We all know the challenges that come during these stressful times. With the news of the world and all the recent stress of the world now is the time to move your body and get out to enjoy spring temps! Making the decision to be healthy can be difficult, but when you consistently don’t see progress from your efforts, you can often feel discouraged and less motivated to keep trying. Chair massage, yoga, and other wellness programs can help with stress in the office.
There are common mistakes that people can make when on the road to fitness, and below are five common errors that could be making a significant negative impact on your fitness goals:
- Don’t walk around while carrying weights. Most assume that carrying weights can add extra resistance to your workout and can build strength in your arms while moving your legs. However, carrying weights can alter your posture and keep you from performing your cardio workout well and in a safe way. Try keeping strength and cardio training separate and focus on one at a time to develop the best results from each.
- Do NOT only do cardio workouts. Yes, cardio is wonderful for your body and can burn calories and fat, but your body needs more than running, elliptical, and other cardio exercises. Strength training is essential for improving your metabolism, preventing injury, and increasing bone density. Also, it catalyzes the burning of calories and can end up being a huge turning point in your journey to weight loss.
- Stretching is important- don’t miss it. Most assume that their workout is done once they have completed their set, run a certain number of miles, or accomplished their intended goal. However, stretching is vital both before and after the workout to warm your body up before working out, decrease muscle pain after a workout, and prevent injuries.
- Quick fixes don’t work. We are impatient when it comes to fitness and often want to see results fast. However, crash diets and extreme exercise programs can lead to false expectations and unstable outcomes. The results that last come from embracing a healthy lifestyle. Sure, you can lose a lot of weight quickly by eating too few calories and exercising way too much, but you are very likely to gain weight back once the crash diet ends and once you fail to complete your crazy exercise regimen.
- Social media is not a reliable trainer. Pinterest, Facebook, and blogs can be inspiring and helpful, but they should not be used as stand-alone sources for health advice. Many programs that focus on one particular muscle can often result in injury and overuse. Also, programs should be personalized to fit the needs and goals of each individual and should not be generalized to the entire population. Be careful what you read and credit it as true; your fitness aspirations and requirements are unique.
Please consider Massage Kneads once the office is back at work and schedule an appointment today for your office. Not only will we bring relaxation into your office environment, but we will also be a wonderful treat to your workspace that everyone “kneads.” Call CEO Janet Constantino at 410-989-3577.
Source: “Five Common Fitness Mistakes That Can Slow Your Progress” by Emily Ledger, September 2014 issue of To Your Health
