Workout intensity depends on a lot of factors, including your current fitness levels, your nutrition, rest, and fitness goals. The more fit you currently are the more intense your workouts need to be to increase fitness. A good guideline is that if you continue to see improvements in fitness from your workouts you are training at an appropriate intensity. If you see no improvements you are not working out at a high enough intensity, and if you see decreases in performance, are constantly sore or run down you are over training. Find the sweet spot that improves fitness but allows the body to recover from workouts.
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Mercy Health answeredSee All 2 AnswersPhysical activity can help you maintain your health in many ways. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that regular physical activity can help:
- improve your mental health and mood
- reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease
- reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome
- reduce your risk of some cancers
- strengthen your bones and muscles
- control your weight
- improve your ability to do daily activities and prevent falls, if you're an older adult
- increase your chances of living healthier longer
Trinity Health is a Catholic health care organization that acts in accordance with the Catholic tradition and does not condone or support all practices covered in this site. In case of emergency call 911. This site is educational and not a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider.
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See All 2 AnswersContinually doing the same type of exercise can lead to what's called a fitness plateau, where you won't continue to realize the same gains from your investment of time (and sweat). One way to outfox the fitness plateau is to cross train. This doesn't mean you need to develop or learn complex routines, but you do need a variety of activities. Here are a few examples of cross-training strategies:- Run and done: If you’re a dedicated runner, ride a bike or take some yoga classes in place of your regular run.
- Be class conscious: If you only do Zumba, try a different group exercise class to change it up.
- Stretch yourself: If yoga is all you do, consider going for a swim each week, or play some tennis.
- Don’t “weight” to change: If you never venture out of the weight room in a gym, consider training for a 5K run.
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National Academy of Sports Medicine answeredSee All 3 AnswersDealing with an injury can be a trying ordeal to go through especially when it derails your fitness goals. If you can’t work out there are still things you can do to be healthy while recovering from a workout. Depending on the injury you can still be active around your home and in your daily activities. Being active and being outdoors especially has been shown to improve mood and relieve feelings of mild depression. Be as active as you can and engage yourself in activities you enjoy and can do safely while waiting to heal from your injury.
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During pregnancy the female body undergoes significant change in body posture. As weight increases the normal lordotic curvature of the lumbar and cervical spine as well as the kyphotic curvature of the thoracic spine begins to increase. In addition to this hormonal changes allow ligaments to become more lax. These issues will cause postural distortion and muscle imbalances of the upper extremities. After birth exercising the upper body through an integrated approach of flexibility and resistance training will correct these muscle imbalances and postural distortions and will go a long way in preventing injuries such as impingement syndrome of the shoulder and tension headaches.
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National Academy of Sports Medicine answeredSee All 3 AnswersIf you’re fatigued and constantly tired it may be a good idea to rest and let your body recover. You can maintain most of your fitness by simply being active and taking care of your new baby and all the duties involved in that. Exercising in a sleep deprived state can often be counterproductive since you may not be able to maintain good form and may have chronically high levels of stress hormones which can break down lean muscle mass. Get your rest, and when the baby is sleeping through the night get back to your old fitness routine.
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Pedometers are used to measure the amount of steps taken in a given time and can calculate total walking distance by averaging stride length. These devices are helpful because they help guide you on activity levels during a time frame. The American Heart Association suggests people take 10,000 steps per day.
There are basically two types of pedometers; mechanical and electrical. The mechanical pedometers are spring levered and move based on generated movement and forces, which occur during normal gait. The electrical pedometers use accelerometers to sense movement. The mechanical versions are much cheaper, however, are often much less reliable, especially when walking at slower speeds.
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Starting an exercise program in middle-age can help you reap lifelong benefits on health and longevity.
Norwegian researchers found that older men who spent six days of 30 minutes of moderate exercise had a 40% lower risk of death than those who didn’t exercise. The researchers believe that women would enjoy the same benefits. Across the pond, Canadian scientists found that postmenopausal women who got five hours of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise every week lost significantly more body fat than women who exercised less. Both studies concluded that exercise helped increase longevity and cut disease risk.
The takeaway: It’s never too late. Talk to your doctor about an exercise regimen. -
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Multiple Sclerosis Foundation answeredLifestyle physical activity is a behavior that is broadly defined as any bodily movement produced by the contraction of muscles that substantially increases energy expenditure. This type of behavior can be accumulated during one’s daily routine by participating in 30 or more minutes of selfselected physical activities. This can include leisure activities such as a nice walk in the park, occupational work such as walking to a coworker’s desk rather than sending an email, transportation such as riding a bicycle to the store, gardening or even household chores such as vacuuming. -
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National Academy of Sports Medicine answeredSee All 2 AnswersHiking is a great way to stay, or get in shape. If you’re going to start hiking, make sure you know the trails, and always err on the side of safety by bringing a partner along. Secondly, a good set of hiking shoes is a great addition when start. Good shoes will protect your feet and prevent injury. Last, make sure you bring along proper hydration and/or nutrition if you’re going for an extended hike.