Dealing With Soreness and Stiffness After Exercising

Do you know that “OH MY GOSH” moment when you get in or out of your car and your legs feel stiff and sore? Yes, we know about it too, because we often hear about it when you return for you next session. These happy little moments are a condition known as delayed onset muscle soreness, or more commonly, DOMS. We want to take a moment to explain why it happens, how to get through it, and offer some information on ways to reduce or prevent it.

Why does it happen?
Despite the discomfort of it all, DOMS is a common, and natural, effect of progressive training programs. Basically, DOMS is caused by muscle fibers performing at intensities beyond those experienced in the preceding days, or for some, the lack of it. For our veteran clients, DOMS may occur if a new exercise movement was introduced, or if you are working to improve your personal record on certain lifts. And for our newer clients, most things done in our training sessions for the first few weeks will be both new and more intense than previously experienced.

Now that I know why I feel sore by the next day, what can I do to feel better?
Well, up to now, nothing has been proven to be consistently effective. However, from our own personal experiences and research, we can offer some tips that have been working for most of your fellow clients (listed in order of OUR preference):
• Exercise: yes, light cardiovascular exercise will help increase circulation to the area and quell the tenderness.
• Stretching: gently stretching, by yourself or with help, may help you feel better—most effective after light exercise. Yoga is popular for its slower movements and stretching.
• RICE: rest, ice, compression, and elevation. This helps to dull the ache and subdue inflammation.
• Massage: gently kneading the muscles can help to reduce inflammation and tightness.
• NSAIDs: anti-inflammatory meds (Advil, Motrin, Aleve) may help to only mask the pain temporarily (consult your physician before taking).
• Nothing: moving less and not using your muscles will help you to avoid the pain, but it will do nothing to help you feel better any faster.

Preventing DOMS
There are certain things you are already doing, and others that you could add, to help to prevent or scale back the severity of DOMS.
• Warm up: taking 10-15 minutes to do light to moderate cardiovascular exercise in the moments before more strenuous activity has a positive association with decreased pain and stiffness in the days afterward.
• Cool down: gently stretch after exercise.
• Hydrate: be well hydrated before, during, and beyond exercising.
• Pre workout meals: try to eat about 2 hours before exercising to give your muscles fuel to burn.
• Post workout meals: feed and replenish your muscles within 45-60 minutes after exercising.
• Variety: vary your exercises to avoid overtraining your muscles.
• Know yourself: you should push yourself, but know when something is truly unrealistic at that moment.

Client Perspective on Nutrition: Jackie Haynes

The following article is written by Jackie Haynes. Jackie is another highly successful client at FT who trains hard with us 4 days a week. She is not only one of the strongest females I’ve had the privilege in training, but mentally one of the toughest as well. Whatever the task at hand is, she is able to fight through. Once Jackie fully accepted the direction we were trying to go, her fitness and results hit another level. Again, we enjoy bragging about the successes of our clients at FT, since they would never go out of their way to tell anyone. Here are some of Jackie’s accomplishments since joining FT.

Back Squat – Starting 45x10 Now 135x3

Deadlift – Starting 45x15 Now 215x2

Bench Press – Starting 45x10 Now 100x1

Push Press – Starting 20x12 Now 95x2

Power Clean – Starting 45x3 Now 90x1

¼ mile run – Starting 4:41(must have been walking, Jackie) Now 2:09

As well as John Kiefer, I have been training with Bryce over the past 16 months. Everything John stated in his blog, “5 Tips for Getting the Most out of Your Workouts,” I agree with and so should you. From my personal perspective, I thought I would add to John’s blog my thoughts and experiences for additional motivation.

I have lost 30 pounds; however, the weight “number” is not as important as compared to my present overall body tone. My 30 pound loss would be equivalent in the past to having weighed 50 pounds less and even then my overall body tone couldn’t compare to now. I’ve dropped 4 clothes sizes. My closet and drawers are now cleaned out of previous “wardrobes”. It’s all about how effectively you change your eating habits and workout intensity. This has all been attained through the guidance of FT plus your personal commitment.

You must have a positive attitude, confidence in yourself, and trust in your trainer. By now, you know your treadmill running times and how many reps are left in a round. Just when you think you can’t make it to the end, look at it as, “That quarter mile run is really only 2 to 3 minutes long. I can hang in there for a few seconds longer.” Mentally, break down your reps. Instead of, “HOW MANY, 30! No way,” break the reps down into increments of 5 or 10. Mind over matter. The true “workout” time is only 20 minutes or less. If you’re struggling through a run and your trainer hasn’t already observed your need for encouragement, ask for it. I still surprise myself as to the higher intensity level workouts I can accomplish. It’s a great feeling. When I recall my beginning levels, I can’t believe how far I’ve come. I can say this with all honesty, I now miss my regularly scheduled workouts if I’m sick or on vacation.

On my off days, I’ll choose one routine from the bodyweight programs or cardio programs handouts. They take no more than 20 minutes tops. On Saturday or Sunday mornings, my husband and I will stop by the DHS track. For instance, my husband timed me on the: 1/8 mile run, going all out, then rest for 2 times the run time. Do this 5 times. It only took about 15 minutes out of my day and loved challenging myself. Another weekend, I was out of town and saw a 5k (3.1 miles) run scheduled. I thought I’d challenge myself, plus it counted as a workout. I just committed to a nice steady pace knowing what my treadmill pace is at FT. No problem. If you’re totally committed, it’s amazing what you can accomplish and give yourself a pat on the back.

EATING/DIETING! For me, this is the toughest aspect to deal with. My family and I are foodies. We appreciate well-prepared food. However, now that my husband and I are basically empty nesters, I have been able to commit to the Zone Diet much easier. The food journal is an absolute must for me. I don’t necessarily share it with my trainer weekly, but in order to keep track of my blocks, I must make journal entries. If I am planning on a restaurant meal that day, the journal tracking assists me in “juggling” my blocks. I think everyone will agree, carbs are the hardest level to control. I hit a roadblock at 20 pounds. Bryce reviewed my journal for a week and noticed I would have 2 or 3 small, non-fat Caribou mint conditions a week. It is a latte w/mint and chocolate syrup. I figured it counted as 1 protein, 1 carb, and 1 fat (keeping my fingers crossed). OH NO! Bryce looked up the nutritional value – 5BLOCKS OF CARBS! Also, I can no longer psyche myself out that 1 serving of International Creamer is 1 fat block (similar to cream, right?). OH NO! One must take into consideration the sugar contained in that 1 serving making it 1 carb block. I was still getting frustrated w/a much smaller mid-section of fat remaining. Bryce noticed I was choosing cheese quite often for my protein blocks – more cheese than meat. He explained even though it is dairy, it produces an insulin spike. We all know how our bodies use excess insulin into fat. I now have deli-sliced turkey, which I’ll roll up in a lettuce leaf w/pesto, olive spread, or smashed avocado w/some thinly slice veggie, and it’s a “sandwich.” Sometimes I break down and cheat; such as sharing a bag of “vitamins” (M&M’s) with my best friend at the movies. If I overdo the sugar, I wake up with a sugar hangover. Don’t look it as a “diet”. Look at it as a healthy lifestyle change. I can honestly say I no longer have the cravings as in the past. I may think about it and decide it really isn’t worth the junkie carbs.

If you’ve joined FT, you’ve made a commitment to a healthier lifestyle. Your trainers are there to guide you all the way, even through the rough patches. This is one time where someone may truly know you better than yourself and what you are capable of. Use their knowledge and expertise.

Jackie Haynes

Bryce explains The Paleo Diet

Many of you have heard me talk to you about the Paleo Diet, also known as the caveman diet and hunter-gatherer diet, and most of you have probably questioned why I believe this is the optimal way to feed yourself.  I wanted to take some time to help you understand why the Paleo Diet can be so beneficial for your health.  The following will hopefully answer many of your questions.

What is the Paleo Diet?  It is a very simple and healthy way of eating.  You simply eat the following: meat (beef, fowl, seafood, and eggs), vegetables, raw nuts and seeds, and fruit.  These were the foods that were prevalent in the Paleolithic Era.  Our bodies were designed to eat these foods.  Man evolved on this diet for millions of years, and only in the last 10,000 years has been introduced to our "modern" diet.  In researching Paleolithic and modern hunters and gatherers you will find that cancer, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, Alzheimer's, arthritis, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and depression are absolute rarities.

If this diet is so beneficial then why is our average lifespan so much longer than that of a caveman?  You also need to factor in some of the amenities that you have access to that Paleolithic man did not.  Cause of death was most often from elements that modern man rarely has to face.  Constant sources of food, shelter, water, protection from wildlife, and modern medicine were not always guarantees.  

What foods are not allowed the Paleo Diet?  Grains (bread, pasta), beans, corn, potatoes, dairy, and sugar.  Yes, so all processed foods are out.  I am aware that this takes a lot of discipline to stay away from these foods.  They're everywhere.  

Here are a few reasons why these foods are detrimental to your health and fitness:

1. All of these foods are very calorie dense carbohydrate sources.
   
2. They are very low in nutrients and vitamins in comparison to their natural counterparts (fruits and vegetables).
   
3. They have a much higher glycemic load (chart included below) than vegetables and most fruit.  Meaning they spike your insulin levels.
   
4. They contain toxins that can be detrimental to your health, and can lead to many autoimmune diseases listed above.
   

What are the effects of excess insulin?  Insulin helps the body to store fat.  When your body's insulin levels are above what is necessary, then weight gain in the form of fat is inevitable.  Foods that have a high glycemic load slow your metabolism, which also lead to increased triglycerides, cholesterol, and sodium retention.  

Doesn't the FDA recommend grains and dairy?  How could they be wrong?  Remember where the FDA gets its money.  They are lobbied by the agricultural and pharmaceutical companies.  They are usually more interested in making money than promoting health.  If everyone was free of disease and health concerns the pharmaceutical companies wouldn't make any money.  If no one ate any grains, farmers would be out of business. 

When talking about dairy, think about how dairy is used in nature.  Dairy is usually only introduced during infancy of animals.  The sole purpose is to help infants gain weight, usually in the form of fat.  If you are attempting to gain weight, then dairy is not gong to be that detrimental.  For the majority of you, consuming large quantities of dairy is going result in weight gain.  I would venture to say that is probably a bad thing for a lot of you.

But...

I'm always on the go.  Planning and preparation can easily take care of this issue.  If you commit to this and are prepared for the day to fuel your body with good calories, this is not an issue.  It can take you as little as 1-10 minutes the night before to have your food ready for the day.  How long does it take you to drive somewhere and get food?  If you can’t get out of social lunches, try to make good choices.  No one will look at you like you're a freak if you order steak and asparagus or a chicken sandwich without the bun, instead of pasta with bread.  Usually the people who do look at you like that are simply doing this because you are making them feel guilty for their order.  Try to make it a non-issue. 

I have a family to feed.  If you are benefiting from this kind of diet, your family will reap the same benefits.  If you are in charge of meal preparation have your family eat the same food as you.  If your spouse is preparing food for you, find good choices in the meals that are served.  Is it a bad thing if your family is eating a healthy diet?  Being introduced to healthy foods will also help your children develop an understanding of good nutrition.  It should be a win/win.

This sounds like too much work.  Anything worth having is worth working hard for.  If you aren't willing to sacrifice anything to get the result, then there is a lack of commitment.  I'm usually home and awake for less than 2-3 hours a day, and have no issues making this work for me.  I know the benefits far outweigh any extra effort it takes me to eat this way.

I like my bread, dairy, and sugar.  I don't want to give those up.  Who doesn’t?  Everyone has cravings, and, most likely, if these foods were around when cavemen existed they would have enjoyed them every bit as much as we do today.  Fact of the matter is that these foods are not going to be beneficial in your pursuit of weight loss and health. 

Think about it this way, most of you are awake 16-20 hours a day.  How much of that time is spent eating?  An hour?  Maybe slightly longer than that if you’re out to eat with family and friends.  Those poor choices, although tasty, take up 5-7% of your day.  Those extra 10-100 pounds that you carry around are with you 100% of the day.  Just ask yourself at meal time, is it worth it?  Start viewing your food as fuel, rather than a fix to a craving to where it essentially becomes a drug. 

Summing it up.  If you are serious about weight loss in a healthy manner, eating a natural diet is going to be beneficial for you.  If you still have concerns that this diet is not going to be good for you, ask your doctor what they think about you eating more meat, vegetables, raw nuts and seeds, and fruit.  Can you see them saying this would be bad for you?  

Depending on how aggressive you want to be with your weight loss, I would also recommend that your consumption of carbohydrates is less than 50 grams/day.  If you research the Glycemic Load Chart, the link listed below, you will see that eating the standard western diet is going to put you way over that limit.  You will also likely have to limit your consumption of fruit and substitute in more vegetables.  Remember, if you want to succeed you have to sacrifice.  Your path to success is usually not an easy one.  If being healthy and fit was easy, then everyone would be walking around with six-pack abs.  Unfortunately, that's not the case.  Work hard and commit to a plan, and you'll get there.

Please email or ask questions if there is anything further that you need or want to know about this.  We are all on the same team and, hopefully, working toward the same goal.

Glycemic Load Chart

http://www.naturalchoicesforyou.com/members/680805/uploaded/Glycemic_IndexLoad_Chart.pdf