Working Out When Sore - Take It Slow

Hi all!

I hope that you are having a FABULOUS week, and that you got a chance to "Go Green" yesterday!!

Another topic that YOU asked me to discuss in the survey last month is about doing your workout when you are sore. I have three words of advice:

TAKE IT SLOW!

You have to take the time to listen to your body and gauge how you feel. Even though you may want to press through the pain and do the workout anyway, you do not know if the muscle soreness is just soreness or if it is a sign of something bigger. I have a friend on one of the Beachbody message boards that felt soreness doing P90X. She pushed through her next workouts, and the soreness got much worse. She went to the doctor and he has taken her off weights for the next 6 weeks to heal a stress injury. You may be totally different, but please take the time to listen to your body while you do your next workout and see how the soreness feels.

Here are some steps you can take to workout when you are sore:

- Step It Down: You can do this with any program! If you are doing P90X or ChaLEAN Extreme, then you can go with lighter weights or less reps while you are taking care of yourself. If you are doing Slim in 6, Power 90, or 10 Minute Trainer, you can do it with no weights or do less reps. If you are dancing to Turbo Jam, Hip Hop Abs, Yoga Booty Ballet, or Rockin' Body, then do a bit less quick movement or follow those who are doing the low impact version.

- Step It Out: Take a walk instead. Walking is easy on the joints and muscles, and it may help you with the soreness you feel. Stretching is excellent for soreness. That is just what a sore body needs - a good healthy stretch from head to toe.

- Step Within: Listen, listen, listen!! If you are doing something that is very uncomfortable for your body, then STOP! Do not try to power through the pain - your body is trying to tell you something. Be aware of your body's responses!


If you take the time to listen and take things slow, then pretty soon, you will be back to your normal workout - and better than ever!!

I hope this was a help for you! Have a wonderful Wednesday!!

The Grand Prize Winners of the Million Dollar Body Game!

Here are the two individuals that won $250,000 on March 14. All for losing weight and changing their health for the better! Remember, YOU can do the same when you make a commitment to your health and fitness goals. Let me know how I can help you SUCCEED - just like Kristy and Dallas!!

Put YOU On Your Schedule!!

In the survey I sent out last month, so many people stated their number one fitness challenge was MAKING TIME. They are busy employees, business owners, mothers/fathers/brothers/sisters/sons/daughters, and even though they want to lose weight and get healthy, there is just not enough hours in the day to do so. This is true. In this day and age, we are all very busy people and do not take time out to focus on our needs.

I encourage you to SCHEDULE TIME FOR YOU! Put YOU on your personal schedule! So many positive things can happen during the workout time you have scheduled. You receive more energy, you burn calories, you may solve a pressing problem because your mind is focused on something else, you start making healthy decisions that will change your blood pressure, your cholesterol, your asthma, your heart disease, your diabetes, or any other health problem for the better. Think about it - what good does it do you to push yourself in your other tasks and set your health on the back burner? Later on, you may have to pay for your lack of self-care. Don't let that be your future. You can take charge, starting TODAY!

We write personal events and appointments on our calendars so we do not miss them. Why not write your own name in a 30 minute time slot and devote that time to our exercise regimen? Make yourself as important as your daily to-do list, because you ARE that important. Believe it.

During your planning session for next week, please find at least ONE 30 minute time slot where you can put your name. Write your name in that slot. When that time comes up, stop whatever you are doing and resist the urge to do some other work. Focus on YOU. Put in your DVD and work out, or go outside and walk, or do jumping jacks, stretch your body - just get moving!! After that 30 minutes is up, finish out your day and see how different you feel. Do you have more energy? Does your body feel better? Did you make healthier choices because of that time you spent exercising?

And that was all from 30 minutes of taking care of you!

When you get into the habit of daily scheduling time for yourself, you will start seeing results come quickly, and find a new excitement in YOU!