Author: Katie Carone

Recent data suggests that over 1/3 of today’s youth are overweight or obese. Spending quality family time doing physical activities together is one key to reduction and prevention.

Here are just a few ideas:

• Go for a bike ride
• Play at the park, on a jungle gym, or monkey bars
• Jump on a trampoline
• Go swimming
• Play a game of tag
• Kick or throw a ball
• Turn on music and dance

Be creative! Physical activity doesn’t have to be conventional.

Keep in mind that kids should get at least one hour of physical activity per day.

While exercise is important for all and training is essential for any athlete, it is also okay to take a break every once in a while. Restis an important principle of exercise.

When strength training, you should allow yourself 48 hours before working those same muscle groups again. Even when performing cardio exercises, such as running or biking, it is a good idea to rest at least one day a week.

Rest allows your muscles to adequately repair themselves. Continuous or prolonged use without the time to fully rest and rebuild can actually weaken muscles, ligaments, and tendons and lead to injury.

Psychologically, rest also allows you to re-energize and prepare for future workouts.

Yoga has been practiced for thousands of years. There are many yoga styles that range from extremely athletic to peaceful and relaxing. No matter the style, yoga has several benefits.

• Flexibility: Most poses focus on stretching and elongating the muscles.
• Strength: Movements often require a static muscle contraction that can increase one’s strength and endurance.
• Posture: Proper posture is emphasized in yoga, which can transfer to one’s daily posture.
• Balance: Many poses focus on improving balance.
• Relaxation: Yoga is often as much about deep breathing and the release of tension as going through the movements.

When exercising it is important to fuel your body right so you can have the energy you need to perform well.

Before Exercise

Since your body relies mainly on carbohydrates for fuel, eat a small meal or snack that includes a mix of simple and complex carbohydrates. This is particularly important if you exercise in the morning. Examples include a granola bar, bagel, or small bowl of cereal or oatmeal. Try to eat 30-60 minutes before exercising so your food has time to settle.

After Exercise

After exercise it is important to refuel quickly. Try to eat something within an hour of exercising. A post-exercise meal or snack should include carbohydrates and protein. Carbohydrates will help replace your energy stores. Protein is necessary to help rebuild and repair muscle that was worked during an exercise session.

Exercising in the heat can put you at risk for heat-related illnesses. Minor heat-related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion and heat cramps, can be treated on one’s own. More serious illnesses, such as heat stroke, require medical attention.

Heat Stroke occurs when your body can no longer regulate its temperature and becomes extremely overheated. Heat stroke is a serious condition that can lead to permanent disability or even death.

Signs of heat stroke include:

• High body temperature (103F or above)
• Lack of sweating
• Headache
• Confusion
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Throbbing pulse
• Unconsciousness

To treat heat stroke, call for medical assistance as soon as possible. Then make every effort to cool the body. Cooling methods can include a cool bath or shower, wrapping a cool, wet towel or sheet around the person, and fanning him/her.

Do NOT give the victim anything to drink.

Exercising in the heat can put you at risk for heat-related illnesses. Heat illness occurs when the body cannot sufficiently cool itself. In extreme temperatures or high humidity, your body’s normal cooling system (sweating) may not be enough.

Heat Cramps are muscle pain or spasms in the arms, legs, or abdomen, often caused by a low salt level.

Heat Exhaustion may involve fatigue, dizziness, headache, and nausea. It is generally caused by prolonged heat exposure, dehydration, and loss of salt.

Heat cramps and heat exhaustion are considered milder heat-related illnesses. To treat:

• Stop activity and rest, preferably in a cool or air-conditioned place.
• Drink clear juices or sports drinks to replenish electrolytes.
• Take a cool bath or shower.
• Seek medical treatment if symptoms worsen or last longer than one hour.

It’s summertime and exercising in the heat may be unavoidable. When exercising in the heat, it’s important to take proper precautions to prevent heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Below are some tips and hints for exercising in the heat.

• Stay hydrated! Be sure to drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after a workout.
• If exercising longer than an hour, or sweating excessively, consider re-hydrating with a sports drink that will also replenish lost electrolytes.
• Wear light weight, light colored clothing.
• Wear sunscreen. Even on overcast days you can get sunburned.
• Slow down. On hot days you may need to reduce your intensity in order to compensate for the heat.
• If necessary, find an alternative, such as changing your activity or exercising indoors.

The FITT principles are an exercise prescription to help participants understand how long and how hard they should exercise.

FITT is acronym that stands for Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type. FITT can be applied to exercise in general or specific components of exercise. For example, below are some general FITT guidelines for weekly exercise.

Frequency: Daily moderate exercise is ideal, but try to exercise a minimum of 3-5 days per week.

Intensity: Moderate to vigorous intensity exercise is recommended for adults.

Time: 30-60 minutes per day.

Type: To maintain a well-balanced fitness level, perform a variety of exercises included cardio, strength, and flexibility training.

Walking is a good physical activity and something that is easy and convenient for most people. But, how far should you walk? How many steps should you take?

If walking is your exercise of choice, it is recommended that you get a minimum of 30 minutes per day–although 60 minutes would be ideal.

If you’d like to track your total steps taken, you may wish to use a pedometer. Try wearing the pedometer for the entire day, not just when exercising. See how many steps you take throughout the day.

If you have been previously inactive, a good goal would be 5,000 steps. For others, experts recommend at least 10,000 steps per day.

An exercise log can be an important tool in helping you plan and maintain your exercise program.

A fitness log is a great way to track your progress. You can easily look back and see how you have progressed over time. In addition, it can help you plan and prepare for future workouts, as well as identify patterns of what seems to work well for you and when you have the most success.

On an exercise log, you should minimally include information about the type of workout, length, and intensity. But you can also include additional information such as the following:

• Food & hydration
• The route you took
• Distance
• Shoes or clothes worn
• Approximate calories burned
• Weight
• Weather
• Attitude
• Illness or injury
• Personal bests
• Thoughts and feelings about your workout