exercise

Exercise and Breastfeeding

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  • Does exercise affect milk supply or nutrient content?

No. Studies have shown no difference in the volume or composition of the milk or babies’ weight gain. One study showed a slight increase in milk supply for the women who exercised regularly, but because of the small size of the study this increase may not be significant.

  • Does lactic acid increase in breastmilk after exercise?

Research has not shown a noticable increase in lactic acid buildup after moderate exercise (50% & 75% intensity). The lactic acid in breastmilk does increase somewhat if mom exercises to maximum (100%) intensity, also described as exhaustive exercise. This increase may be present up to 90 minutes post-exercise. There are no known harmful effects for the baby.

  • Will baby refuse the breast after mom exercises?

Most studies have found no difference in acceptance of the breast, even after maximum intensity exercise.  Although a highly publicized 1992 study indicated that baby might fuss or refuse expressed milk from a mom who had been exercising at 100% intensity, the results were questionable because the babies were fed the milk by dropper (unfamiliar to these babies), and the mothers reported that the babies had not had problems with nursing after exercise in the past. A more recent study showed no change in infants’ acceptable of mom’s milk an hour after exercise, even for the moms who exercised at maximum intensity (and thus did have a slight increase in lactic acid in their milk).

Exercise guidelines for breastfeeding mothers

  • For your own comfort, you may wish to nurse before exercising and wear a good, supportive bra (especially during strenuous exercises such as running, jumping, etc).
  • Some babies don’t like nursing when mom has been sweating (due to the salt on mom’s skin) so you may wish to rinse your breasts or take a shower before nursing.
  • If you regularly lift weights or do other exercises involving repetitive arm movement and you develop plugged ducts, cut back and start again more slowly.
  • Keep yourself hydrated.

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Setting Goals Equals Finding The Right Workout Program For You

imagesWhat do you want to get out of an exercise program?  The answer to that question defines what kind of program will work best for you in the long run.  Ask yourself, “What do I want to accomplish?”  Do you want to lose weight?  Get in shape and stay in shape?  Maybe you’d like to reduce some of the stress in your life.  Or perhaps you’re serious about improving your overall health or increasing your muscular strength.

The good news is that every one of those goals can be accomplished.  Each one can be the start of a fun exercise program you can enjoy and from which you can benefit.  Is your goal weight control?  Then start with a low-impact or non-impact aerobic activity and work up to at least 30 minutes almost every day.  If your goal is strengthening your muscles, there are plenty of strength-conditioning programs that include the use of free weights, weight machines, exercise tubing or calisthenics.  If your goal is improved flexibility, you could try yoga or a simple stretching routine that covers all of your major muscle groups.  Maybe you know what you want to accomplish, but don’t know how to get started.

Well, one place you can start is doing some research and looking into different web sites that offer information about different workout programs.  In this day and age there are so many different programs out there that there is a good fit for everyone.  Some people are involved with certain activies that keep them fit and others hit the gym every day but if you don’t have that sort of personal discipline than a good workout program from home might be just the thing.  Programs like our P90X or ChaLEAN Extreme are just a few of the workout programs you can check out at WWW.ExtremeBodyWorkout.Com.

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What Exercises Are Good To Help Back Pain

imagesDid you know that a perfectly aligned spine is non weight bearing.  So as long as you weren’t born with any spinal malformations (example scoliosis ect.) then the best thing to help you maintain that perfect alignment would be to keep the muscles along the spine in good shape, by keeping them strong and flexible.   Muscles are the spine’s main defense against gravity. Strengthening the muscles that support the spine with exercises, can prevent, reduce and even eliminate back pain.

Strong abdominal muscles (especially the deep abs) are as crucial as strong back muscles for supporting the lower back and preventing lower back pain. Strong quadriceps (front of thigh muscles) is important to prevent back injuries when lifting. Proper lifting techniques involve using your legs and if your legs are weak, you may end up using your back.

Shortened muscles can throw the spine out of alignment and cause back pain. Stretching exercises lengthen shortened muscles and relieve back pain. Tight back muscles, tight buttocks muscles, and even tight hamstrings (back of thigh muscles) or quadriceps (front of thigh muscles), can affect the alignment of the spine. Stretching the back with stretching exercises also increases mobility of the joints of the spine.

Strong and flexible muscles help maintain Proper Posture and prevent Back Strain.

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Exercise Do's and Don'ts for Pregnant Women Part II

bxp227773Next, decide what type of exercise you will do. Pick things you think you will enjoy. You may want to try several things. For example, brisk walking for 30 minutes or more is an excellent way to get the aerobic benefits of exercise, and you don’t need to join a health club or buy any special equipment. You could also run, hike or dance, if you like. Swimming is another sport that is especially good for pregnant women. The water supports the weight of your growing body and provides resistance that helps bring your heart rate up. You can also look around for aerobics and yoga classes designed for pregnant women. You may find that a variety of activities helps keep you motivated to continue exercising throughout your pregnancy—and beyond.

Be careful when choosing a sport. Avoid any activities that put you at high risk for injury, such as horseback riding or downhill skiing. Stay away from sports in which you could get hit in the belly, such as ice hockey, kickboxing or soccer. Especially after the third month, avoid exercises that require you to lie flat on your back. Lying on your back can restrict the flow of blood to the uterus and endanger your baby. Finally, never scuba dive. This sport may lead to dangerous gas bubbles in the baby’s circulatory system.

When you exercise, pay attention to your body and how you feel. Don’t overdo it—try to build up your level of fitness gradually. If you have any serious problems, such as vaginal bleeding, dizziness, headaches, chest pain, decreased fetal movement or contractions, stop exercising and contact your health care provider immediately.

With a little bit of caution, you can achieve or maintain a level of fitness that would shock your grandmother. You’ll feel and look better. And yes, you can still put your feet up—after you’ve come back from your walk.

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Exercise Do's and Don'ts for Pregnant Women Part I

bxp227773It used to be that pregnancy offered a good reason to sit down and put your feet up. But times have changed for pregnant women in good health.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that healthy pregnant women get at least 2 1/2 hours of aerobic exercise every week. This means that most pregnant women should try to get 30 minutes of aerobic exercise on most, if not all, days. Examples of aerobic exercise are walking, swimming and dancing.

Exercise is important for everyone but for pregnant women, exercise has added benefits. It can help prevent gestational diabetes, a form of diabetes that sometimes develops during pregnancy. For women who already have gestational diabetes, regular exercise and changes in diet can help control the disease.

Exercise can relieve stress and build the stamina needed for labor and delivery. It can also help women cope during the postpartum period. Exercise can help new mothers keep “baby blues” at bay, regain their energy and lose the weight they gained during pregnancy.

Before you go out and run a marathon, talk with your health care provider. Not all pregnant women should exercise, especially if they are at risk of preterm labor or suffer from a serious ailment, such as heart or lung disease. So check with your health care provider before you start an exercise program.

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Stress Reduction: One of the Greatest Benefits of Physical Fitness

j0439332Ask many people who have made exercise a part of their daily life what they consider to be their number one reason for sticking with it and you might be surprised at their responses. Once weight goals are achieved, additional benefits of physical fitness become more noticeable. As they become more accustomed to daily workouts, the stress reducing benefits of physical fitness become more of a priority. Skip more than one day of your regularly scheduled workouts and you too may notice that your stress level begins to climb. This isn’t a coincidence; science has shown that stress levels are affected by physical exercise.

 

Much of the stress busting benefits of physical fitness are attributed to little things in the brain called endorphins. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Physical activity helps to bump up the production of your brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters.” These brain chemicals are in charge of many characteristics attributed to stress free living including relaxation and an overall sense of well being.

 

In addition, regular exercise has been shown to increase self confidence. When you aren’t pleased with yourself, you are far less likely to be pleased with the world in general. Self confidence goes a long way in the fight against stress. According to an article found in the Journal of Health Psychology, regular exercise is shown to improve body image. And as we know, how you feel about your body has a great impact on how you feel about yourself in general.

 

Perhaps the most telling sign that exercise reduces stress is how you feel after taking several days off. Once you are accustomed to the regular benefits of physical fitness you may begin to see a few days off as a punishment rather than a break.

 

It’s important to keep all of the benefits of physical fitness in mind when developing a workout routine. If you are only focused on losing 10 pounds, what do you think will happen when those 10 pounds are lost? Extra weight is only a symptom of a much larger problem, a lack of physical health. By noticing all of the benefits of physical fitness you can ensure that you have plenty of reasons to stick with your workout program.

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Basic Benefits of Physical Exercise

j0422189We know it’s good for us. We know “they” say exercise needs to be a consistent feature in our lives. But how many people could list 5 benefits of physical exercise when asked? Chances are, not many. Of course we understand it is important but a good basic refresher on the benefits is a great way to remind you of why you are so concerned with exercise in the first place. Consider this Exercise Benefits 101.

 

The benefits of physical exercise may change slightly depending on where you look. They may also differ from person to person. However, there are some very basic perks that are pretty universal. The reputable Mayo Clinic lists 7 on their website while others may include fewer or several more. This article from Suite101 focuses only on the emotional benefits of exercise. Let’s take a look at some of the more basic benefits.

 

1. Weight management

2. Self confidence

3. Stress relief

4. Disease and illness prevention

5. Improved quality of sleep

 

Of course there are more and everyone has their own reasons for staying fit. What are your benefits of physical exercise. For me, the most important of these is stress relief and self confidence. Regular exercise makes me feel like I can do anything. Call it my daily dose of superpowers, I may not be able to fly after a workout but I certainly feel like it!

 

The benefits that are most important to you are the ones that can serve as motivation. Consider all of the ways you benefit from fitness and take a second to write them down. Carry them in your purse, your gym bag, or stick the list in your desk drawer. When you feel compelled to fall off the fitness wagon, break out your list and remind yourself of the reason for your goals.

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Exercise Equals Less Stress

ratraceA new discovery from Princeton University about rat brains shows exercise reduces stress. Scientists have known that exercising creates new brain cells but with this new research it appears that the newly created cells are somewhat immune to stressful experiences. It is known that working out releases chemicals in the brain that make you happy which is reason enough to exercise. This new information shows us there are psychological benefits to working out rather than just physical. As your body becomes stronger, more flexible and increases its energy supplies the brain is quietly building new and improved cells. In the rat exercise study it was found that prolonged exercise, greater than 3 weeks was crucial. While working out sporadically is better than nothing at all, you should ultimately be consistently working out every week to see and feel the greatest results.

Phys Ed: Why Exercise Makes You Less Anxious, November 18, 2009

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