Muscle Soreness Post-Exercise – Good or Bad?

By Team eLifestyle Fitness and Lifestyle Expert Robb Armstrong

In last week’s Fit Tip we explained the differences between running and walking and where each has it’s place in promoting weight loss.

This week we tell you how to distinguish between the physical discomforts in muscles post-exercise and why the situation occurs.

Some fitness fanatics tend to look at pain as the goal marker that tells them they’ve pushed themselves to the max. This “No pain, no gain” philosophy can be a little misleading, however, due to the stigma attached to it that if the individual doesn’t feel any pain post-exercise then it was a wasted effort.


Distinguishing Between Good and Bad Muscle Pain

When it comes to pushing towards making gains with any training program, the words should more aptly be said; “No fatigue, no gain” because you are trying to exhaust your muscles, not cause damage.
You must note that microscopic tearing is good (actual tearing of the muscle fibers), whereas slight rearing of the muscles (inflammation of the tendons) is bad.


DOMS

Delayed-onset muscle soreness is the pain caused by the microscopic tearing of muscle fibers, and it actually allows your muscles to grow. The best way to combat the soreness is adequate rest between bouts of exercise accompanied by proper nutrition.
Just how much rest and how many and which type of calories will depend on the intensity level and goal of the individual.


DOMS can be caused by:

* You're new to working out
* A new exercise you are not accustomed to
* Pushing muscles beyond their normal range of motion
* Performing different types of resistance contractions such as eccentric or negatives
* Performing an exercise not tried in a while
* Increasing intensity, frequency or duration
* Aerobic or anaerobic activity


Should You Be Sore Every Day?

If you train regularly your body will adapt, thus keeping muscle soreness minimal. If you are sore most days then it’s possible you may be over-training (not enough rest days between exercise) or training too hard, which can lead to injuries down the road due to over-use.

So, keep your muscle soreness in check and you’ll be pushing yourself safely toward new fitness gains!

Note: Check back every week for more helpful health and fitness tips from eLifestyle's Fit Tips by Robb!

Running or Walking – Which is Best for Weight Loss?

By Team eLifestyle Fitness and Lifestyle Expert Robb Armstrong

Last week in our “Ask an Expert” segment we explained the importance of maintaining muscle mass throughout the aging process.

This week we observe the differences between running and walking and which is best for weight loss – undoubtedly one of the most common concerns to the weight-conscious individual.

Simply put, both running and walking while trying to cut the excess pounds are a good choice, however, running does burn far more calories and can have a greater effect on overall health.

You must also keep in mind though that there are a few things to consider to determine which is best for you to do as an individual to meet your weight loss goal – all of which are predetermined by your personal ability.

Your Fitness Ability
Matching your intensity for walking or running with your ability is key in a few ways. First, if you’re you a beginner, are overweight, have any current injuries, or have any pre-existing physical or medical conditions such as shin splints, a cardiovascular condition or osteoporosis, you’ll want to limit your intensity.

Next, you should monitor your success and increase intensity accordingly. This is where walking for weight loss has the clear edge due to the low impact it has on bones, joints and muscles while still increasing the benefits on overall health.

Time Spent
Whether walking or running, you’ll get the greatest benefit if you aim for thirty to sixty minutes each day, building on your intensity as you improve on your ability.

Goals
For best results keep them small and stay consistent, increasing them bit-by-bit every week.


Note: Check back each week for more of eLifestyle's helpful health and fitness tips by Robb!

Aging Bodies

The Importance of Maintaining Muscle Mass For Health

By Team eLifestyle Fitness and Lifestyle Expert Robb Armstrong

In last week’s Fit Tip we gave you Rule #3 – the last of three must-follow rules to help you look better, be stronger and burn more fat.

This week is our “Ask an Expert” segment where we answer questions sent in by you, our Fit Tip readers, as well as current and past fitness clients.

This week, Allyson Schonberger asks “I’m 58 years old with relatively good health, and I’ve heard that you need to maintain muscle mass as you age. Why is this?”

Great question Allyson! The answer is actually quite straightforward, and I’ve broken it down into three basic parts.

Research

Studies have shown that you lose muscle size and strength faster than you lose endurance or coordination. Research has shown that aging prevents muscles from responding to insulin, resulting in a direct cause of muscle loss.

What to Do

To combat this, introducing exercise and maintaining some level of a resistance training program helps to slow the decrease in muscle loss and strength by driving essential amino acids into muscles, which assists in the recovery process as well as to maintain muscle size.

Muscle Food

Next, you have to feed your muscles with the correct nutrients, and that means consuming regular servings of protein. Either plant sources – soy based, lentils, kidney beans, etc. or animal sources – chicken, fish, lean beef, etc. are good as both contain all the necessary amino acids required for cell growth.

We value your input and questions, so keep sending them to us through our website at www.elifestyle.ca under the “Contact Us” section.

Note: Check back every week for more helpful health and fitness tips from eLifestyle's Fit Tips by Robb!