Louisiana Women In Business Magazine

HOW TO MAXIMIZE YOUR WORKOUT... BY NOT WORKING OUT AT ALL!

It’s not always beneficial to work out. Why? Exercise is a stressor. It depletes the body’s energy and breaks down its tissues. Doing this excessively or repeatedly to the body is not beneficial, nor is it healthy for an alreadystressed-out individual to undergo this type of added stress. The true success of a workout is found in how well the body can recover from the stress. The key is to either provide the body what it needs to replenish and repair what it lost during its physical exertion or not work out at all!

What Happens During Exercise Sugar (glycogen) is stored in the muscles to get through periods of physical stress. During exercise, muscle tissue is broken down to release this sugar to use as fuel. If this happens every day, without rest days, the muscles start to atrophy (break down). This includes the heart muscle, which is why some athletes can have heart issues, regardless of their healthy lifestyle. Therefore, the importance of rest and recovery cannot be understated. So, here are some tips to maximize your results by working smarter, not harder.

Food When the body goes to repair its tissues, it wants the most basic building blocks provided by clean, real foods that are full of nutrients, oxygen, and even light particles from the sun (photons) that are trapped in fruits and vegetables (hence, “photosynthesis”). Also, anything that has grown in the earth or that has been alive contains life and intelligence. Cilantro and parsley, for example, have special properties that bind heavy metals, and their light particles get rid of stagnate energy and transmute toxic emotions. All of which detoxifies the body, boosting weight loss & your mood!

Breath & Water There are toxins stored in fat. During exercise, the body uses the fat as fuel, and the toxins get released. These toxins start circulating in the bloodstream and need to come out. One way to remove the toxins is by breathing longer on the exhale than on the inhale (10 seconds out, 5 seconds in) during rest periods. Also, clean water is the best vehicle to carry out these toxins. The skin is the largest detox organ in the body. If the toxins aren’t properly flushed out by breath & water, they can get trapped in the skin as acne or wrinkles, cause achiness, muscle soreness, or fat retention (causing the “plateau effect”).

“Working In” & Rest Working out is not always the best choice for everyone’s body. Some bodies are at capacity for their stress load and would benefit more from “working in.” This refers to any movement that generates or takes in energy, such as light walking, beginner yoga, tai chi, qi gong, or simply breathing for a few minutes. These “working in” exercises can also be done on rest days. Rest days, and even rest periods for specific muscle groups, are essential to building muscle, burn fat, and recovery. Yes, sometimes, less is more!

Written by: Dr. Amberleigh Carter, DM, AMP, HHP

Amberleigh teaches her clients how to create health & connect back to themselves by nourishing the mind, body and soul.

https://dramberleighcarter.com