What is your body telling you?
Question 1: Should you skip your workout or not?
Unless your fatigue is accompanied by some sign of illness, fever or injury, exercise will help you ditch the lack of energy. A recent study by the University of Georgia found that when persistently tired men and women exercised 20 minutes a day, three days a week for six weeks, they reduced their fatigue by 20 percent compared with non-exercising peers. Study author Tim Puetz stated that exercise releases chemicals that jump-start parts of the brain associated with energy and fatigue.
A regular exercise program could potentially "rewire" these brain areas over time, leading to reduced feelings of fatigue and a permanently charged battery. So often, I will have members say after a class that they almost didn’t come because they were tired (fatigued) but felt so much better (energized) after their workout.
Question 2: Stay as still as possible or get moving?
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When it comes to exercise, a little bit of what ails you will indeed make you better. A hard workout causes muscle to breakdown at the cellular level. The quickest way to heal those sore, damaged muscles is to move them. When you move, you increase the blood flow, which delivers nutrients where you need them the most. One example of gentle movement is walking for your recovery. You will heal faster and burn more calories than if you sit around waiting for the soreness to go away.
Question 3: Will exercise boost my mood?
Yes, exercise can boost your mood up to 12 hours after you exercise. The American College of Sports Medicine did a study/survey of healthy men and women about their mood one, two, four, eight, 12 and 24 hours following either exercise or rest. The study found that benefits lasted as long as 12 hours following activity compared to rest. The positive effects on mood occurred in all types of participants, regardless of age, gender or fitness level.
The participants performed exercise at 60 percent of aerobic capacity, indicating that moderate-intensity exercise, such as walking or light cycling, is enough to boost mood. Knowing that your mood will fade after 12 hours, it is important to make physical activity a daily habit. ACSM recommends that adults participate in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week.
Reminders
The 5-mile Hog Jog is Saturday. The race starts at 8 a.m., and now the registration fee is $25. There will be race day registration at East Side Lake from 6:45 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. If you have any questions, contact Mark or me at 433-1804.
Summer hours for the Y are 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday; 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday; and closed on Sundays.
