TresSugar

You Asked: Why Do I Shake During Hard Exercises?

FitSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:50:00 -0800

Dear Fit,
I tried out a new strength training class at my gym, and it was awesome. It uses dumbbells, resistance bands, gym balls, and mat exercises to tone your whole body. There were definitely a lot of new moves I'd never done before, and during one of the exercises, where you're balancing on your bum in a V-position, and lowering your torso and legs toward the floor, I was shaking uncontrollably. It was kind of embarrassing. This happened during some other really challenging moves, and I'm wondering why this happens, if it's bad for me, and if it'll ever go away.
-Trembling and Shaking

There are two things you should know about your body shaking. One, it's completely normal, so it's nothing to be embarrassed about and I bet if you had looked around you would see your classmates trembling along with you. Learn the second bit of info about shaking when you read more.

Your body shaking during strength training isn't a bad thing. It just means that your muscles are working hard and are not used to the demands you're placing on them. Meaning they're just not strong enough yet. The trembling is caused by your muscles grabbing and releasing one another as they lengthen and shorten. Once your muscles become accustomed to doing these new exercises, that action will become smoother and your trembling will stop.

Since quivering means that your muscles are hard at work, you just want to be careful not to overdo it, since you can end up tearing a muscle. Gradually work your way up to challenging exercises. Either do modifications, less reps, or hold difficult positions for less time. Keep up with the class, and as your body becomes stronger, you'll be able to say sayonara to the shaking.

Any other shakers out there? Tell me the move that gets ya!

Are Occasional Breaks From the Pill Necessary?

FitSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:50:05 -0700

Almost every woman I know has been on the pill at some point in her life, and many of us started when we were under 20 years old. It has many health benefits, such as preventing unwanted pregnancies, decreasing the risk of ovarian cancer, and alleviating PMS symptoms. The one big negative about the pill is that statistics show being on it for longer than 10 years puts you at a higher risk for breast cancer. Women may also be worried that taking hormones for so long may affect their chances of having a baby in the future. So does it make sense to take regular vacations from the pill to give your body some hormone-free time?

To find out if this is a good idea, read more.

While it's common to think that taking occasional breaks from the pill is beneficial for your body, it's actually not necessary. It's a myth that may have started a while back, since the very first birth control pills contained high doses of hormones. Today's pills contain a much lower amount so they're completely safe to take for years at a time. Doctors actually think it's healthier for your body to remain on the pill. The fluctuations in hormones can have a negative effect on your body, both physically and emotionally. Plus, all the symptoms you experienced when you first started the pill such as moodiness, sore breasts, or yeast infections may show up again.

What about your fertility? You may be worried that staying on the pill continuously for many years will make it harder to get pregnant when you decide to start a family. There's no evidence that being on the pill has any effect on a woman's future ability to conceive - it merely prevents pregnancy while a woman is on it. In fact, regularly going on and off the pill may increase your chances of having an unplanned pregnancy since your protection isn't consistent.

Most importantly, if you've been on the pill forever, you'll be happy to know that as soon as you go off it your risk for developing breast cancer begins to go back to normal over time. If you're worried about your risk, or the whole idea of putting hormones in your body doesn't sit well with you, talk to your doctor about hormone-free alternatives such as the ParaGard IUC. A permanent vacation from the pill might be the better option, as opposed to a break.

The Lowdown on Exercising High

FitSugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 09:00:00 -0700

Recently FitSugar reader mamasitamalita wrote in to ask about her friend who works out while buzzed. Apparently it's more common than I thought, and it's not the only thing people are doing before hitting the gym. An anonymous reader commented

"Sometimes, every once in a while, I will get stoned before yoga or a long run - it helps me to calm down and focus on the task at hand, rather than obsessing about work or personal stresses."

So this brings up another issue. What about working out while high? Although illegal, people still smoke pot, so to find out if it's safe to light up before burning calories keep reading

You Asked: Stretch For Sciatica

FitSugar — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 05:50:08 -0700

Hey Fit,
I've been having issues with my sciatic nerve lately, I was wondering if you could post some stretches and/or yoga poses that would help with sciatica? Thanks!
- Hitting a Nerve

I feel your pain. The sciatic nerve, when pinched or pressed, can cause tingling and numbness down the back of the leg. The pain can come from a nerve root being pinched in the lower spinal column - mostly at the last vertabra (lumbar 5) and the sacrum. Pain can also come from a tight piriformis muscle, since the nerve runs through this deep booty muscle. If you are experiencing sciatica from a degenerative or herniated disc, you should see an orthopedist to get a diagnosis and a recommendation for a physical therapist. When it comes to lower back injuries due to nerve compression, strengthening your core is elemental to getting rid of the tingling pain. It is important to strengthen your abs and spinal muscles in a way that won't compromise your injury further.

I do have two safe stretches to share with you. Learn them when you read more.

I have found this piriformis stretch to be safe and effective with Pilates clients experiencing sciatica. I call it the figure four, but it is a simplified variation of the yoga pose pigeon.

Lie on your back with both legs in the air. Place your right ankle on your thigh above your left knee. See the shape of the number four? It is there, just upside down.
Reach your right hand through the open space created by your right leg and grab your left hand that is reaching around the outside of your left thigh. Slowly bend your left knee. You should feel a stretch on the outside of your right hip. Hold for 30 seconds.

Another stretch that can relieve tension caused by an unhappy sciatic nerve is this simple hamstring stretch.

Lie on your back, bend your right knee and place right foot on the floor.
Raise your left leg as high as you can keeping your pelvis square (don't raise your left hip toward your ear).
Hold your lower thigh or place a strap over the arch or ball of your foot. Flex your foot to stretch your calf too.
Hold for 30 seconds, then switch legs.

You Asked: How to Get Rid of My Ab Flab

FitSugar — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 03:47:12 -0700

Dear Fit,
I'm fairly thin, have muscular thighs from running 20 minutes a few times a week and toned arms from doing yoga, but my belly is pudgy. I heard crunches won't get rid of my gut, but what exercises will?
- Jiggly Middle

We all have areas of our body that hang on to fat, so to hear my suggestions about how to get rid of the extra around your midsection keep reading

You Asked: Working Out Buzzed?

FitSugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 09:00:06 -0700

Hey Fit,
I had post-work appetizers and drinks with a girlfriend last night, and as we departed she said she was heading to the gym. Granted, we each had two light beers over maybe an hour and 20 minutes, but it surprised me that she'd go work out after a couple drinks. She said she doesn't do it all the time, but if she's not feeling too tipsy it actually helps her kind of zone out and get into her workout, and by the time she's finished any possible buzz is gone. Is this healthy to do?
- mamasitamalita

There are days when we try to pack it all in: work, catching up with friends, working out. With the recent news that folks who drink regularly tend to exercise more, I suspect this dilemma is increasingly common. To see what I have to say on the matter, keep reading.

You Asked: My Vegetarian Diet Is Making Me Gassy

FitSugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 03:47:51 -0700

Dear Fit,
I am trying the vegetarian lifestyle and have finally given up bacon and hamburgers and went meat-free. I have a family history of obesity, heart disease, and cancer, and have read that a diet rich in fruits and veggies can play a huge role in prevention. I've been loading up on the green veggies, beans, fruits, and tofu. My taste buds don't really miss meat, but it hasn't even been a week and I'm having some, well, unpleasant side effects. I'm unbelievably bloated and gassy all the time, and am close to giving up on my veggie quest. Is it possible that my body is trying to tell me that a vegetarian diet isn't right for me, or is there a way to go about this so that I'm not feeling so inflated?
- Puffed Up

First of all, I applaud you for taking your health into your own hands and going meat-free. Your body is greatly benefiting from consuming less saturated fat and more plant-based proteins. I'm actually not surprised that you're experiencing such embarrassing and uncomfortable side effects, but that doesn't mean you can't become a vegetarian. To hear my suggestions read more.

From your diet description, you're doing everything right with your food choices, but there's such a thing as too much, too soon. Vegetarian foods are very high in fiber, and if your digestive system isn't used to that, it translates to gas and maybe even diarrhea. So my advice is to slowly ease into this diet. Be a flexitarian for a while. Consume your old diet that includes meat, and gradually increase your fruit, vegetable, legume, and whole grain intake as you fade out the meat. At first, eat small portions of foods that are especially gas-producing such as broccoli, beans, green peppers, apples, and high fiber cereals. Slowly increase the portion size over time and the gassiness should begin to dissipate. Making the switch to a vegetarian lifestyle overnight is a shock to your system, so all you need to do is move forward slowly, listen to your body, and you'll be meat-free (and less bloated) within a few weeks.

You Asked: Bad to Leave Yoga Class Early?

FitSugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 07:00:02 -0700

Dear Fit,
I've been taking a yoga class for about a year with this amazing instructor. We're always trying new poses and I'm soaked with sweat by the end from moving around so much. Plus the next day, I'm really sore so I know I'm working hard. I've been leaving class a little early since the last 10 minutes we just lie on the floor. The last class I went to, the instructor came up to me as I was leaving and said, "I know you've been practicing for a while, and you know what your body needs, but Savasana isn't really optional." I'm wondering what's the point of Savasana? Am I doing my body harm by skipping out, or do you think the instructor just doesn't like me leaving early?
- Not a Fan of Savasana Sarah

I teach and take a lot of yoga classes, and this is a really common question. To find out my take on Savasana read more.

The last pose of class may seem like you're just lying on the floor wasting time, but this relaxing posture is actually really important. Savasana, known as Corpse pose, is a metaphor for dying and then coming back to life. It sounds a little morbid, but think of it as a cat nap. You've worked your muscles hard for an hour or more, and lying down with your body still allows your breath and mind to relax and release any tension. You can meditate if you want to, or just zone out, and sometimes you can get to the point where you're so relaxed that you feel like you're floating. Then when the instructor slowly wakes you up, you feel an amazing combination of serenity and energy.

Your teacher may want you to get as much as you can out of your yoga experience, and that's why she encouraged you to stay. She knows you're probably busy all day long with family, work, and life in general, and this is the one chance you have to be still and re-energize. She may also want you to stay out of respect for others who are lying in Savasana. When you leave the room, it can be really disturbing.

So my advice is to think of Savasana as any other part of class - it's of equal importance to your body and mind. Try to enjoy the stillness and reap the benefits of this relaxing pose.

If you have any other yoga-related questions or stories, share them in FitSugar's Yoga Stretch and Tell Group.

You Asked: How Do I Treat a Big Bruise?

FitSugar — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 09:00:55 -0700

Dear Fit,
I was out surfing the other day when my board and I got into a bit of a tangle. I ended up with a huge bruise on the front of my thigh and the top of my foot. They hurt and look awful. How should I treat them? Ice? Thanks.
- Banged Up Betty

Kudos to you for riding the waves, but banging into your board can cause a lot of pain. To learn my suggestions on how to treat your bruises keep on reading.

You Asked: Issue With Inversions

FitSugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 05:50:02 -0700

Hi Fit,
I have been practicing yoga on my own for years, and I love it all . . . sun salutations, backbends, forward bends, you name it . . . except for the inverted poses. Despite my best efforts, I have never been able to get into them! Can you recommend any exercises to strengthen my upper body so that I will be able to do them, or do you have any other tips to help me take my practice to the next level? Should I have someone help me? Any advice you can offer will be much appreciated!
Thanks,
secrethoughts

In my yoga classes, inversions are the poses most people have problems with, so you're not alone. They require balance, strength, and most of all the guts to be upside down. I believe it's possible for all healthy people to do them, so to hear my tips on how to get yourself there, read more.

Strengthening your upper body is a great way to feel stronger when inverted. I recommend regularly doing all variations of push-ups, the challenging Walking Elbow Plank exercise, and Dolphin Dive. I also recommend practicing Crow pose since it will also work your balance.

Flexible hamstrings are also helpful, since they allow you to walk into the inversion. This is much better than jumping into it, which makes you more likely to lose your balance and not be able to hold the pose. So also incorporate Tipover Tuck and Seated Straddle into your stretching routine.

When you're ready to go upside down, start off with the easiest inversion, Tripod Headstand. It's normal to feel nervous that you'll fall, so practice in front of a wall (with your head about eight inches from the wall). Place your head and hands on the mat, straighten your legs, and walk them in as close as you can toward your head. This is considered an inversion even though your feet aren't in the air. If you're feeling ready, rest your knees on your triceps, coming into Tripod Balance. From here, you can work on lifting one leg at a time into the air. If you're in front of a wall, you can easily place your feet on it for support. As you feel more brave you can lift your feet away from the wall and try balancing on your own.

My best advice is to keep practicing and don't give up. As you become stronger and more confident, Tripod Headstand will become easier for you. Once you master that variation, you can move on to other inversions including headstand variations, forearm stand, and handstand. And if you have access to a yoga studio, taking classes and getting one-on-one help from the instructor will help you master inversions even faster.