Incorporating a workout regime into the daily routine is a difficult enough task for healthy people who desire to live a fit and active life. It is even more difficult for people who are suffering from any chronic illnesses. The uncertainty of whether they can put up with the exercises, if they are safe enough and whether all this effort would benefit them in any way- are thoughts that hinder or make a person suffering from a chronic illness, postpone working out.
The American Heart Association recommends combining aerobic exercise (jogging, swimming, biking) with resistance training (moderate weightlifting). Together, these two categories of exercise produce the greatest benefit for preventing and managing heart disease.
Dr. Ashish Bajaj – M.B.B.S, M.D.
Working out is extremely beneficial for people with a chronic illness, as it may lower the risk of further complications arising if done appropriately. It may also reduce the risk of other chronic illnesses occurring. Working out regularly may also help reduce the intensity of existing disease pain/morbidity. Exercise will help in endorphin release, which acts as a natural pain killer and boosts up a patient’s mood.
Let us explore what working out can do for some specific chronic illnesses.
Arthritis
Working out for patients with chronic arthritis can be difficult in the beginning, but in the long run, it may help increase your range of motion and also keep your body weight under check, an excess of which can put additional pressure on your joints.
Arthritis and joint injuries are most common types encountered in my practice. I advise low-impact exercises which are exercises that are easy on your joints and ligaments. Some common types of exercise include (you guessed it) walking, swimming and water aerobics, cycling, rowing, pilates, and yoga. While you may not feeling like you are exerting a ton of energy during low-impact exercise, it comes with benefits like improved strength, reduced blood pressure, lower stress, less recovery time, and reduced risk of injury.
Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD
Cardiac issues
For people suffering from heart conditions, doing aerobic exercises and cardio training may reduce the risk of arteries getting clogged. It helps you maintain healthy body weight. It may help keep the blood pressure under control and may lower the risk of having strokes.
Physical activities are great for people suffering from diabetes as they may help reduce insulin resistance and keep you energized throughout the day. It is also great for managing your body weight.
Dementia
Physical exercises may help reduce the rate at which the symptoms of dementia become worse.
Exercise can make your heart muscle stronger. It may also help you be more active and may help lower your blood pressure and cholesterol, thus lowering risk of multiple chronic conditions.
Dr. Ashish Bajaj – M.B.B.S, M.D.
Back pain
Chronic back pain, which can result from a C section, any injury or postural deformities may be kept under control by working out regularly. Working out may also help the tense muscles to relax.
Cancer
Working out regularly may improve the mood, mental health and quality of life of a cancer patient. It can help a patient get rid of negativity and form an overall optimistic outlook on life.
Following a fitness regime may help asthma patient to improve their respiratory health and may lower the frequency of asthma attacks.
Psoriasis
Most of the time involves joints. Working out improves the range of motion and promotes the well-being of patients.
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Here are some ways you can take the leap and start working out if you have a chronic illness.
Consult an expert
Ask your doctor/physiotherapist which kinds of exercises are safe for you and what intensity of working out is suitable for you. Find out about the precautionary measures that you need to adopt for your specific health condition. Also, ask about how often you need to work out to get optimum results and whether any medications need to be discontinued or started when you start working out. Reach out to a certified fitness trainer for further guidance.
Set solid goals but do not be too hard on yourself
Set a definite goal before you start working out so that you can look up to it from time to time and remind yourself why you started it in the first place. A predetermined goal can be your driving force but do not be too hard on yourself. Allow yourself to get habituated to the workout regime eventually.
Set a fixed time for working out
Set a fixed time so that you make sure that is not buried under other work which you may choose to prioritize at that moment. Nobody has the same kind of motivation every day. This is one way of ensuring that you are consistent with your efforts.
Aim small
Do not set sky-high goals right at the beginning. This might make you lose motivation and feel dejected. Aim small and try to achieve your targets daily.
Find a workout partner with a similar history of illness
Finding a workout partner with a similar history of chronic illness may instil a sense of belonging and encourage both of you to lead better lives by being active.
Seek help when in need
If you suffer from any side effects or develop symptoms of certain health complications do not hesitate from seeking help from a medical professional. Ignoring minor problems may lead to bigger ones.
Starting to work out after being diagnosed with a chronic illness can be especially hard. Setting small goals, fixing a particular time for working out and taking help when required are some ways of starting to work out on the right foot so that you can gain from it in the long run.
Disclaimer: The information included on this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional. Because of unique individual needs, the reader should consult their physician to determine the appropriateness of the information for the reader’s situation.
Exercise is essential for your overall health. Good health and weight loss are interrelated. If a person has a higher body mass index, then they are prone to several disorders like hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol, and other cardiovascular problems. Exercise becomes also very crucial for the effective management of these conditions. If you are diagnosed with diabetes, you can try out these exercises for diabetes to keep your blood sugar levels in check.
Two important factors that need to be considered to lose weight are exercise and dieting. The balance between the two is very important. In your everyday routine, if you follow your diet and skip exercise or work out intensely and not follow your diet then you will see your body behaving very differently.
Exercise has many benefits attached to it along with weight loss. Exercise improves your mood, strengthens your bones, and reduces the risk of many chronic diseases. People tend to pull themselves out from exercise as they won’t have the time to hit the gym or even cannot afford to join a gym or personal trainers to guide them on their fitness journey.
So, here we would like to suggest to you the 7 best and popular exercise programs that you can practice at home and make yourself stronger, fitter and healthier.
Cardio exercise along with weight training (at least twice a week) along with calorie deficit diet is a great way of losing weight without losing muscle mass, however, if one exercises in the morning, he/she will be benefitted more because endogenous steroid secretion inside our body is greater in the morning which aids weight loss and helps in building up muscles
Dr. Nikhil Yadav, MBBS MD,CCEBDM
Walking is considered one of the best weight loss exercises. Walking at a fast pace is a great exercise for burning calories. An exercise program that puts minimal stress on your joints and can be incorporated into your day-to-day activities.
According to many studies, A 70-kg individual burns around 167 calories per 30 minutes of walking at a pace of 6.4 kph. It is also observed that an individual can reduce their body fat by an average of 1.5% and waist circumference by 2.8 cm by walking for 50-70 minutes 3 times per week.
Jogging and Running are considered to be the king of weight loss exercises. These exercises are total body integrated exercises. It will strengthen your legs and be very effective for belly fat. The major difference between running and jogging is the pace. Jogging is between 6 – 9 kph and running will be around 10 kph.
Running and Jogging will approximately help burn 372 calories per 30 minutes and 298 calories per 30 minutes respectively. The combination of these 3 exercises will certainly help improve your muscular strength and overall body weight to keep you fit and healthy.
Exercise Pattern
Set aside 1 hour of your time and include these exercises in your routine.
Skipping exercise offers a complete body workout and helps increase your muscle strength, metabolism, and burn many calories in a short time.
Skipping exercise done regularly will bring in calmness and help to ease depression and anxiety. The workout also increases your heart rate which results in faster pumping of blood across your body to keep your heart in a better and healthy condition. Along with your heart, this exercise takes care of your lungs by keeping them functioning and healthy.
Everybody has a distinctive body and which makes the process obtain different results. Losing weight is nothing but burning more calories than you intake and skipping will surely help you do that. This form of exercise approximately burns calories close to 1300 per hour.
Exercise Pattern
Plank Pose or Plank exercise is one of the most effective full-body workouts. The biggest advantage of Plank’s workout is it targets most of the major muscle groups in the body. It strengthens your muscles in the core, shoulder, arms, chest, back, and hips. Along with these benefits, Plank exercises help in quickly burning the excess fats and calories from the body.
A workout that seems to be a simple and easy one but it’s quite exhausting and intense. The plank exercise is a great example of the longer you workout the better will be your results. You need to focus on holding your plank position for a longer period to find quick and better results.
Plank exercise has different variations that target different muscle and body areas. Each variation is very helpful and keeps improving your core strength, body balance, endurance, and posture.
The Standard Plank: It is also known as The Extended Arms Plank. This position is best suited for beginners who are looking forward to improving their core strength. This workout is great for improving metabolic activity and digestion. The forearm Plank variation is an identical version of the extended arms plank. The target areas of this workout are the core, arms, shoulders, and back.
The Mountain Climbers: Considered as one of the intense variations of plank workout. A full-body workout that burns excess calories and fat from the body. The targeted areas of this workout are the biceps, hamstring muscles, core, triceps, and chest.
Exercise Pattern
The Reverse Plank: This is a variation of the standard plank but done in a reverse manner. This workout is an excellent way to stretch your body. A workout that reduces unnecessary fats and calories from your body. It helps in strengthening your core, shoulders, back, chest, and gluteal muscles.
Exercise Pattern
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Push-ups are one of the most popular exercises and it is a workout that can be done at any time, anyplace, and by anyone. Push-ups exercise is very useful for weight loss as it pushes your body away from the ground and exerts energy which in turn burns calories.
Push-up exercises are good as it burns calories quickly and makes you focus on the larger muscles in your upper body. Push-up workout also focuses on your chest, shoulders, back, biceps, and triceps. Push up exercise will also strengthen your core muscles and make your body physically stable and healthy.
Push-ups help in building more lean muscles in our chest, shoulders, biceps, and triceps. If you keep practising push-ups for weeks or months or years, then you will build a great amount of muscle mass, and to maintain your muscle your body has to expend its calories.
Exercise Pattern
Pull-ups focus on several muscle groups that burn more calories as multiple muscles like biceps, triceps, back and core are working together. This workout can aid you to get in shape, increasing your ability to burn fat and boosting your metabolism. To complete a pull-up it nearly takes 15 muscles and the primary muscles are your lats and biceps.
According to the study, doing a pull-up workout will help you burn nearly 10 calories per minute. It is recommended that at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity workout have to be done each week as cardio is one of the best ways to burn calories.
Exercise Pattern
Did You Know?
Squat exercises are known as muscle strengthening exercises. The main aim of this exercise is to improve the lower part of the body. Squats help burn calories and prevent fat from accumulating in your lower part of the body. This exercise helps improve your mobility and also balance. A beginner should aim for 3 sets of 12-15 reps of at least one type of squat to expect better results.
Exercise Pattern:
A popular strength training workout that strengthens and tones your lower body and improves overall fitness and athletic performance. Lunges mainly focus on strengthening your back, hips, and legs.
Lunges help in building lean muscle and reduce body fat. It is important to push yourself and include lunges in a high-intensity workout routine with the help of heavyweights. The single-leg movements involved in this workout stabilizes muscles to develop balance, stability, and coordination.
Exercise Pattern
Along with exercises that need to be done at your place for weight loss. There are other factors and methods that can be helpful for weight management. Click here to know more about weight management and weight loss.
Yoga, a 5000-year-old transcription has proved to be an effective weight loss therapy. It is believed to be developed by Rishis and Brahmans and has 5 basic principles: Exercise, Diet, Breathing, Relaxation, and Meditation.
The combination of Yoga and healthy eating has proven beneficial as it helps to lose weight along with keeping your body and mind healthy. It also improves your mindfulness and relation with your body. You can also lower your blood sugar levels by practising yoga for diabetes.
Along with weight loss as its benefit, Yoga has more benefits to offer such as:
Yoga Poses are an integral part of weight reduction. Yoga poses focus mostly on improving concentration and building your muscle tone. Your body should get used to these poses to yield maximum benefits from yoga.
Some of the yoga poses that should be practised for weight loss are:
Calories Burned With Different Exercises
Here is a quick guide on how many calories different exercises burn within what time. Note that these are just general figures and the actual amount will depend on a variety of factors like your weight, age, fitness level, the intensity of your workout and the amount of time you put into each exercise:
| Exercise | Calories Burned |
| Jogging/Running | 372 to 700 calories per hour |
| Skipping Rope | 500-1300 calories per hour depending on weight |
| Planking | Between 2-5 calories per minute (120-300 calories per hour) |
| Mountain Climbers Planks | 650 – 700 calories per hour |
| Pull ups | 1 calorie per pull up |
| Push ups | About 171 calories within 15 minutes (around 343 calories in 30 minutes) |
| Squats | 19-44 calories per every 5 minutes (100-222 calories for every 25 minutes) |
| Lunges | 90 calories per 15 minutes |
| Yoga | Between 180 and 460 calories per session (highly dependent on the type, intensity, duration of the session) |
Perhaps the best time to do your daily workout routine is early in the morning. The main reason behind this is that exercising on an empty stomach is the best way to burn stored fat. Even if you feel irritated by the early alarm clocks at first, it will slowly become a habit for you, a good one at that. Say, you wake up every day at 7 am in the morning. This way your biological clock shifts earlier, thereby making you tired quickly in the evening or night. This helps in maintaining the schedule diligently.
However, there have been studies that suggest that working out in the evening can be better as our bodies use lesser oxygen during that time, which may help enhance our performance and in turn lose weight. Nonetheless, the studies are quite limited and the majority of researchers direct towards morning as the favoured time to exercise if you want to lose weight at home.
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Follow these tips to make sure your weight loss programme at home is done properly:
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No, Weight loss is a combination of regular workouts and a proper diet. It is important to ensure you strictly follow both to achieve the desired results.
No, Sweat indicates your body’s ability to maintain its normal body temperature. Your body starts to store heat when you sweat so that you can experience cooling by evaporation.
Work out regularly to get in good shape. It is advisable to work out at least 2-3 times a week rather than once in a while.
Calorie intake can be determined by multiplying your ideal body weight by 14. For example, If your body weight is around 135 pounds then you need to consume 1,890 (135*14) calories per day.
It is possible to lose a certain amount of weight in a week by maintaining a strict diet and working out dedicatedly and regularly. You may also try intermittent fasting and make conscious changes in your daily lifestyle like walk more often, to quickly lose weight.
Weight loss is all about the calories you intake and the calories you burn. When you stop eating, the calorie intake goes down. As a result, you will go into a calorie deficit state and lose weight. However, this is not a healthy option. You must watch your calorie intake but eating is important to stay healthy.
Any foods with high carbohydrates and fats should be avoided if you want to lose weight. These include french fries, potato chips, white bread, pastries, cookies and sugary drinks.
Also read: 5 home remedies to lose weight
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.
Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.
What are the first few things you enquire about when you want to join a new gym? The exercise equipment, the timings, and the fees. One other thing that many people ask is whether the gym is air-conditioned or not. This is because working out means a lot of sweating, which is not very comfortable. And especially in our climate, exercising without air conditioning is unthinkable to most.
So, should you keep the AC on during workouts? Let’s find out.
Here is what happens if you keep the AC on:
You probably know that you have to warm up before you start your exercise routine. But warming up takes a lot of time when you do it in an air-conditioned room. What does that mean? It means that you will be using a lot of energy just to warm up and you will be left with very little stamina to go through your main routine afterwards.
Exercising in a hot environment might be good for short activities that need powerful muscle contractions. There is also a school of thought that light-intensity workouts, such as yoga, can benefit because the extra strain on the heart during exercise in the heat can increase the number of calories you burn. But research by Central Michigan University showed that there was no difference in exercise intensity, so the amount of calories burnt doing yoga at 20⁰C and 35⁰C were the same.
Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD
The goal of exercising is to keep your body warm because that is the only way you can burn calories. But in an air-conditioned room, your body does not stay warm for long periods and tends to cool down often. What does this imply? Your body will burn fewer calories even though you exercise for long periods.
When you take quick breaks in between sets, your body will lose heat due to the AC. And when you resume your workout, you will have to work extra hard to warm up your body again. At the end of the session, although you will be left exhausted, you will have burnt fewer calories than expected.
One of the chief benefits of working out is detoxification. Your body gets rid of harmful substances through sweating. The more you sweat, the cleaner your system becomes. But how much do you sweat when you work out in an AC gym? Not much! So that means, your body will not be able to expel many toxins.
In the cold, your body can regulate its temperature a little better, meaning you can often exercise farther or longer, so you can burn more calories, working out at optimal temperatures that suit your body is more important.
Dr. Ashish Bajaj, M.B.B.S., M.D
What is the purpose of a cardio workout? It makes your heartbeat faster, which in turn generates heat to burn up the calories. And normal temperatures are ideal to gently escalate your heartbeat to the required level. But in a cold room, you won’t be able to generate an adequate amount of heat to burn a lot of calories.
Working out in an AC gym also causes a lot of muscle aches and muscle tears.
After a long stretch of exercise, you take a small break, right? If you are in an air-conditioned room, your body will cool down more rapidly than it is supposed to and this will dry all your sweat almost immediately – this makes you prone to catching a cold.
Moreover, cooling down during breaks in an AC room and warming up multiple times during a workout is bad for your heart because it has a negative impact on your blood pressure.
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The solution, however, is not as clear as we have been suggesting. Working out without air conditioning can have its own impacts. One important factor to consider is that not everyone everywhere is experiencing the same climate. If you live in a hot, humid climate overheating may be a real issue. Overheating during a workout may result in feeling breathless and even an inability to exert yourself fully. This can be both harmful to your health and make your workout redundant.
It should be noted that sweating does not have a lot to do with getting a good workout, sweat is your body’s way of managing body heat. Some people sweat a lot while others sweat less. What most trainers say is important is to work out consistently, safely and with ample fresh air from your surroundings. Working out with or without air conditioning may affect different people in different ways. The end result (according to most trainers) is usually the same, neither one is going to make you increase muscle mass faster. To ensure the best results, you need to find somewhere that is convenient for you, this will help with keeping your routines consistent.
Always use the advice and help of a trained professional if you plan on performing an intense workout routine. Whether you’re in a gym or room with AC or not, be watchful of your body temperature and your breathing. If you find yourself experiencing any issues, stop and assess the situation.
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Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.
Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.
Anyone who’s gotten into a fitness routine will know the attraction of lifting weights daily. Daily lifting means more gains, right? There may be some benefit to it, but the answer is not as simple as that and it really depends on many factors.
Weight lifting or strength training has many overall health benefits. But even if your main focus is increasing muscle mass, the healthiest fitness routine will not be one dimensional. While the virtues of diversifying your routine are well-known, what happens when you do the opposite? Does sticking to the same weightlifting routine daily do any good for you?
The top benefit, of course, is increased strength. Lifting weights when coupled with the right nutrition helps in building up lean muscle, increasing your physical strength. Repetition can help you have a more focused workout, developing your muscles gradually and making you stronger. This is assuming you lift weights in a safe, healthy manner that does not cause short/long term damage.
The next obvious advantage of daily lifting is stronger bones. Exercising in general, but weight training particularly is known to improve bone density. Stronger bones are especially vital as we get older because bone density decreases with age, but developing strong bones while you’re young acts as a buffer against this threat. Denser, stronger bones help to prevent fractures and excess bone loss.
While cardio, aerobics and similar are better known for pushing your endurance limits, lifting weights every day can also increase your muscle endurance. With multiple reps (repetitions) of any one particular set of lifts, your muscles have increased aerobic activity. This means you not only have stronger muscles but muscles that keep working hard for longer durations.
Many people seeking to cut their fat and lose weight also add weight training as part of their weight management routine. The reason is that lifting weights not only burns calories during the workout but also continues after your session is over. More lean muscle reduces fat, which also helps to increase your metabolic rate. This again helps to reduce your weight. While weightlifting exclusively to reduce weight may not be very effective, adding it to your fitness routine can be beneficial with weight management.
Lifting weights can increase your lean body mass, which increases the number of overall calories you burn during the day. Strength training by lifting weights can also protect your joints from injury.
Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD
Most muscle build-up happens not during the workout session itself but during the rest periods after you exercise. If you always do the same routine, daily, on the same muscle group, you are not giving your body time to recover. You may end up seeing less muscle growth or no growth at all. Hence, it is important to split your weight lifting and work out different parts of the body on different days. Truth be told, having a full day of rest or even attempting different types of exercises maybe even better. But if you are intent on lifting daily, you could help yourself out by switching muscle groups every day.
Lifting every day also leaves you sore, not only at the muscles you are exercising but the rest of your body too. Soreness, apart from being uncomfortable, can lead to poor form. Poor form exponentially increases the risk of injury during your workout. If you face a muscle sprain or similar type of injury, you end up falling behind while recovering. Soreness is also a sign from your body to you, to take things easy and get rested.
Lifting weights is challenging in and of itself, but doing it daily can lead to lower and lower improvements. This can be demotivating since you will not be seeing as many returns though you’re at it every day. Without variation, changing your weights and loads and rest cycles, you’re not likely to see as much improvement as you anticipate. In this way, you may be setting yourself up for an uphill battle regarding motivation.
Some advice necessary for lifting heavy weight is- Get as close to the load as possible. Try to keep your elbows and arms close to your body. Keep your back straight during the lift, bending at the knees, keeping the load close and centered in front of you, and looking up and ahead. Get a good handhold and do not twist while lifting.
Dr. Ashish Bajaj – M.B.B.S, M.D.
Now that you’re aware of the effects of lifting weights every day, the decision you need to make is whether this is for you. There are some benefits, lifting weights every day is not all negative as long as you do it the right way. If you have a fitness trainer, things may go easier for you. In general, you’ll want to avoid doing the same routine all the time, variation is the key here. Next, you need to gradually increase your weights and resistance levels. Going too high too fast can be harmful rather than helpful. Also, make sure you are resting in between your routines. Sleep and nutrition are essential for optimum recovery, without these two things, you can work out optimally every day but won’t see any gains.
There may be a few positives to be had with lifting every day, but for most people (especially beginners), the potential for harm is high. If you can ensure your safety and recovery, then attempt it slowly and see how your body is reacting. In most cases, the body gives us signs that things are not okay. Strengthen your nutrition with a protein-rich diet, this speeds up recovery and also encourages better muscular growth. Always learn and perform weight training in the correct way. If done incorrectly, it can harm your muscles and joints severely.
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.
Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.
According to a 2019 survey conducted by Mintel, 64% of Indians lead a sedentary lifestyle and do not engage in any form of exercise and physical activity. However, people are becoming aware of the need to exercise regularly because working out reduces your risk of falling ill and keeps comorbidities of COVID-19 such as diabetes, hypertension and asthma in check. Despite this growing awareness of fitness and nutrition, most people do not reap all the benefits that exercise has to offer because they are not complementing their exercise regime with the proper diet. It is no secret that the effects of exercise can be amplified with the correct foods. Exercise and nutrition go hand in hand.
Here are some pointers to consider when charting your workout diet plan in order to make the most out of your daily exercise routine.
Eating a healthy breakfast that consists of whole-grain cereals, bread, bananas, yoghurt etc., can provide you with the energy needed for a satisfying and rejuvenating morning workout. Breakfast should ideally be the biggest meal of the day in order to maintain a healthy balance between exercise and diet. Therefore, you need to be mindful of the fact that skipping breakfast may cause loss of energy and even dizziness and lightheadedness during workouts.
If you consider making breakfast a relatively large meal, then it is best to tailor your workout diet plan in such a way that you exercise not before three to four hours after breakfast. However, if your routine places workout in the evening hours, then you can eat a moderate-sized meal (like lunch) about at least two to three hours before a workout. More importantly, it is much more effective to eat smaller meals more frequently throughout the day instead of the standard 3 large meals when aiming for weight loss.
Eat 20 grams of whey protein and 20-30 grams of slow-digesting carbs within a half-hour of training. Aim to get 20%-30% of your daily calories from healthy fat sources such as salmon, nuts (particularly walnuts), seeds and avocados. Keep saturated fat (found in dairy and meat products) to 10% or less of your daily calorie intake.
Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD
Although consuming small energy-boosting snacks before a workout may not always provide a massive increase in energy levels, it does help to maintain blood sugar levels as well as reduce unwanted hunger pangs during a workout. These snacks can include granola bars, peanut butter sandwiches, fruits and other protein or energy bars. One of the most important nutrition tips when considering pre-workout meals or snacks is that you should never consume them less than an hour before working out.
After a successful workout, it is important to replenish your body with carbohydrates and proteins for muscle recovery. A good fitness and nutrition plan includes a healthy balance of protein sources like lean meats, lentils, fats. For example, yoghurt and fruit, peanut butter sandwiches, pasta with meatballs and chicken with brown rice make for healthy post-workout meal options.
Also Read: What Are Whole Foods? A Comprehensive Guide to Healthy Eating
It is a common misconception that fats are bad for a healthy workout diet plan. The fats contained in foods like olive oil, coconut oil, avocados, nuts and egg yolks are in fact good for your body. These fats can help improve digestion, nutrient absorption and can even boost testosterone levels in men. Moreover, the complete exclusion of carbohydrates from your diet can be counterproductive as well. Just as proteins like chicken breast, lean-cut beef and all kinds of fish help to build muscle, good carbohydrates and fibres found in brown rice and whole-wheat bread, cereals and fresh fruits can aid the metabolism of your body and provide energy.
Apart from food, water also plays an important role when it comes to exercise and nutrition. According to the recommendations of the American College of Sports Medicine, drinking two to three cups of water before working out, half to one cup of water every 20 minutes during a workout and two to three cups of water for every pound of weight lost after working out is a healthy practice. Limit alcohol intake and quit smoking if you want to see added health benefits.
With the help of these nutrition tips, you can develop a healthy workout diet plan at home and achieve the required results of either building muscle or weight loss or both. However, it is recommended that you consult a professional like a dietician and/or nutritionist in order to get expert advice on exercise and diet that is best suited for you depending on your individual needs. The amalgamation of the right nutrition and optimum exercise can yield fruitful results for a healthy body,
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Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.
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