Fitness On Fifth

Learn from my experience: The 5 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started to Get Fit...

The first thing that I wish I knew was....to take at least four to five weeks off per year to re-energize and reset your body. What do I mean? Think about riding a bike. Once you learn how to do it, you will always be able to get on that bike and keep your balance and ride. Exercise can become our bike ride. We can mix up our routine (or our color and brand of the bike) but our body still gets used to pushing; pulling; exerting and impacting our joints and bones. We have learned to mix up our routine but every routine focuses on a push; a pull; an immediate or gradual exertion and even a quick or slow impact on our bones and joints.

For many of us exercise enthusiasts we worry that any time off causes muscle loss; a decrease in cardio output or even a less flexible muscle. While we may lose a small amount of any of the above for one week, the positives definitely outweigh the small loss.

The first positive point: Taking one week off will allow your muscle fibers to heal back together and thoroughly rest. It takes 24-48 hours to allow your small tears (from strength training) to start to heal (become stronger and bigger). Another 24-48 hours allows your muscles rest.

The second positive point: Allowing your body to rest will reserve the needed energy for brain functions; immune boosting functions and overall fatigue recovery.

The third positive point: Allowing your body to rest for 3 days to one week periodically throughout the year will decrease illnesses. Did you know that while you are working out your immune system decreases? Your recovery from exercise allows a boost to the immune system. You need the exercise to lower it which will cause a higher immune system after your workout routine vs. prior to your workout routine.

The fourth positive point: Decrease In injuries. Our joints and tendons are being impacted continually while we are working out. Our joints and tendons are getting stronger but due to the continual impact,they can suffer from overuse. Giving them an extended rest period will allow you to continue to push yourself and advance your workout levels.

The fifth positive point: By giving yourself recovering days, you will maintain your low resting heart rate. If you workout without resting, the low resting heart rate you obtained through progressing your workout routines will start to escalate again because your body becomes fatigued; in constant need of repair and your sleep patterns can become effected. All of these side effect could increase your low resting heart rate.

The Seven Foods You Must Not Live Without
#4 Oats

Oats are known for their nutritional value. They are definitely a good choice that everyone needs. Oats are rich in fiber; phosphorus; thiamine; magnesium and zinc. Most importantly, oats are one of the fewest number of foods that the Food and Drug Administration allows the claim on their packaging to say that oats reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

Oats are known for their beta glucan. Beta glucan is a fiber that binds to cholesterol acid and transports it out of the body. This is the primary reason that oats reduces coronary heart disease. Many diabetics chose steel cut oats due to their lower glycemic numbers. Oats can help the symptoms of digestive illnesses as well.

We all know that oats are typically consumed at breakfast or most recently, as a protein snack ball, but do you really know your oats? There are 5 different types of oats all that come from the Oat Groat. Oat bran (part of the Groat) is consumed for breakfast and as an ingredient is many recipes. The second oat is Steel Cut Oats. Steel Cut Oats are just the whole Groat cut into pieces. It takes a lot longer to soften but many prefer to eat the whole groat. Scottish Oats are the Groat ground down into a more powder form. Rolled Oats have been steamed and flattened into flakes. Instant Oats are steamed for a long period of time and are thinned out. You can find the perfect oats for you.