• 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.

What 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.

Did 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.

Next, 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.

It 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.

Ask 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.

We 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.

A 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

It seems like everywhere you turn health and physical fitness is increasingly put in the spotlight. But for those of us who are not so physically active we might find ourselves scratching our heads saying “Why is physical fitness so important”. Well the answer is actually pretty simple. It improves the quality of our lives and it increases how long we actually live. These should seem like reason enough to consider making physical fitness a real part of our lives.

You ever wake up in the morning after getting a solid 8 hours but still feel exhausted? A lot of us actually feel fatigued despite the fact that we sit behind a desk all day and return home to sit on our couch. Well exercise can actually be the cure for this. Getting at least a 30 mins of exercise a day can make a big difference not only in your health but in how you feel. Exercise can  give you more energy in your day-to-day life  and can actually be a cure for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. 

It doesn’t take much to realize why physical fitness is so important. If you want to live longer and enjoy more of the life you’re living start treating your body right and give it what it wants… exercise!

Wouldn’t it be great if you could get a complete and invigorating workout with out taking so much time out of your day? Many of us don’t have time to work out for 30 minutes or more a day between work and family. Even if we do have some time to spare most of us would rather do something a little more enjoyable than running or lifting some weights. The 10 Minute Trainer program is a great solution to this constant battle between time and exercise. It allows you to get an intense workout in a shorter period of time.

Recent research done by Martin Gibala, chair of the department of kinesiology at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, who studies short-burst training, has shown that a good workout is possible with shorter exercising routines. After a six week study it was found that people who work out for shorter intervals at a higher intensity  levels produced the same results as people who work out for longer periods of time at a steady lower pace.

But be aware that this type of exercising may not be for everyone. If you are extremely out of shape or over weight you may not want to jump right in to this intense method. It may sound easy because it is for a shorter interval of time, but remember, for it to work it needs to be done at a much higher level of intensity. You may want to consult your doctor to find out if this type of exercise program, like the 10 Minute Trainer , will be good for you.

I would venture to guess that the vast majority of people who start a fitness program do it in order to lose weight. I admit, not everyone has that as a goal. But, given the number of obese adults in this country and the booming weight loss industry, I don’t think it’s a stretch to assume most people exercise to get trim. Those people won’t be impressed with programs that promise gradual weight loss. Instead they are lured by exercises to lose weight quickly.

The rate at which you lose weight depends on many factors. You can’t just Google “exercises to lose weight quickly” and expect to find the holy grail of fitness moves. There are simply too many variations to weight loss for this to be possible.

Rather than being overly concerned with finding the groups of exercises to lose weight quickly, those people with weight loss goals should be looking for fitness programs that promise healthy and long lasting weight loss. Quick weight loss simply isn’t as rewarding when you gain it all back.

Depending on your current fitness level, a dramatic change in your diet and exercise program will bring about an initial fast weight loss. As your body gets accustomed to eating right and working out on a regular basis, your progress will slow. It is important during these times that you pay attention to more than just the number on the scale. As you build muscle your weight may remain the same even though your body composition is changing and improving. Body fat measurements and tape measures become crucial tools at this stage.

The fact is there is no magic pill or simple group of exercises to lose weight quickly. Hard work and a healthy lifestyle will lead to weight loss and confidence gains. When you are ready to get the body you have dreamed of, you must also be ready to take the changes as they come, whether dramatically fast as some points or painstakingly slow at others.

Finding a program that uses both cardio workouts for the health of your heart and lungs as well as strength training for muscle development is crucial. Pairing this with a nutritious diet will give you the results you want in a manner that is far more maintainable than any lose weight fast scheme.

So you want fitness tips that will keep your motivation on high? Fitness advice is a great way to stay motivated and keep your eyes on the prize. Getting fit isn’t always easy, especially if you’ve got a long way to go. Little things make all the difference in propelling you towards your goals. There are several ways to get fitness tips to work for you.

Subscribe to fitness magazines. If you like to read magazines, this is a great way to learn about your fitness journey and keep your mind on getting fit. A monthly magazine that you enjoy packed with fitness tips and good health news can be a great way to stay in the zone. Plus, it makes it hard to fall off the fitness wagon when you have the literature of a fitness buff in your living room.

Use sticky notes. Short fitness tips posted around the house are another excellent motivator. “Are you really hungry?” is a great one for the frig. Try putting a “Talk a walk” note on your closet door or a “Can you walk there” where you hang your car keys. These little notes only take a second but can be that little voice in your head when the real little voice isn’t paying attention.

Use technology. Some of us are in front of the computer all day long. Use the first 10 minutes when you get to the officer or right before your lunch break to catch up on your favorite fitness blogs and website. Again, these provide a great source of information and can simply remind you what you are working toward. Also, use a motivating screen saver.

Peruse the literature you already have around the house for great fitness tips and use them! Workout systems like P90X come with a fitness guide chocked full of information. Hip Hop Abs has a great resource “Results on the Run”. This booklet of fitness tips is a great piece of information to keep in your car or pocketbook.

Keep fitness tips around you at all times. By immersing yourself in a healthy lifestyle, you are more likely to adjust to that lifestyle and continue living it.

Many of us struggle with our diet. In the quest for weight loss and the perfect figure, many people are in a constant battle with their brain and their tummy over when, what, and how much to eat. We worry about our food sources, our serving sizes, preparation methods, and even mealtimes. We often get so caught up in our eating that we forget a healthy diet is only part of the equation.

A healthy diet is crucial for a healthy body; there is no doubt about that. You have to give your body the right fuel in the right amounts to keeping it running optimally and looking right as well. However, a healthy diet is only one-half of a healthy lifestyle.

In addition to a healthy diet, you must get regular exercise. This is true regardless of if you are trying to lose weight or simply stay fit. Exercise, like the 10 Minute Trainer program, provides many benefits that a healthy diet simply can’t.

Your healthy diet won’t make you more flexible like Yoga X will, it can’t make you run fast, jump higher, or grow bigger muscles. It can fuel your body to make it more responsive to doing these things, but it can’t do them alone. They all require physical fitness from exercise.

Daily exercise is crucial in keeping your body fit on the outside as well as on the inside. A healthy diet can lower cholesterol and keep your blood pressure in check, but only cardiovascular exercise like the workouts in Turbo Jam can strengthen your heart and lungs.

If you have ever tried to lose weight by only adjusting your diet you have probably seen the importance of physical exercise. Sure, it’s possible to lose weight without exercising but it won’t likely last as long and you will hit plateaus much sooner in your weight loss journey.

When you think of a healthy diet you should automatically think of a regular fitness plan as well. Because one simply isn’t enough and neither works as well without the other.

More than likely you aren’t a personal trainer. You may have some fitness know-how but are a little lost when it comes to designing a fitness plan. You’re not alone. Many of us want to look and feel our best but aren’t quite sure how. We may know that we need to get some cardio and some strength training but don’t know how to put it all together.

There are several things to keep in mind when designing a fitness plan. True, you do want something that contains both cardio and strength training. They both definitely have their place in a customized fitness plan. But you also need to remember that flexibility and stretching are crucial but often overlooked components.

Knowing your schedule and what timeframes work for you is also important. If you can only spare 30 minutes on weekdays and 1 hour on the weekends, 90 minute workouts won’t be right for you. Remember to keep it practical when designing a fitness plan.

When all else fails, look for help.

The majority of high quality home workout systems, like those we sell here, will help you in designing a fitness plan. For instance, P90X and Ten Minute Trainer are two very different systems but both include an excellent workout calendar and easy to follow plan.

Using a home workout system that comes with a fitness plan is a perfect way to take the guesswork out of designing a fitness plan. Professionals put these fitness plans together because they know exactly what components are necessary in a superior workout program. This allows you to simply select the one that most closely matches what you want and then focus on getting fit, not worrying about what to do on which day.

Designing a fitness plan can be tricky but no one said you had to do it alone. Programs like P90X and ChaLEAN Extreme were created with very specific fitness plans to meet your specific fitness needs.

Ask anyone what the benefits of physical fitness are and they will likely rattle off things like: weight loss, muscle tone, better cardiovascular health, or a flatter tummy. We all know that the benefits of physical fitness are far reaching and do everything from making us look good to making our bodies run more efficiently. However, we often forget one of the best benefits of physical fitness: It feels great to be fit!

Getting fit is often plagued by muscle aches and shin splints. You may be haunted by a lack of motivation or a lack of time. Despite all of the ways working out makes you feel bad, there are several ways in which it makes you feel good.

Once you have made fitness a regular part of your life, you can enjoy the release that it gives you. One of my favorite benefits of physical fitness is how I can have a long hard day, one where I am on the verge of madness and stressed beyond belief (they don’t happen often). But, in the midst of this stress and frustration, I can get a workout in and walk away feeling many times better.

Something is in the sweat that when it leaves our bodies it takes the days stresses and headaches with it. Scientists might not have found this liquid stress, but I am certain it is there.

Another great but often overlooked benefits of physical fitness is the confidence it brings with it. If you have ever struggled with your weight or a negative self image, you know how it can affect your attitude. Just like being unhappy with how you look can make you feel bad about everything, being satisfied with your body can cast a rosy glow on things.

Lastly, when you are committed to physical fitness it gives you a new hobby that may, if you are not careful, develop into an extremely healthy addiction. You know you are hooked on the benefits of physical fitness when you begin actually craving a workout. This is a great cycle to get stuck in and one that will only further improve your health and your attitude.

The benefits of physical fitness are far more than aesthetic. Of course we all want to look good. But when all is said and done, the mental benefits are nearly as important in our day to day lives.