We all know exercise is good for you. If you have type II diabetes, exercise helps with insulin resistance — so much so that exercise seems to be better than metformin (the most used anti-diabetic drug).
But I have a question – why is exercise good for you?
Stress can be good for you
Most people forget that exercise is stress. I’m sure all of you who exercise regularly are well aware that exercise is stressful — at least it should be if you‘re doing it right.
I’m not talking about “you’ve been stuck in traffic for the last 3 hours on the way home from work” stressful or “watching your savings disappear in the stock market” stressful. (Sorry if I’m stressing you out by mentioning it.)
No, I’m talking about the type of stress that makes you feel better afterward — it could take a while but eventually, you feel better. Read more…
After a hard workout, you might be dreading the soreness which will inevitably ensue over the next 24-48 hours. Your instinct could be to take the next day off from exercising altogether. Not so fast!
Active recovery allows you to keep the momentum in terms of your fitness AND can potentially decrease the lactic acid build-up that’s partially to blame for muscle soreness.
Instead of taking the day off, try following your high intensity training day with a low intensity workout. For example, if you did sprints on Saturday, you might just want to do an easy jog on Sunday.
In addition to the physical benefits, active recovery workouts are always a good opportunity for mindfulness practice. Jogging or cycling at an easy pace can often be a formula for distraction. Rather than watching TV to pass the time on a cardio machine, why not venture outside and have a moment alone with nature?
When you are out on a trail run, you can focus on your breathing and your body awareness instead of just trying to get your workout over with. Be there for each step and feel your toes hitting the ground as you transition into your next stride. It may be challenging at first to be alone with your thoughts, but over time you might find it’s much more rewarding. Read more…
No Pain No Gain: Fitness Myth or Ultimate Fitness Truth?
Motivation | Personal Development & Self-Cultivation | Training & Exercise
No Pain, No Gain. Is this aphorism just a fitness myth and downright bad advice? A lot of people seem to think so. As a bodybuilder with 25 years of training experience and more than two dozen trophies on my shelf, I have another perspective to offer you..
The Ultimate Truth?
Success with your body and in every area of your life is all about stepping outside of your comfort zone and that means embracing pain.
To reach high levels of physical and personal success you must approach your training, and your entire life, as an endeavor in constant growth. The ultimate truth is, you are either moving forward or moving backward; growing or dying. There’s no such thing as comfortably maintaining.
To grow, you must step above past achievements; beyond your perceived boundaries and limits. That means stepping out of the known, into the unknown; out of the familiar and into the unfamiliar; out of the comfortable into the uncomfortable. You must get out of your comfort zone. Read more…
Throughout its long history, coffee has endured both accolades and opposition. Over the ages, some of the world’s greatest composers, thinkers and statesmen have extolled coffee’s virtues, while others have denounced it as a poisonous, mind-corrupting drug. Coffee has been praised by certain religions and prohibited by others.
Some governments have subsidized coffee crops; others have imposed steep taxes and duties on them. Doctors validate coffee’s health benefits yet worry about its contribution to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and even cancer.
Coffee is more popular than ever, which contributes to its contradictory status. In moderation, coffee poses minimal health risks for most people. In some cases, coffee even appears to be protective. Read more…
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