Many people turn to internet search engines and social media apps everyday searching for ways to get ‘fit quick’, and get the perfect influencer body, but in all honesty these goals are not necessarily realistic.
Believe it or not, the exact science behind what specificities each person needs to do is very difficult because no two people are alike. In fitness the best thing to do is what feels right to you. That may not be the most comforting answer for people who are trying to change their habits or get in better shape but it is the truth.
The truth in fitness can be very blurry because, again every human is different. In regards to women in fitness though it can be hard to distinguish what is real and what is myth because a lot of the greatest tips are either tested on men or falsely construed by people on social media claiming to know the most in order to gain views and likes. Women are not mini men and social media does not know everything, here are a few tips that some of us at her campus have picked up on during our time in the fitness space.
First off, one should always eat before a workout. Choosing a food that is high in protein and high in carbs provides a substantial amount of energy for any workout. Especially when one lifts a lot of weight in order to preserve lean muscle and aid in muscle repair and recovery. Having a complete meal 2-3 hours before your workout, or a simple meal an hour before your workout can give you the energy and fuel you need without stomach discomfort. Examples of these nutritious foods include wraps, grain bowls, sandwiches all with a side of fruit or veggie.
In addition to having a proper and nutritious diet, drinking plenty of water throughout the day is equally as important. Eating a high protein diet, leads to dehydration with an uptick in the waste product urea. The more protein you consume, the more urea that needs to be flushed out by urine. If you do not drink enough water, dehydration symptoms such as headaches and fatigue can arise. It is also important to hydrate before, during, and after your workout to replenish lost fluid from sweating and improve muscle function that may be impaired with dehydration. Another effective way to hydrate your body is by having electrolytes and salts before working out. Adding onto their benefits of being hydrated, electrolytes and salts make up for the lost minerals after sweating. Electrolyte imbalance symptoms include muscle cramps and poor endurance.
To prevent injury and improve recovery, stretching should be a part of your workout routine both before and after. Before you workout, dynamic stretching lowers the risk of injury (muscle strains or tears) while improving performance by promoting muscle circulation. Examples of this include walking lunges and arm circles. After you workout, static stretching lowers muscle soreness by improving blood flow to joints and muscles. Examples of this include knee to chest and shoulder stretch. Incorporating a combination of both dynamic and static stretches has both short term and long term benefits, allowing you to get the most gain out of your workout with the least pain.
On top of exercising and stretching, a balanced workout routine throughout the week is key to seeing results. The amount of days one should work out is also subjective. This once again depends on how you feel, some can only manage three to four days while some may be able to workout every day of the week. It is important to do what makes you feel strong and not overworked.
Women are also stronger in terms of lower body workouts, this can sometimes make lower body workout seem boring and sometimes make upper body workouts seem overbearing. The key to a balanced workout routine is spreading workouts working different muscles throughout the week. For example if one wanted to workout four days a week, possibly try: Sunday a rest day, Monday lower body but glute focused, Tuesday upper body arms focused, Wednesday use as a rest day, Thursday lower body but leg focused, Friday as a rest day, and Saturday upper body chest focused.
That was only an example, routines can be different lengths, combinations, and muscle group focused.
Lastly, one of the more important aspects of workouts is when to do cardio. It is very important to not only do cardio, as it is just intensely working the body instead of balancing and covering the full body. As a woman, many people may tell you to start with cardio, but that is not true especially when lifting weights. If one does too much cardio before lifting they will be overly tired and not be able to lift to their full potential. Try to add a little bit of cardio at the end of the workout in order to burn any leftover ‘fat’ and strengthen and tone your muscles.
In the end, fitness is all about how confident you feel after a workout. One should always do what feels right for their body without over or under doing it. By eating a nutritious diet, stretching, and incorporating a balanced workout routine one is on their way to living their best life.