Now that the weather is turning cooler, you may be planning to start or resume a fitness program. Starting and sticking with a fitness program is a good way to improve your health, increase your energy, and manage some health problems. Here are some things to consider:
- Should I be doing this? Talk to your doctor before beginning any fitness program. This is especially important if you have any medical issues.
- Is this supposed to hurt? It is common for fitness activities to result in muscle soreness, especially early in one’s program. However, if you find yourself crippled for days after a workout, you probably did too much. Similarly, joint pain during or after a workout is a large red flag, telling you to back off and possibly seek the services of a medical professional.
- Where are those 18” biceps and the 32” waist? Be patient — actual physical, observable change is not going to happen for at least 4 weeks. Find some comfort in the fact that you are benefiting your body in ways that cannot be seen.
- This is boring — Part I: Find a partner to workout with — you will be much more likely to stick with your program.
- This is boring — Part II: Vary your program — use different machines, different exercises, swim, take a class, bike, strength train, etc. Cross training like this can get you in shape, keep things interesting, and give parts of your body a chance to rest.
- I weigh more now than I did when I started this program!! Fitness programs are not about losing weight — they are about losing fat and gaining lean muscle mass. You may weigh the same, but you will look better and feel better.
- I’m working out now, so I can eat anything I want. Maybe, maybe not. Just try to eat intelligently — you need to feed the machine, not break it.
Just to repeat — talk to your doctor prior to beginning any type of fitness program. If you have any exercise related questions, talk to a PT, trainer, or fitness professional.
Have you ever seen a kid standing at a bus stop wearing a backpack that’s almost as big as he is? Sometimes I wonder how they keep from falling over backward. I don’t remember ever carrying that much stuff when I was in school, but, of course that was the old days. Anyway, “backpack safety” has become a concern in recent years, as carrying too much weight can lead to injury. It is estimated that more than 40 million students carry backpacks, and over half of these children regularly carry more than the recommended safe weight in the backpack. Here are some tips to avoid problems:
- Choose a backpack that has straps which are wide and well padded. A waist strap can also help to distribute the load.
- Make sure the backpack fits snugly — a loose backpack can put a lot of strain on the upper back muscles.
- Wear the backpack correctly — do not sling it over one shoulder.
- Weight — the loaded backpack should not weigh more than 15 percent of the body weight of the wearer. Heavier items should be packed first so they sit closer to the body.
With a little effort, you can avoid big problems.
So is it just my imagination, or are backpacks and books are heavier now? Readers, use the comments button below to tell me about stories that prove me right or wrong.
Update — Mount Anthony, Hoosick Falls, and Cambridge football all won last weekend. On Saturday Hoosick Falls goes to Cambridge, and it should be a great one.