Crossing Lines
Premieres Sunday 9/8c. Watch online previews.
More »
Crossing Lines
Premieres Sunday 9/8c. Watch online previews.
More »
Join the Biggest Loser Club now, click here!
Here's a recent question from biggestloserclub.com message boards about exercising after a layoff. Our fitness expert Michael Scholtz answers:
How do I get back on track after I've been ill or injured?
Anyone who has exercised more than a couple of months can take off for a week or less and barely notice. In fact, it may feel more like a good rest than a setback!
But, if you're new to exercise and/or have an extended recovery of a week or more expect to cut back the amount of your exercise by as much as 50%.
And decreasing your intensity is even more important than doing shorter workouts.
If you've been injured, lighter intensity reduces the stress on your body. Hard exercise increases the force of your muscular contractions and the external forces on your joints, both of which can lead to re-injury.
If you've been ill, light exercise helps you burn calories without overly fatiguing your body. Hard exercise can negatively affect your immune system.
For your aerobic exercise start at a pace that allows easy conversation and very little shortness of breath and spend at least 2 - 3 days at this level before trying to go harder.
For strength training cut back by 10 - 20 percent on weight and/or do fewer repetitions.
Think of your return to exercise as the final step in your therapy. Your body is on the mend. Experience exercise as nurturing and healing movement and it will give you peace of mind that you cannot find by trying to make up for lost time.
Just stretch your legs and clear your mind.
Courtesy of BiggestLoserClub.com
