All In A Days Work

As we get older and time goes on, it seems like the things we learned when we were younger are no longer. I remember being shocked when my son was born that they didn’t  recommended swabbing the umbilical cord with rubbing alcohol like in the past – they actually said  keeping it dry would help  it would fall off sooner – and sure enough, within a few days I found it in his onsie, instead of  a few weeks later. So just like having kids, cooking, and talks about health, etc, things have changed in the world of  fitness as well.

• You can target your fat burn – FALSE
   Working out can reduce your overall body fat, but you can’t control where that fat comes from.
• You shouldn’t work out on an empty stomach – FALSE
  Your body burns more fat when you hit the gym before you eat.
• No pain, no gain – FALSE
  A little discomfort is okay, but if you feel a sharp pain anywhere, stop what you’re doing and consult a doctor.
• You should stretch before you work out – FALSE
• Stretching loosens your tendons, and makes muscles feel weaker and less steady, according to a new study. So a pre-workout stretch can actually mess with your workout.
• Lifting heavy weights bulks you up – FALSE
   Actually, it can slim you down. Women who lift a challenging weight for eight reps burn nearly twice as many calories as women who do 15 reps with lighter dumbbells (see last week’s Fitness Friday for
  more information about weight lifting helping with weight loss).
•  Running on a treadmill is as effective as running outside –FALSE
  Because running against wind or on uneven terrain engages more of your muscles, it requires more energy and ends up burning about 10 percent more calories than running the same distance on a treadmill.
• You shouldn’t work out every day –FALSE
   Rest should be part of your workout, not an alternative to your workout
• You can’t work out when you’re sick – FALSE
  As long as you don’t have a fever and your symptoms are above the neck (think: stuffy nose or sore throat, not chest congestion or indigestion), you can totally hit the gym. Just listen to your body—or ask your doc if you’re unsure.|
• Sweating means you’re out of shape – FALSE 
  It sounds counterintuitive, but the fitter you are, the sooner your body begins to sweat, so a person who’s in extremely good shape will produce more sweat than somebody who isn’t.
• Crunches are the best moves for your core –FALSE
  To really cinch your waistline, you’re better off doing multi-muscle exercises that target every region of your core
• Running beats walking – FALSE
  Since walking and running target the same muscle groups—just at different intensities—they come with similar health results when you compare overall energy burn. . (That said, it takes about twice the amount of time to expend the same amount of energy walking as you would running. So running still wins if you’re strapped for time.)

Adapted from Women’s Health Magazine 

After my um, situation, at the amusement park and after countless work outs stopped midway because the kid’s were fighting, or needing something, I finally decided to join a gym. I did some research, and since money is always a key element I was super excited when I found Planet Fitness. It’s a budget friendly, and non judgmental gym for both ladies and gents. For $21 a month I have access to a 24/7 gym, fitness classes, and tanning beds. It was a no brainer I needed to sign up, which I did.

Tuesday was my first night of working out, and I’m always a bit nervous when I go to a gym. I don’t want to run into people I’ve known from the past (especially when I’m up a few sizes), and I always feel like I’m being judged. (Fat people need the gym more then you, Ms. Perfectly-toned). I was excited to see that everyone there was too busy working on themselves to notice me. As I walked on the treadmill I looked around to see men and women of all ages, and sizes. Everyone was doing something different, walking or running on the treadmill, riding the exercise bikes, or on the elliptical. But one thing I noticed with about 90% of the people there, is they all went for the weights after their cardio workout. I grew up in the era that cardio is what burnt fat, and weights were for men who wanted muscles. So I started to do my research, and I have completely changed my way of thinking. Weight Training is now a necessity  to my work out routine.

I  have read both sides of the spectrum – some people will tell you all you need is cardio, others that all you need is weight lifting. I see relevant points on both sides, but I stand somewhere in the middle. I think in order to lose weight and be tones, you need to do both for a full body workout (which is what I’m doing!)… and here’s a few reasons why you should incorporate it in yours as well:

• After weight lifting, your body continues to burn calories for up to 48 hours after your workout – compared to cardio, which your body stops burning calories after your work out has stopped
• For every pound of muscle you build, you burn an additional 50 calories just while resting – so imagine how much your burning as you continue to lift weights
• Cardio puts serious pressure on joints, ligaments, muscles and tendons – sometimes before you even realize it. With weight lifting your body has the opportunity to ‘tell’ your brain that something isn’t right so you can stop before an injury.  ****Also BONUS – you can do a lot of different weight lifting work outs with an injury. When my planters fisciitis acts up, I can still get a work out in!
• Cardio seems to increase your appetite – leading to binge eating, and a feeling of entitlement to eating that piece of cake, or cookies
• Diet = losing weight, cardio= breaking down the fat, lifting weights = toning the soft ‘skinny’ fat