Questions?

Will I be sore after my workout?

The short answer is that it isn’t uncommon to have some muscle soreness after some types of exercise. This is mostly due to the fact that when you work a muscle with weights or in ways that it isn’t used to being worked, you create micro-tears in the muscle. Those micro-tears, once they heal, are what build your muscle, so it’s important to rest muscles between workouts if you are trying to build them. Typically, people are most sore 24-48 hours after their workouts, but be sure to let me know if you have soreness before starting a workout so that I can adjust your workout accordingly. 

What should I wear for my workout? 

Wear whatever makes you most comfortable. But keep in mind that we may be doing a lot of floor work, so you may want to wear pants, workout tights or biking shorts under your shorts. The most important thing is that you can move easily in whatever you wear.

Should I eat before or after my workout?

Ideally, both! You should eat a small meal with carbohydrates one to two hours before your workout to give your body the fuel it will need. Think whole wheat or sprouted grain toast with peanut butter or high fiber oatmeal with fruit. Then after you exercise, you may want to eat something with protein, like a hardboiled egg, and a few complex carbohydrates (like whole wheat toast) to give your body what it needs to build muscle and give you energy to start or finish out your day.

This article from the American Heart Association is a quick read on the topic. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/food-as-fuel-before-during-and-after-workouts

How much water should I drink in a day? 

WATER IS CRUCIAL to being your best you! You name it, water helps it. Digestion, skin, sleep, mood, weight, proper organ function. Your body needs water! If you feel thirsty, that’s a good indication that you aren’t getting enough water. If your urine is clear, that’s a good indication that you’re getting enough. It’s important to note that various medications affect what your body does with the fluids that you ingest, so be sure to check with you doctor at your next visit to ensure that you are getting the proper amount for your body to function at its best.

Can’t I just do cardio?

You will be hard pressed to find a trainer who doesn’t think that cardio is an important component to any exercise regimen. But cardio can’t be the only thing that you do. Why? Because we lose muscle mass and bone density as we age. Using weights when we exercise helps rebuild the muscle that we lose while also stimulating the cells that help build your bones back up. This is especially important with those in the older population who are more at risk of falling and suffering a serious break. Don't be afraid of weights; just make sure that know the correct amount of weight you should be using!

Why is weight training so important?

Let me start by saying that I’m not talking Arnold Schwarzenegger kind of weight training. When training with weights, even light weights (3-5 lbs) can make a difference, but of course medical conditions notwithstanding, we will want to challenge you to working with eventually heavier weights and/or more repetitions.  

Exercising with weights has proven time and again to help combat many of the complications that aging can present. Weakness, lack of balance, postural issues, bone fractures, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are just a few of the issues that weight training attacks head on. Things come up as we age, but let’s fight them for as long as we can!