appears to also support muscle growth.

 

Keep an eye out, too, for a brand that has been around for a long time. It is a safe bet that any problems that the company have had with the powder will have been ironed out, leaving you with the best possible chances of having a very pure and effective product.

 

BCAAs may also appear in trace in your protein powder. Branch chained amino acids also help to stop the muscle tissues from breaking down and help to fight against delayed onset muscle soreness, meaning you can recover sooner and train again better.

Categories: Muscle, nbsp, powder, Protein, whey, whey protein

What Everyone Ought to Know About Protein Diets

All experts are now agreeing: include more protein in your diet and it will help to improve your wellness and wellbeing, as well as reach your fitness goals. This latest nutrition news confirms what scientists have been saying for a long time, and that is that the government RDA for protein is not enough to keep you healthy.

 

Protein actually comes from the word ‘proteios’, which means primary, and this ought to give you some indication of how important it is. In fact, it is one of three macronutrients – the other two are carbohydrates and fats. It is vital to keep your hormonal, cellular and immune systems functioning properly. It’s also really important for the maintenance and repair of tissues, including muscle tissues.

 

The Food Standards Agency recommendation is that you eat just 55g of protein per day if you are a man aged between 19 and 55. However, all recent research seems to suggest that this is too small an amount if you are a physically active man. Instead of following a ‘one size fits all’ approach, instead you should work out how much you need based on your fitness goals, weight and body composition.

 

If you want to slim down and look lean and athletic rather than skinny, preserving your muscle is really important. If you increase your protein intake, the body will use this for muscle repair, and this is especially important if you are following a low-calorie diet, otherwise you will burn muscle to make up the deficit.

 

If you actually want to build muscle, many people assume that you need to significantly increase your protein intake. Unfortunately, more protein doesn’t necessarily mean more muscle. Scientists recommend around 1.2 – 2.2g of protein per kg of bodyweight if you want to build muscles.

Categories: build, diet, fitness goals, Food, Muscle, nbsp, Protein, protein intake, scientists

Lean-Muscle Diets To Help Transform Your Physique

Research tells us that we need around 3g of protein per kilogram of lean bodyweight every day in order to build muscle and burn fat. You also need to reduce your carb intake to better allow your body to manage the nutrients we get from our diet. This meal plan has been created for a man weighing 75kg with a body fat percentage of 15 per cent, so his lean body weight is 63.75kg. However, if you’re heavier, you need to work out how much protein you need. Take your weight and divide it by 100. Subtract your body-fat percentage from 100, then multiply the two values together and this is your lean body weight. You need 3g of protein per kg of lean body weight, so multiply this by 3 and this is your daily protein target which needs to be split over four to six meals.

 

Monday

Breakfast: 150g porridge oats cooked with 200ml semi-skimmed milk, ½ a banana and 1tsp honey. Stir in ½ a scoop of whey protein at the end of cooking.

Snack: Post-workout smoothie: blend one scoop of protein powder, 230ml almond milk, 1tsp almond butter, ½ a banana and ice cubes.

Lunch: One medium baked sweet potato with one can of tuna in water (drained) and spinach.

Snack: Two boiled eggs.

Dinner: Salmon fillet with green beans and asparagus.

Snack: Greek yoghurt with cinnamon and six brazil nuts.

 

Tuesday

Breakfast: Two grilled rashers of bacon and two boiled eggs.

Snack: Small pot of hummus and sugar snap peas, carrots and pepper.

Lunch: Ham salad.

Snack: 100g cooked prawns.

Dinner: Two home-made hamburgers with a spinach and cherry tomato salad.

Snack: Greek yoghurt with cinnamon and ten almonds.

 

Wednesday

Breakfast: 150g porridge oats cooked with 200ml semi-skimmed milk, ½ a banana and 1tsp honey. Stir in ½ a scoop of whey protein at the end of cooking.

Snack: Post-workout shake: blend one scoop of protein powder, 230ml almond milk, 1tsp almond butter, a handful of frozen berries and ice cubes.

Lunch: Smoked salmon with spinach, cucumber and mixed salad leaves.

Snack: Two boiled eggs.

Dinner: Chicken and cashew nut stir-fry

Snack: Whey protein mixed with 1tbsp Greek yoghurt, water and ice.

 

Thursday

Breakfast: Two grilled rashers of bacon and two boiled eggs.

Snack: 50g cottage cheese with celery, carrot and cucumber sticks.

Lunch: Roast chicken with baked sweet potato and runner beans.

Snack: 100g cooked prawns.

Dinner: Cod fillet with roasted vegetables.

Snack: Greek yoghurt with cinnamon and ten almonds.

 

Friday

Breakfast: 150g porridge oats cooked with 200ml semi-skimmed milk, ½ a banana and 1tsp honey. Stir in ½ a scoop of whey protein at the end of cooking.

Snack: Post-workout smoothie: blend one scoop of protein powder, 230ml almond milk, 1tsp almond butter, ½ a banana and ice cubes.

Lunch: Tuna salad.

Snack: Raw vegetables with guacamole (chop ½ a ripe avocado, ¼ of a tomato and ¼ of a red onion, and mix with coriander and lime juice).

Dinner: Steak with steamed green vegetables. Small glass of red wine.

Snack: Greek yoghurt with cinnamon and six brazil nuts.

 

Saturday

Breakfast: Two poached eggs, two grilled rashers of bacon, two grilled tomatoes, mushrooms and ½ a can of reduced salt and sugar baked beans.

Snack: Small pot of hummus with celery, carrots and cucumber.

Lunch: Diced lamb grilled on skewers with green and red peppers, cherry tomatoes and one small red onion, plus ½ a baked sweet potato.

Snack: One small can of salmon.

Dinner: Beef meatballs in tomato sauce with green vegetables.

Snack: Greek yoghurt with cinnamon and ten almonds.

 

Sunday

Breakfast: Two poached eggs, two grilled rashers of bacon, two grilled tomatoes, mushrooms and ½ a can of reduced salt and sugar baked beans.

Snack: 50g cottage cheese with celery, carrot and cucumber sticks.

Lunch: Chicken stir-fry.

Snack: 100g cooked prawns.

Dinner: Grilled salmon fillet with roasted vegetables.

Snack: Greek yoghurt with cinnamon and six brazil nuts.

Categories: boiled eggs, diet, Greek yoghurt, grilled rashers, honey stir, Muscle, Protein, skimmed milk, snack 100g, snack greek, vegetables snack, whey protein

Love Your Legs: How to Get the Muscle Tone of Champions

If you look at any top female athlete, do you expect to see skinny legs? Of course not. What you’ll find is beautifully defined muscles from hip to toe – and there’s nothing wrong with that! Women tend to see toned, thicker legs as a bad thing – thanks, in part, to phrases such as “thunder thighs” – but why let a silly phrase like that impact your fitness or wellbeing? We should be celebrating our muscles, and sculpting them to compete or workout at a higher athletic level. You may worry that growing your legs can affect your weight wellness, but you don’t need to add on weight or fat. Rather, you need to challenge your muscles and get proper nutrition to have the thighs of glory you deserve.

 

‘If you want to grow your legs, you need a weight lifting plan,’ says wellness writer Danielle Restuccia. ‘If you are lifting light weights and doing endless repetitions, you will get a lean look but not a toned, muscular one. In fact, by lifting just a few pounds of weights, you will decrease size! This is how you know if you are lifting heavy enough to grow your legs: If you can complete your number of desired repetitions (say 12) easily and could continue with a few more, then you are not lifting heavy enough. You should be able to lift comfortably for the first few reps, and complete the last two reps of your set with difficulty. Your muscle should be fatigued enough to continue further than the 12th repetition.’

 

If you’re up for the challenge, try the Love Your Legs workout. You need to do two to three sets of 15 to 20 reps of each exercise:

 

1. Split squat: Restuccia instructs, ‘Place your left foot on a chair positioned behind you, hands on hips. Squat until your right knee reaches 90 degrees. Switch legs. Add dumbbells for more challenge.’

 

2. Sissy squat: ‘Using a chair for stability, stand with feet hip-width apart and rise onto your toes,’ Restuccia advises. ‘Simultaneously bend your knees and lean your torso back until your knees reach 90 degrees. Maintain a straight line between knees and shoulders.’

 

3. Pistol squat: Restuccia directs, ‘With feet hip-width apart, lift your right foot a few inches off the ground, toes pointed up. Squat until your left knee reaches 90 degrees, keeping your right heel off the ground.’

 

4. Goblet squat: ‘Stand with feet farther than shoulder-width apart, turning your toes out,’ Restuccia outlines. ‘With your hands, hold a dumbbell near your chest (like a goblet), keeping elbows out to the sides. Squat until your knees reach 90 degrees. Jump slightly as you rise.’

 

5. Three-way lunge: Restuccia details, ‘Place feet hip-width apart and hold your hands together in front of your chest. Do three lunges, each with your knee reaching 90 degrees: one toward the front, one toward the side, and one to the back.’

 

6. Good Morning: ‘Put feet shoulder-width apart and hold the ends of a dumbbell with your hands,’ Restuccia suggests. ‘Place the weight under your chin. Slowly bend forward from the waist to 90 degrees, keeping your legs straight and pressing your butt back backward.’

 

7. Single-leg dead lift: ‘Stand with feet hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand,’ says Restuccia. ‘Bend at the hip, extending your right leg behind you and keeping your abs tight. Hinge forward until your body is parallel to the floor, arms hanging down.’

 

8. Bridges: Restuccia notes, ‘Lie on the floor and place a small towel under your heels. With arms by your sides, lift your hips off the floor, pressing your heels into the ground and forming a straight line from knees to shoulders.’

 

9. Calf raise three ways: ‘Stand on a box or stair, letting your heels hang back over the edge,’ Restuccia comments, ‘Then turn your toes inward and lift your heels. When you’ve done two to three sets of that, repeat the exercise with toes turned outward and then with them pointed straight.’

Categories: feet hip, hip width, knee reaches, knees reach, legs, lifting heavy, Muscle, shoulder width, shoulders nbsp, squat restuccia, straight line, Women

Cardio and Strength Training: A Winning Combination

Strength training as part of your weight loss and fitness routine is a great way to help you get the body that you’ve always wanted. Using strength training can lead to weight loss, an increase in muscle mass and raised metabolism – as well as having a very beneficial effect on your general wellness and wellbeing. Alongside a healthy diet, strength training and cardio training can help your body to reach its peak condition.

 

Unless you have been diagnosed with sickness and injury or another limiting issue, strength training is definitely suitable for you. People – women in particular – can be concerned about weight training, fearing that it will make them develop large, bulky muscles and an unfeminine body shape but actually the opposite is true. If you are doing correct combining of the cardio and strength, you will simply replace fat with muscle, which is smaller than fat and actually takes up less space.

 

Strength training is the bit that builds lean muscle, and then the muscle helps you to burn fat, even when your body is at rest. No matter how strong your muscles are, however, if they are hidden under layers of fat they will not show and so this is where the cardio training comes in. If you do lots of exercise that boosts your heart rate, it will help to burn off the fat and let you see the muscle underneath.

 

If you are looking to lose weight rather than bulk up, you should follow a very specific strength training program. You will find that a personal fitness instructor or even an assistant at the gym can help you devise a programme with the correct number of sets, repetitions and weight to help you achieve your goals.

Categories: body, Cardio, Cardio Training, Muscle, strength, Strength Training, training, weight, Weight Loss

Three Fitness Tips That Men Can Learn From Women

In case you hadn’t heard, men’s and women’s are different. We’re all pretty aware of these differences, whether its your hormonal wellness, body hair or body parts and, as a result, there is a major difference in how both sexes like to workout. It’s an easy generalisation to make that a man might prefer to lift weights, while a woman would favour a fitness class such as Zumba. However, there are many more, much subtler differences, to how we like to take care of our wellbeing.

 

Richard Lopez, PhD, a professor in Exercise Sciences at Florida International University, notes, ‘When thinking about gender differences, I consider the role of biology, but I also am thinking about influential factors like culture, significant people in our lives, mass media, and what we consider to be “reliable” sources of information.’ What does this mean? According to Marta Montenegro, the creator of the Montenegro Method DVD workout series with a master’s degree in clinical exercise physiology, ‘We—depending on our gender—tend to do the same things we always do. And that can hurt your training efforts.’ As it turns out, there’s a lot men can learn from the way women work out.

 

As a man, your testosterone kicks in when you’re having a killer training session in the weight room, making you want to go for heavier weights or more macho lifts. However, this cheating will only undermine your progress. Experienced female lifters, on the other hand, cheat less when working to exhaustion, Lopez points out. Brad Schoenfeld, 2011 NSCA Personal Trainer of the Year and author of The MAX Muscle Plan, agrees, noting, ‘All too often, guys go overly heavy when lifting, frequently at the expense of proper form. Not only is this a poor way to maximize muscle development, it is bound to lead to injury. Focus on maintaining good technique during every set. If you can’t lift a given weight properly, go lighter.’ So what top tips can men glean from the fairer sex?

 

1. Work Your Legs: ‘When most men think “big and ripped,” they think all about the upper body – pecs, biceps, shoulders,’ says Montenegro. ‘While beach-muscles are great, you can only build them to their full potential if the appropriate hormonal response is taking place. Numerous studies show that to spike the growth hormone and Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), which are critical to build up muscle mass and to shrink body fat, a large muscle mass recruitment must occur. And that means working your legs.’ Schoenfeld adds, ‘By not training your legs, you miss out on the foundation of almost all functional movements for pretty much every activity and sport.’

 

2. Open Your Mind: Mind-Body classes, such as yoga, aren’t popular with men – but you’re missing out. While they may not help you pile on the muscles, mind-body workouts offer other important health benefits, such as managing low back pain, blood pressure and stress. Montenegro comments, ‘These exercises also incorporate isometric strength—contracting the muscle while holding it–which is good for strengthening specific joint positions that may be helpful to better execute other resistance, power, and sports moves. For example, a warrior pose stimulates the core and hip stability that you need when doing lunges or split jumps.’

 

3. Join the Club: The IHRSA Health Club Consumer Report on Health Club Activity Usage, Trends & Analysis states that almost two-thirds of group exercise participants are women. However, Tom Seabourne, PhD, author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Quick Total Body Workouts, points out, ‘The principle of social facilitation states that men will work harder if someone is watching.’

Categories: body, body workouts, group exercise, health club, legs, mind body, montenegro, Muscle, muscle mass, nbsp, Women

Can’t Think of a Fitness Resolution? Try One of Ours!

With New Year’s Eve just around the corner, now is the time to take a look at what you want for your wellbeing. Do you wish you could burn more fat? Or do your aims lie in building more muscle or gaining flexibility? If you’re struggling to think of what you want to do to take your wellness to the next level, or you don’t know what to do in order to achieve your goals, we’ve got the five most common fitness goals, as well as the expert advice you need to reach them.

 

1. Burning More Fat: According to Scott Weiss, DPT, ATC, CSCS, a New York based physical therapist and athletic trainer, you need to burn more calories overall if you want to burn more fat. The way to burn a higher percentage of fat calories is to take up long, slow distance exercise, but if you kick up the intensity you can burn the highest total number of calories and total fat overall. The “afterburn” effect of interval training – also known as excess post oxygen consumption (EPOC) – helps you to burn more calories, so Weiss recommends alternating 20-30-second sprints for every five minutes of running at your normal pace.

 

2. Running Faster: Whether you want to beat your friend in the next 10K or just top your personal best, you need to improve your stride length and frequency (or the distance you take with each step and how fast your legs move. Founder of Inspire Training Systems Neal Pire, CSCS, author of Plyometrics for Athletes At All Levels, explains, ‘Ultimately, running speed is based on the product of stride length and stride frequency. This involves increasing the strength and power of your hip extensors, especially your glutes and hamstrings.’ For this you need squats, step-ups, single-leg Romanian squats and calf-strengthening moves in your workout.

 

3. Lifting Heavier Weights: Pire notes that gaining strength requires two things: pushing yourself past your comfort zone and using weight that fatigues you at no more than six reps. Research suggests that doing two to six sets of six repetitions, and having two- to five-minute rest periods in between each set, will get you the best results. Pire adds, ‘Get rest between sets so that you can repeat your performance the following set.’

 

4. Increasing Your Endurance: Strengthening your heart, increasing your ability to uptake oxygen in the muscles and dealing with the by-products of exercise such as lactic acid is essential if you want to win out against your athletic opponents. Weiss notes, ‘You want to use a combo of long slow distance and high intensity interval training (HIIT)…Not only does HIIT help strengthen the heart muscle, but it stimulates a greater uptake of oxygen in working muscle. Plus, the more hydrated you are, the less likely you are to feel a burn while you work out – so drink up.’

 

5. Improving Your Agility: When you’re agile, this translates into dodging puddles on a rainy day or sidestepping a hole in the pavement when walking or running. Weiss comments, ‘Agility is the ability to start, stop and change direction efficiently.’ To improve your agility, Weiss recommends ladder drills, the 5-10-5 football shuttle test and figure-eight cone drills along with box jumps for advanced exercisers.

 

6. Increasing Flexibility: There are four kinds of stretching in which you need to take part if you want to increase your flexibility. Firstly, you need to take up static stretching, or lengthening a muscle and holding it for 30 seconds and focusing on one specific muscle. For passive stretching, you need to use a strap, gravity, body weight or another person to apply force while you relax. Then you need to incorporate PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) stretching, which involves a relax and contract method often used by athletes. Finally, Weiss recommends two to three sets of 20 dynamic stretches, which ‘includes multiple muscles and joints and provides the best crossover for exercise and sport.’

Categories: burn, calories, fat-burning, flexibility, Interval Training, Muscle, nbsp, strenght, stride length, weiss, weiss recommends

Training Tips To Achieve A Leaner Muscle Mass

It’s fine to hit the gym twice a week if all you want to do is maintain the muscle you already have, but if you want to add to that mass then you need to increase your exercise regime to four or five times a week. Though those sessions may be shorter to allow time for recovery, you’ll be exposing your body to a training stimulus that is really helpful in packing on the muscle. You should also aim to vary your strength qualities to keep your body guessing. It’s true that sets in the 8 to 12 rep range will be really effective in gaining muscle, but bear in mind that your body adapts to things quickly – it needs to be challenged in order to change. Rather than sticking with a predictable exercise routine, mix up your workout with some lower rep strength work for four weeks, then add in some higher rep strength-endurance work for a training block. Your body will be challenged and the variety will ensure that your muscle growth improves. You also need to add in plenty of protein – this is the building block of muscle, and you need a lot of it to see results. Most people don’t get enough in their diets, and if you’re working out and aiming to build muscle then you’ll need more. Aim for 0.8 to 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight if you want to pack on the muscle.

Don’t make the mistake of so many by avoiding carbs completely. Carbs are your body’s easiest source of energy, as well as being responsible for replacing your muscle glycogen. If you’re upping your workouts and the intensity, you certainly don’t want to be cutting out the carbs, especially in the meals around your workout. Also, contrary to popular belief, fats are vital for good cellular health and hormone signalling. Just be sure to get your carbs and fats from good quality sources, such as avocado and sweet potatoes rather than pizza and chicken wings. When you’re in the gym, compound movements such as overhead presses, pull-ups, squats and deadlifts use a lot of muscle and deliver a great deal of mass building benefits effectively. You’ll also be able to load the bar with more weights during these exercises – and this means better results in terms of building size.

 

Be sure to use isolated movements, not just on the big lifts. While the latter is obviously great for building mass, you don’t need to forget about isolation movements such as calf raises and bicep curls. These exercises add more volume to your programme, which is actually really important in building muscle, and also bring up lagging body parts that may have been forgotten. Because you can’t overload them with the same weights you can in exercises such as squats and deadlifts, they don’t tax your nervous system as badly. This means your body can recover far more easily. And while your time in the gym is almost wholly responsible for your training effect, your time outside of the gym still has an important role. On top of ensuring that your diet is nutrient-rich, you also need to make sure you get enough sleep – at least eight to nine hours each night. You’ll be amazed what a difference this makes to your stress levels and also on your body – this is, after all, when your body recuperates and works through the effects of your gym time.

Categories: body, building, fitness, lean muscle, mass, Muscle, rep strength, time, Tips

Bulk Up: Advice For Women Who Actually Want to Put On Weight

For women, wellness advice is often tailored towards losing weight, slimming down and looking after your overall wellbeing. While these are all solid goals, what happens if you’re a woman who wants to actually gain weight and build muscle? This seems like an odd goal to a lot of people, which means that the advice out there is scarce. There’s plenty of information on fat loss for women and muscle building for men, but not much for women who want to get bigger. That said, implementing the same basic muscle-building recommendations for men into your nutritional and workout programme can work for you too.

 

When you start weight training, most women assume their eating enough calories. Women who want to lose or maintain their weight often underestimate their daily calorie intake, but women who want to bulk up often overestimate their daily intake of calories. Therefore, being honest with yourself about the number of calories you consume daily is your primary hurdle to overcome. For this, a common weight loss tip can easily be applied; keep a food journal. While dieters should keep a journal to find out exactly what they’re eating and where they can cut calories, you should keep a food journal for several days to see what you are eating, the times you are eating, and the gaps in your daily meals.

 

Another way in which you have to be honest with yourself is to realise that you need to eat in order to grow and put on muscle. As a woman, you can be reluctant to consume carbohydrates and worried about getting fat, but you have to consume an adequate amount of proteins, carbohydrates and fats to build muscle. When using your food journal, add up your total calories at the end of each day – including those that come from carbs, proteins and fats – and see where you can add in more. Yes, eating more of these foods will add on a little fat, but without this fat you are never going to put on muscle. You need to be in a caloric surplus, and so you need to take steps to gradually accomplish this.

 

The reason why we say you have to go slowly is that suddenly adding a load of calories to your diet will cause you to gain too much unwanted body fat. For the best results, you should begin by adding an additional 200-300 daily calories for a week, preferably from carbohydrates. If you currently consume 1,600 calories a day, for example, you should increase this to 1,800 calories every day for a week. After this week is up, take a look and evaluate your progress. You should aim for a weight gain of one to one-and-a-half pounds a week, but certainly no more than two pounds weekly. This is a slow process for sure, and it can be frustrating, but in the long run you will be more satisfied.

 

In order to see results, you need to stick to your increased caloric intake for at least thirty days, if not more. The slow progress may make you want to give up, but stick with it! At the very least, it’s worth giving a month of your life to see what might happen. Another foodie tip to consider is to have the best possible pre-workout meal, as this is a great place to add in those extra calories. A pre-workout snack of 20 grams of whey protein and some fast carbs such as a big bowl of cream of rice or a white bagel, for example, will help you to bulk up and work hard. Remember, you will grow outside of the gym not in it.

Categories: Build Muscle, calorie consumption, calories, daily, Food Journal, Muscle, muscle building, Pre-Workout, weight, weight gain, Women

Have You Been Sucked in By These Fitness Myths?

If you’re feeling a little confused about the best ways to lose weight and increase your fitness, you are not alone. It seems like there are a thousand different ways to exercise and every source has a differing opinion on what is best for your wellness and wellbeing. The good news is, most types of activity are good for your health, but the devil really is in the detail. With so many fitness and dieting myths out there, it’s easy to fall victim to an illogical or irrelevant way of thinking and find that you are not doing your long term health as much good as you would like.

 

A common myth is that if you lose weights you will get bulky. People worry about lifting weights as they think that they will end up looking like a bodybuilder, but the truth is, muscle is much, much smaller than fat. If you have more muscle on your body and less fat, you will be smaller, not bigger. It takes a huge amount of discipline, food and time to properly bulk up from weights – it’s virtually a full time job (and can be enhanced by illegal substances). Weight training is a great way to lose weight, increase your metabolism and make you look leaner.

 

People also think that as long as they are moving, they will be burning fat. Whilst this does contain a small measure of truth, if you are going out for a slow walk, you are really not going to burn fat. A good starting point is around 40 minutes of cardio workout around five times a week, making sure that it blasts your heart rate up and makes your body warm.

 

You should also let go of the notion that morning is the only worthwhile time to work out – unless you are a professional athlete, it really doesn’t matter what time you work out, as long as you do.

Categories: fitness, long, Lose weight, Muscle, Myths, nbsp, time, weight, Weights

What Are the Best Ways to Soothe Aching Muscles?

Having aching muscles after lifting a heavy weight or two, or doing a full-on fitness routine is normal, and quite enjoyable, as it reminds you of the hard work that you have done, and actively makes you feel as if you are making a difference to your wellness and wellbeing. The next day, however, when your muscles are still aching, it starts to get a bit less enjoyable!

 

Sometimes, the pain of sore muscles the next day can be bad enough to prevent you from working out, which can be very frustrating. Warming up and cooling down exercises are the best way to help prevent sore muscles, but you will still often find that your muscles are sore anyway.

 

First of all – you can always just push through it. It’s normal for muscles to hurt a bit from use, so you can always start by trying a bit of exercise and seeing how they feel. Muscles that are just fatigued in a normal way will feel fine once you get them moving, and the sore feeling will disappear (at least until the following day!) If the muscles continue to hurt after a few minutes, however, you should stop the exercise, as this may be an indicator that you have actually done some damage, and exercising too much in this case can help to worsen the damage and prolong the injury.

 

Bathing an injury may sound simple, but it’s very effective. Have a lovely warm bath and soak your muscles for half an hour. This will relax and loosen up tight muscles, and the heat can also work better on muscles when they are at rest, as you chill in the bathtub (perhaps with a glass of wine…)

 

Ice can also help to soothe your muscles if they are a little swollen.

Categories: ache, aching muscles, bathe, feel, Muscle, muscles, nbsp, normal, sore, sore muscles

Has Your Weight Loss Plateaued? How to Get Back on Track

When you are focusing hard on your weight and fitness, you will often find that things go brilliantly at first and then after a while they plateau. Continuing to exercise will, of course, benefit your wellness and wellbeing, but it can be quite disheartening to do so if you feel that you are not really seeing the results.

 

The good news is that this happens to everyone. No matter how hard they work or what they do, everyone inevitably hits a stage where their goals just seem a little bit unattainable. This happens because your body has adapted to the workout routine, and it happens to both newbies and seasoned fitness experts. You can break through this plateau, however, and continue on the path to getting the results that you want and you deserve.

 

Most people start a fitness plan by losing weight and gaining some muscle tone, but it is typically around the four to six week mark that they notice that the scales suddenly aren’t dropping like they were, or that your waistline won’t shrink the way it was previously. This should be taken as a sign that you need to change your fitness routine. Your body has adapted to the exercise that you have been doing, and you are not putting the same strain on it that you were at the start of your new routine. It is important, therefore, that you mix it up and start varying the exercises that you do. This is called Muscle Confusion.

 

Muscle Confusion is when you add different exercises and alternate the exercises that you do in your fitness routine. This forces your muscles to adapt, and this makes them stronger and more defined. In addition to varying your workout, you should also increase the number of reps that you do of your exercises, as this will help to increase the number of calories that you are burning, leading directly to weight loss.

Categories: exercises, fitness, fitness routine, Muscle, muscle confusion, plateau, Routine, weight, Weight Loss

Female-Focused Strength Training Tips for a Perfect Body

If you’re tired of putting in loads of effort in the cardio section of the gym and not seeing any results, you may need to change your tactics. According to the National Centre for Health Statistics, just 21 per cent of women use strength training exercises two or more times a week. But what most people don’t realise is that when you skip this vital part of your exercise regime, you lose out on some great exercises which burn fat and help you to maintain a healthy weight. Those two sessions a week can help to reduce your overall body fat by around three percentage points in just 10 weeks, even if you don’t adjust your diet by a single calorie. That could translate to as much as three inches of your waist and hips, with your new found muscle helping to boost your metabolism in the long-term. Although cardio burns more calories than strength training in just thirty minutes, pumping the iron in the gym could help to burn more overall. In fact, in studies, researchers found that women who completed an hour-long strength training workout burned an average of 100 more calories in a day than those who hadn’t lifted a single weight. Look at the figures – with three sessions a week, that is a total of 15,600 calories a year or four and a half pounds of fat – all without having to up your gym sessions at all.

Researchers have found that there are long-term benefits to lifting as well, with muscle accounting for around a third of the average woman’s weight. This has a strong effect on ones metabolism, which means your body can burn extra calories. Muscle eats up calories even when you’re not working out, so if you replace ten pounds of fat with ten pounds of lean muscle, you could be burning 25 to 50 calories a day without having to do anything. You shouldn’t rely on the scales to see if your routine is effective though. Muscle is denser than fat, so your weight is not necessarily the best form of tracking device. So how is it done? You need to begin with three weight-training sessions each week. The best calorie burner, you should aim for total body workouts that work your arms, abs, back and legs. Squats, for example, call on muscles in both sides of your legs, rather than leg extensions which target just one area. If you’re unsure how to begin, speaking with a trainer may be helpful as they can create a programme for you that targets specific areas and includes multi-faceted exercises that work twice as hard.

 

For each exercise you do, you should aim to perform three sets of 10 or 12 reps with a weight that challenges your muscles. You should also fuel your workout effectively, by ensuring that you have enough energy to get you through the workout. Too many dieters make a fatal error in cutting back on protein in order to lose weight. But it’s counterproductive as they lose muscle along with the fat that they may have melted away with the workout. Experts recommend that you should eat one gram of protein for every pound of body weight you have that doesn’t come from fat. For example, a 140-pound woman who has 25 per cent body fat should eat 105g of protein. The best sources of high quality protein is chicken or other lean meats, as well as eggs and soy products.

Categories: body, calories, Fat, fitness, Long term, Muscle, strength, Strength Training, training, weight

What Everyone Ought to Know Before Starting Weight Training

When you are new to the world of weight training and fitness, it can seem very confusing. You know that you want to benefit your wellness and wellbeing by lifting some weights, but you are not sure how to push your body, and how far you should push it.

 

There are dangers to be aware of, though, and pushing your body to the limit is not always a good idea. As a newbie, you could well fall victim to your own over-zealousness. Fortunately, there are a few simple things that you can do to make sure that you look after your body as you are gradually easing yourself into the world of weight training.

 

First and foremost, never start cold. You must always take time to warm up and stretch your muscles and to get your blood flowing before a session. This may seem like a chore but it gets your body warm, activates your fat-burning mechanisms and makes your limbs nice and supple, avoiding potential injuries.

 

You should always look for intensity in your workout, too (without hurting yourself of course). If you’re going to lift weights, then train until you find muscle failure, and gradually push those limits. This way you will tone up and build muscle in the shortest period of time. Visit the gym regularly for shorter periods of time, rather than long workout only once or twice a week.

 

Don’t snack during your workout either – it will make you feel sluggish and lazy. It’s best to avoid eating before a workout too, unless it’s a marathon of course, but do have a light snack of around 200 – 300 calories after your intense workouts to replace any calories that you may have used up. This will also teach your body to replace muscle energy but not to store any extra fat.

Categories: body, fitness, Muscle, nbsp, push, training, weight, Weight Training, Workout

Does Eating Before Exercising Help or Hinder Your Health?

Most wellness experts will tell you that you should avoid eating shortly before exercise, as this can harm your performance. The logic goes that eating just before you work out leads to a spike and drop in blood sugar, but is this really as damaging to your wellbeing as people believe? Not according to the New York Times, who recently featured an article busting this fitness dogma as a myth.

 

The New York Times noted that newer research shows that eating before a workout doesn’t necessarily impact your performance. One study, in particular, has shown that cyclists who drank sugary drinks prior to a workout were able to complete a strenuous 20-minute ride with no problems. In fact, other research has demonstrated that if you eat easily-digested carbohydrates before exercise, you may even be able to work out for longer. Still, even with that in mind, there remains a whole wealth of research and logic that strongly dictates you should skip eating before exercise, especially if you’re interested in maximizing your fat-burning potential.

 

When you exercise while fasting, it, in essences, forces your body to shed fat. This is because the fat-burning processes in your body are controlled by your sympathetic nervous system (SNS), which you activate through exercise and lack of food. When you combine the two, therefore, you maximise the efforts of cyclic AMP and AMP Kinases, which are cellular factors and catalysts that force the breakdown of fat and glycogen for energy. For example, one study found that fasting before you do aerobic activity helps you to reduce your body weight and body fat, but eating before a workout only helps you to lose weight, and not fat.

 

Another reason why you should exercise and fast at the same time is that this also yields acute oxidative stress, which, in turn, benefits your muscle. According to fitness expert Ori Hofmekler, acute states of oxidative stress are ‘essential for keeping your muscle machinery tuned. Technically, acute oxidative stress makes your muscle increasingly resilient to oxidative stress; it stimulates glutathione and SOD [superoxide dismutase, the first antioxidant mobilized by your cells for defence] production in your mitochondria along with increased muscular capacity to utilize energy, generate force and resist fatigue. Hence, exercise and fasting help counteract all the main determinants of muscle ageing. But there is something else about exercise and fasting. When combined, they trigger a mechanism that recycles and rejuvenates your brain and muscle tissues.’

 

The mechanism Hofmekler is referring to here is triggering genes and growth factors, which includes brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) and muscle regulatory factors (MRFs). These factors signal your brain’s stem cells and your muscle satellite cells to convert into new neurons and new muscle cells, respectively. Why is that important? Because this means that exercising without eating beforehand may actually help you to keep your brain, neuro-motors and muscle fibres biologically young. More than this, the combined effect of both intermittent fasting and short intense exercise could help you to boost your growth hormones, raise your testosterone level, enhance your cognitive function and even prevent depression.

 

The best way to begin using this technique is to start by exercising before you eat breakfast. When we talk about intermittent fasting, we’re not talking about a cycle of binge eating or starvation, nor are we advising any other extreme form of dieting. Rather, what you’re after here is to time your meals to allow for regular periods of fasting. Some people prefer daily intermittent fasting, while others like to fast a couple of days a week or every other day. However, if you want to do daily intermittent fasting, the length of your fast should be targeted to 16 to 18 hours, or only eating between the hours of 11 am and 7 pm, for example. Basically, this means you can skip breakfast and make lunch your first meal of the day instead.

Categories: acute oxidative, anti-ageing, daily intermittent, eating, exercise, Fasting, intermittent fasting, Muscle, oxidative stress, Weight Loss, york times

Debunking Fitness Myths For Women

Getting fit and working to achieve your desired body takes a lot of dedication and commitment. For women who hop straight from work to the gym, the end result will make all the sweating out and ditching some cheesecake totally worth it. However, we can often be too blinded about our goal that we end up losing sight of the possibility of doing some things wrong and following beliefs that are inaccurate. To help you identify what to not believe, here are some popular fitness myths that badly need to be debunked.

 

Myth 1

Sculpting makes you less feminine

This could be one of the reasons why women, despite their desire to stay fit, would not want to go all the way and sculpt their bodies. There’s a notion that weight training could actually make women more bulky. This thought has to be corrected. Women do not produce as much testosterone as men do, so it is very unlikely for a woman to gain huge amounts of muscle mass. Testosterone is a very anabolic hormone found in the human body, which is very important for gains in muscle mass. Men usually have about ten times more testosterone than women. Naturally, you can’t be bulky like those female bodybuilders simply because those women use anabolic steroids. This synthetic testosterone is paired with other drugs in order to achieve high degree of muscularity and get a firm and fit cellulite-free looking body.

 

Myth 2

Protein will make you bulky

Since we’re talking about the fear of looking bulky here, there’s another popular opinion that gets girls a little hesitant: consuming protein can make an individual build lots of muscle and look bulky. Protein builds and repairs muscle fibres damaged after doing strenuous activity such as weightlifting. Therefore it is highly important to have this in the body. As mentioned, women have lower testosterone levels compared to men, therefore having protein-rich diet will tone the body and strengthen the muscle rather than making it bulky. Australian fitness expert Belinda Benn recommends fuelling your body by getting a meal and hour before workout and then taking in a quick-absorbing protein directly after working out when the muscle can still quickly absorb. To help the body recover, eat another good meal an hour later. An important tip to remember when consuming protein shakes is to ensure that it’s not packed with calories from fat.

 

Myth 3

It is possible to lose fat in just one area

Most girls are guilty of this. We often hear ourselves saying, “Oh I want so bad to lose my belly fats but I do not want any changes in my other body parts.” To speak straightforwardly, this is just impossible. The body is not capable of spot reduction so you couldn’t possibly lose fat exclusively in the abdominal area the way you would have wanted to. Losing weight means having it occurring in the entire body and not just in one spot. However, because body fat is not reduced evenly, it is normal for some people to have trouble areas, for women, this is often the stomach, arms, and legs. If you want to appear more toned, a reduction in body fat and increase in muscle mass are necessary. Body fat reduction occurs when a person is in a caloric deficit, wherein there is a decrease in calorie consumption or an increase in the amount of exercise, or both. To help you achieve a caloric deficit, opt for cardiovascular training.

 

Myth 4

It’s not effective if it’s not at least an hour

Most of us have this idea that if we spend long hours on the treadmill, we’d have more chance of burning unwanted fats. But when it comes to working out, intensity makes more of an impact than duration. Trainer Noah Neiman of Barry’s Bootcamp suggests that, “Three intense 15-minute sessions a week have proven to be an adequate amount of stimulus to put the body in a healthy state.” So this means you can skip the two-hour long jogs and unproductive workout sets and instead go for high intensity interval training. For body sculpting, cardio exercises are advisable as they are capable of burning calories and fats while sparing the muscle mass, which is a very important factor in sculpting. Do some intense interval cardio workouts that will increase your body’s growth hormone. Different techniques may apply to different body types. You may need to take supplementary drinks and products like YOR Health to help achieve your desired figure. Whatever you do, make sure to be smart enough to do your research and seek professional help so as not to defy your purpose. And remember, do it with quality not quantity.

 

Author Bio

A blogger based in San Diego, California, Amanda Smith has a penchant for writing about technology and gadgets, travel and arts, health and wellness, and just about anything that tickles her fancy. When she’s not writing, she’s busy catching up on her favourite sitcoms with her yellow Labrador, Chandler Tribbiani. More of her works can be found at wordbaristas.com.

Categories: body, bulky, caloric deficit, consuming protein, debunking, fitness, fitness myths, Muscle, muscle mass, Myths, nbsp myth, Women

How to Give Yourself a Better Sex Life in Four Simple Steps

A good sex life is important for your emotional health, as well as all areas of your wellbeing, but as we’re British, it can be difficult to talk about sex, or get the help we need to make it better. There’s no shame in trying to better understand your needs or those of your partner, and there are plenty of simple solutions to physically and emotionally enhancing your sexual wellness.

 

1. Understand your sexual needs, and communicate them to your partner.

If you’ve been in a relationship for a while, you’ll have realised just how vital communication is. This is no less true when it comes to sex, but it can be embarrassing to talk about what you want, or you may be worried about your partner’s feelings. You might assume your partner knows what you like in the bedroom, or you might not want to mention it if something doesn’t feel as good. This means you’ll have the same dreary sex life for years to come – unless you talk about it. Be honest about what works for you and what doesn’t, but do it in a way that will make you feel comfortable. This often involves using humour to ease the tension, as well as being honest and open to new ideas.

 

2. Try kegel exercises.

The pubococcygeus (PC), which controls urine flow and contracts during orgasm in both men and women, is a muscle that works like any other; strengthening exercises will improve its function. There is a link between having a toned PC muscle and more intense orgasms, and performing kegel exercises can get you there. To find this magical muscle, see if you can start and stop the flow of your urine next time you’re on the loo (the PC muscle is the one that stops the flow). Then, try to tighten and hold this muscle for a slow count of three, or mix it up and try quick kegels by tightening and relaxing the muscle as rapidly as you can. This will gradually help you to gain more control and, as a result, better orgasms.

 

3. Masturbate.

Masturbating will help you to understand your body, which is information you can pass on to your partner. Plus, as a woman, you’re more likely to have an orgasm from self-pleasuring than intercourse. Start by masturbating until you feel your breathing increase, want to go very fast and want to thrust your pelvis. At this point, don’t aim for an orgasm but instead, stop and experience things for one or two minutes. After this, use light stroking and the kegels you have learned to stimulate yourself again, and then let yourself do whatever you wish!

 

4. Let your imagination run wild.

You may not think you have any sexual fantasies but everyone is capable of them, and they are the most common form of sexual expression. According to their wealth of research, psychologists Harold Leitenberg and Kris Henning have noted the most popular sexual fantasies around, so why not consider these sexy scenarios?

 

• Your current partner: It sounds weird but this is the most common fantasy! Just thinking about sex and feeling aroused is a fantasy, so why wouldn’t you imagine what you’d get up to with your current partner – you might be able to bring that fantasy into reality!

 

• A stranger or imaginary lover: This involves a sexual partner who will do wonderful things to you without being asked and with no strings attached.

 

• Romance novel sex: A lot of women fantasise about being taken against their will – in a way of being “won over” by a strong, passionate man rather than violent abuse. The force used is just enough to get a high level of excitement.

 

• Different locations: A new place, be it in the great outdoors or at the office, gives you the excitement of being naughty.

Categories: current partner, Fantasies, Kegel Exercises, masturbation, Muscle, nbsp, partner, pc muscle, sex life, sexual, sexual fantasies

Bouncing Babies:How to Exercise Safely when You’re Pregnant

Fitness is a vital aspect of pregnancy, as exercise prepares your our body for the intensity of labour, helps you to cope with the physically demanding challenges of motherhood, and aids you in your attempt to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight. However, before you get going on your pregnancy fitness programme, there are safety measures to consider for the sake of your wellness, as well as the wellbeing of your baby. You should always speak to your doctor before starting any exercise routine, but this becomes even more important when you’re exercising for two! Once you’ve done this, make sure you observe the following safety rules:

 

1. Don’t overheat: Your baby’s body isn’t as well equipped as yours to dissipate heat, so avoid prolonged exercise and ensure that you drink plenty of water. On hot, humid days, use fans or avoid working out altogether. Remember to wear light, loose, cotton clothing when exercising and skip the post-workout sauna or steam bath.

 

2. Don’t overdo it: High-intensity exercise can cause problems for your baby, so you need to keep your heart rate stays in a range of approximately 140bpm. This may mean you need to change to a lighter pace in your programme, and manage your expectations of how much you can do. It’s a good idea to regularly measure your heart rate and lengthen your cool-down period after aerobic workouts.

 

3. Know your timings:  After 28 weeks of your pregnancy, you should avoid frequent and prolonged exercise.

 

4. Keep upright: Doing exercise while lying on your back is a no-no from the beginning of your second trimester.

 

5. Avoid muscle overload: You shouldn’t use hand weights over 0.5kg, especially during an aerobic workout.

 

6. Prepare (down there): You can keep those birthing muscles strong and ready for action by performing exercises to enhance your pelvic floor. These are known as kegel exercises and, as an added bonus, are also beneficial to your sex life as they enhance your orgasm intensity. First, locate the pubococcygeus (PC) muscle by trying to start and stop the flow of your urine next time you’re on the loo. Locate the muscle that stops the flow, and then, try to tighten and hold this muscle for a slow count of three. You can also try quick kegels by tightening and relaxing the muscle as rapidly as you can.

 

7. Give yourself plenty of support: A decent bra can be expensive, especially sports one, but a good, supportive bra is essential when you’re pregnant, as your breasts are going through big changes, and will need more support as they grow.

 

8. Take it slow: Rapid changes in direction aren’t a good idea when you’re pregnant, so you should exercise extreme caution when you are doing Step exercise classes.

 

9. Stretch safely: Stretching is very important before and after you exercise, as you could otherwise really injure yourself. However, there’s a new little person growing inside of you, so you need to stretch gently to avoid doing any damage.

 

10. Eat right: Proper nutrition is important when you’re pregnant in any case, but it becomes absolutely vital with regard to exercise. About two hours before your workout, have a light snack. You should also have a small carton of fruit juice with you when you’re exercising.

 

11. Know when to quit: You should stop immediately if at any time during your exercise session you feel very hot, faint, dizzy or short of breath, or if you experience vaginal bleeding, palpitations, blurred vision, or severe or continuous headaches. If exercising brings on lower abdominal pain, tightness or cramping, back pain or pubic pain, you should consult your obstetrician as soon as possible.

Categories: avoid, exercise, Heart Rate, Muscle, nbsp, pregnancy, Pregnant, prolonged exercise, Safety, Workouts