Tips

 

We talk to ourselves all the time. It is time to take advantage of these conversations!

If you recorded everything you said to yourself, you might be surprised at the degree to which you are negative. The use of negative self-talk can create unnecessary tension and anxiety which can build and reduce your motivation to exercise. When you are starting a new exercise program, it is important to remain positive and reject those negative thoughts when they occur.

The negative internal dialogue that many novice exercisers have includes the most common excuses people give for skipping exercise.

Stressful days. Don’t forget that exercise can reduce stress and re-energize the body.

• Negative self-talk: “I had a long day at work. I am so stressed out. I just want to go home.”
• Positive self-talk: “Even though my day was long and I’m tired, my workout will provide me much needed stress relief.”

Bad weather. We would encourage you to keep up with your exercise routine whenever possible (as long as driving conditions are advisable, rain or a little snow shouldn’t keep you home).

• Negative self-talk: “The weather is so crummy today, I’ll just go to the gym tomorrow.”
• Positive self-talk: “I don’t like cold, windy, rainy days but that won’t affect my inside workout”

Boredom. Jumping into a new program is a novelty that soon wears off, just like a shiny new gadget. However, it is up to you to make it fun.

• Negative self-talk: “My exercise class is so boring. We just do the same things over and over again.”
• Positive self-talk: “I can try 0ther classes like Zumba to make my workout more fun this week.”

Hopefully you get the picture. You have always had these psychological tools to rejuvenate your exercise motivation. Now you just have to remember to use them. Its up to you to keep a positive mindset!

Water is essential to the human body.

Water has many functions that keep us alive. Water makes up more than half of our body. It protects vital organs, facilitates digestion and waste removal, and regulates body temperature. Water fuels our cells to perform the functions necessary for our survival.

Since water is essential for the maintenance of our body’s daily functions , it is necessary to replenish the water that is lost throughout the day.   According to the Institute of Medicine, men should drink about 13 cups of water a day and women should drink about 9 cups per day. However, this is just a general guideline. The amount of water you drink depends on many things such as your health, your environment, and your activity level.

In a one hour bout of exercise you can lose > 4 cups of water depending on the intensity of your workout and the environment you are doing it in. As someone that is becoming more physically active, you will need to consume more water than someone who does not exercise.

If you do not consume the proper amount of water it can lead to dehydration.

It is important that you drink before, during and after working out to avoid becoming dehydrated. Dehydration causes your muscles to fatigue, cramp and you can even lose balance & coordination. It also causes your body to be unable to properly cool itself, which can lead to heat exhaustion or in more severe cases, a heat stroke. Even small amounts of water loss can decrease performance during a workout. For example, you might feel “flat” “stale” or “tired.” A common sign of dehydration is when you begin to yawn.

While you are exercising water is usually the best option to replace lost fluids.  However, if you are exercising at a high intensity for more than 45-60 minutes you may prefer to consume a sports drink to help replenish fluids and electrolytes that have been lost.  It is important to prevent dehydration before the problem occurs, which is why you should drink fluids before signs of thirst or dehydration begin to show.  There are a variety of things you can consume to replace lost fluids throughout the day such as: water, smoothies, certain juices, and eating fruits and vegetables.

Keep in mind that consuming food or drinks high in fat or calories may also slow you down. Additionally, caffeinated beverages including black/green tea and coffee can also impact your performance. Caffeine is a stimulant that can cause your heart rate to soar during your workout. If you are a regular coffee drinker in the morning who experiences a “crash” later in the day, be sure to time your workouts strategically. Choosing to drink water throughout the day and making healthy choices will provide you with the fuel your body needs to exercise.

When you begin to use an aerobic exercise machine, you should do so with purpose. Have a goal in mind! You can start by targeting your optimal heart rate. After a few practice attempts with the machines, you should be able to find the right intensity level that allows you to stay within your target range.

We want you to exercise at a moderate intensity or approximately 55-60% of your maximum heart rate (HR). This is a generic guideline that must be individually-tailored based on your age. You can calculate this yourself. Try this formula:

Max HR = [ 220 beats per minute – your age ]

For example, if you are 50 years old, you would calculate 220-50 = 170. In theory, 170 is your max HR or the max total number of heart beats per minute (BPM) you can achieve. We recommend that you aim to maintain a level of 55-60% of your Max HR for the duration of your workouts. Specifically, for a 50-yr-old, that’s between 94 to 102 BPM.

The best way to measure your HR is to take your own pulse for 10 seconds and multiple by 6 to get an estimation of your current BPM. You can use the sensors on the machines but they tend to be inaccurate (e.g., occasionally off by as much as +/- 40 BPM). You may want to purchase an HR monitor. Watches with chest straps (e.g., Polar, Nike) are usually fairly accurate.

During your early sessions, we expect that you might reach 60% relatively quickly. This will happen for any previously inactive adults (>3 months) engaging in moderately intense exercise. It will take time to build your aerobic endurance. Be patient and simply do the best you can. As you develop a regular aerobic exercise routine, in several weeks, you should find that you can do more and your HR may become less sensitive to exercise (a signal of increased fitness). Some of you may be able to consistently exceed 55-60%, without feeling fatigued. This just means you have better aerobic capacity and perhaps you have had years of prior experience. After a brief 3-5 minute warm-up we encourage you to at least maintain 55-60% throughout your workout. If you want to do more, that’s up to you.

Important Advice

Keep in mind that many things can affect HR, including prior physical activity (e.g., stairs), medications, caffeine consumption, and stress. All of these should be considered while adjusting your exercise intensity level. For example, you may be taking BP medication and unable to elevate your HR. If this situation describes you, don’t try to compensate lack of HR change by increasing your intensity level.

Simply try to make the most out of your aerobic sessions. You should “feel it” but you may or may not sweat. You should be able to talk briefly while exercising, but long conversations with the person next to you may bring down your intensity level. The best way to do this is to find your target HR and monitor it. Just don’t stress if it goes a little above or stays below despite your hard effort.

Advice to all: Move at a pace that’s comfortable but that provides an optimal challenge.