Do Whatcha Like

Are you stuck in a rut, workout-wise? Do you feel like what you're doing just isn't working? There are a lot of factors that can contribute to that, and I'll be covering more of them on future Mondays, but today I want to look at some fundamentals.

First of all, there's a misconception that cardio is the biggest fat-burner. Not necessarily! An elevated heart rate does burn fat but not as effectively as increased muscle mass, and most of what we think of as cardio exercise doesn't build muscle. Your body will thank you in a lot of other ways if you're on the treadmill or whatever three to five days a week, but if that's all you're doing and you're not seeing the results you want consider adding some kind of strength building exercise on one or two other days. And when I say "strength building" I don't mean lifting weights, unless that's what really works for you. Lifting is great, but lots of other activities build strength as well - really, just find something you like to do that makes your muscles feel sore and incorporate it into your weekly regimen.

So, staying with the notion of "what really works for you" - I have a theory, possibly crackpot, based on what I've observed in myself and my friends and clients that if there was a sport or activity you did when you were young it essentially "trained" your muscles to process information a certain way. This can show itself in reflexive movements (I can always tell who's a rower by what happens when I put them on the pilates Reformer in a certain position) and it can also shows up in how a person's body responds to their workout routine. I was a dancer from age 7 through college, and the few years that I was neither dancing nor doing pilates were the most out-of-shape years of my life despite the fact that I was either in the gym or running at least three days a week; pilates uses the muscles very similarly to classical dance, and once I got back into a regular pilates practice I was back in shape very quickly. On the other hand, friends and clients of mine who played football or soccer have used pilates to supplement their workouts but they've needed to find regular regimens similar to whatever they did to prepare for their seasons starting in order to really see results.

It's all anecdotal evidence, really, and it's my way of offering you a jumping-off point for finding your ideal workout. Because seriously the most important thing is to find something you enjoy! If you don't like it you won't stick with it and then you definitely won't get in shape. So if you enjoyed playing a certain sport when you were a kid, find an adult league nearby, and be willing to consider a similar sport if the exact one isn't available (kickball instead of soccer, softball instead of baseball, rugby instead of football, etc.). If you swam, get a membership at a gym with a pool, dancers can seek out yoga or pilates or even adult dance classes, former equestrians can literally get back on that horse! Just find something that you'll look forward to doing on a regular basis, and your body will reward you handsomely.

And hey, if for some reason you're having trouble thinking of something to try, feel free to contact me! I'm always happy to help with questions like this.

As for tomorrow? Well, I hope you're thirsty (actually I really hope you aren't, but we'll get to that tomorrow)! See you then, and I hope your week has started well.

- Sarah