General Exercise Tips to Remember When Training

Whether you are just beginning an exercise regimen, or you are an experienced athlete, these tips could help you to have a more productive workout.

Drink plenty of water while exercising! Hydration is key to optimal performance. As we exercise, our body temperature rises, increasing perspiration, which in turn causes our bodies to lose water. As a result, we need to drink water throughout our workout to keep our bodies consistently hydrated. A headache, fatigue and/or loss of concentration may indicate dehydration. Studies have shown that maintaining hydration before and during endurance exercise, such as strength training on a Bowflex Ultimate® 2 home gym, improves performance, which means better results. Basically, we need to drink enough water to balance the water our bodies lose during intense exercise. In addition to water, soft drinks, fruit drinks, coffee, and sport drinks can all contribute to overall water intake.

Eating a balanced diet daily keeps your body properly fueled and ready for exercise. Good nutrition includes eating sources of vitamins/minerals, carbohydrates, protein, fats, and water. Carbs, protein and fat are all sources of energy. Carbohydrates give immediate energy, proteins build and repair your muscle, and fats are a source of long term energy. Fruits and vegetables such as whole grain breads and pastas, chicken, fish, peanuts or tofu are great choices. Eating properly every day will effect how you feel when you exercise. Avoid the high fat proteins before exercising. Foods such as peanut butter, red meat, and cheese could take longer to digest and cause fatigue.

Eat for the duration of your workout. This means that if you are going to exercise for less than one hour, foods that digest easily will give you the energy burst you need. For example, using the Bowflex Ultimate® 2 home gym 3 times a week for 20 minutes a day gets results for many people. In the event this is the workout you’ll be doing, high-carbohydrate, low-fat foods, like crackers, bagels or bread will suffice in giving you energy.

Be careful about over training! Exercise is healthy for us, but is also saps our energy. It’s important to allow our bodies to recuperate in between workouts. When we exercise, we build our strength, even out our temperament, sleep more soundly and we are invigorated. If you are over training, all of these trends are reversed. You may feel washed out while exercising. You may have joint or muscle fatigue or soreness. Remember, balance in all things, whether in the area of food or exercise, is key to successfully becoming and remaining physically fit.