I was surprised to find a research study that found, exercise in the afternoon produces a superior metabolic effect than morning exercise (1).  Then I came across another study that found the body’s temperature rises throughout the day and peaks in the afternoon (2).  

Here’s why working out in the afternoon or early evening might be more beneficial then the morning workouts.

Higher Body Temperature

Human body temperature peaks in the afternoon, which means you’d be able to push harder in the afternoon (2). When the body temperature rises, scientists believe that muscle strength and cardiovascular endurance also peak.

Optimal Hormonal Profile

Our hormonal profile is optimal for muscle growth and strength in the afternoon. Testosterone, a hormone needed for muscle growth (4), is higher in the afternoon than in the morning. On the other end of the spectrum is cortisol, the stress hormone that isn’t optimal for muscle growth. The cortisol levels peak in the morning and then gradually decrease as the day goes on. So, exercising provides the perfect hormonal levels for optimal muscle growth later in the day.

Protein Synthesis Pikes

Protein synthesis pikes later in the day, which means that you can maximize your body’s ability to recover (1). Protein synthesis is affected by the circadian rhythm. Science proves that removing circadian input by exposure to either extended periods of darkness or light hampers muscle growth (5). Activity or resistance training later in the day promotes muscle protein synthesis at night (6).

Higher Glucose Levels

Exercising in the afternoon is metabolically superior to morning exercise because you aren’t in a fasted state. You’ve had breakfast and snacks. When you eat, your blood sugar levels go up. Sugar in the form of glucose is the fuel for higher intensity workouts. You will be able to push harder during your afternoon workouts. Exercising in the afternoon is more beneficial for skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity (1).

Increased Endurance and Power

Working out in the evenings can increase your physical capacity, aerobic capacity, and strength output (3). Exercise training in the afternoon induces a more profound increase in maximal power output (1).

The best time of the day to work out is when you can work out. But I’ve to say, after learning all the benefits of exercising in the afternoon, I’ll leave my speed training and hill repeats for afternoon sessions from now on when I may get more bang for my buck.

References-

1- https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.14669

2- DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0838.2010.01212.x

3- https://doi.org/10.1002/mus.20529

4-DOI: 10.1152/jappl.1989.66.1.498

5- https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2012450117

6- doi: 10.3389/fnut.2019.00017

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Time is a fantastic marvel. We measure it in years, days, hours, and by the moments we remember. Einstein called it spacetime. Einstein’s research proved that time is relative, and gravity and acceleration are the two factors that slow downtime. Intuitively we have all felt the speeding up of time as we age.

The measurement of time by a clock and our perception of time are quite different. Psychologists have documented this speeding up of time with age for a while. The cause for this slowing down of time is still vastly unknown. There are many theories about it.

One of the explanations is that when you are younger, the years of life occupy more of the children’s conscious memory than an older adult’s memory. For an adult who is 50 years old, one year represents 2-3% of their life memories. That’s why we remember those days in school and the long summer breaks.

Another fascinating hypothesis comes from the biological processes. Children’s heart rates are faster than adult heart rates. Scientists believe their brains’ electrophysical waves and rhythms may be more rapid too. That’s probably why children keep asking if it’s time to go, although you just told them a few minutes ago precisely when you’ll leave home. Similarly, when you request a kid sit quietly for a minute, they say the minute is up after 30-40 seconds. Children’s brains register the time faster than adult brains, and they can have more conscious experience in a set amount of time. This leads to the subjective passage of time moving more slowly for children.

A recent theory by Professor Adrian Bejan hypothesizes that the perception of time is based on the changes in our visual field. We know something happened because we see it with our eyes. He hypothesizes that as we grow older, the rate at which we process visual information slows down, making the time go faster for adults.

Our perception of time is always a backward-looking process, reliant on memory. Although there are a lot of other components that contribute to the relativity of time, memories are at the forefront. Our visual field is like a camera. Like the movie, the fewer frames per second, the faster the movie frame seems to move. This causes the perception of time to pass more rapidly as we age.

Suppose you want to get geeky about how this occurs neurologically. According to Bejan, “as we age, the complexity of our brain’s neural networks increases. This means electrochemical signals must traverse greater distances and span more pathways, thus slowing signal processing. Moreover, aging causes nerves to accumulate damage that creates greater resistance to the flow of signals, further slowing processing time.”

The feeling of time flying is real and has its basis in quantum physics. Suppose you can do certain exercises to strengthen your neural connections, like learning new languages, taking up a new physical hobby, or playing a musical instrument. In that case, you can slow down this relative perception of time moving fast. I try to set a milestone for every quarter of the year, which has helped me keep track of the passing of time better than before.

I say you can slow down time; it’s in your control.

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Ready to get started? Here are a few ideas to get you on the path to a healthier lifestyle:

• Reduce Stress
• Clock in More Sleep
• Eat Home Cooked Meals

Reduce Stress- Ohhh! Stress. It seems to creep up so often. Doesn’t it? Stress can significantly impact your ability to maintain a healthy weight and your exercise routine. Stress produces the hormone cortisol. Research shows that cortisol triggers food cravings and increases insulin levels, which affects the ability to burn off those comfort foods (1). There are many ways to control stress in your life. Some examples are writing one affirmation about yourself every day, starting your day with a five-minute meditation, and writing a journal entry every day.

Clock in Enough Sleep- Most people need between 7 and 9 hours each night. This year putting more sleep on your new year’s resolution list will set you on a healthy path. Sleep deprivation sets up your brain to make not-so-smart decisions. Research shows lack of sleep slows activity in the brain’s frontal lobe, the decision-making hub. Plus, your brain’s reward centers rev up when you are tired and sleep-deprived. So, you reach for those late-night treats. This year take easy steps to improve your sleep hygiene, and you will be on your way to a healthier you. Some of the easy ways to clock more sleep are; setting a reminder to go to bed early, stopping electronic usage thirty minutes before bed, and stopping caffeine consumption after 4 p.m.

Cooking at Home- Put some cooking classes and meal planning on your new year’s resolutions list. You can learn to shop for and prepare healthy meals. Cooking at home will save you time, money, and all those extra calories. When you cook at home, you know exactly how much salt, fat, or sugar is going into your dish, and you can replace the ingredients to cater to your nutrition needs. Some of the easy steps to start cooking at home are planning dinners for the week, making a list of the ingredients, and buying your groceries on Friday. 

You can choose these resolutions that focus on improving your health. At the end of the following year, you might be surprised at how much weight you lost without putting weight loss on your resolutions list.

References:

1-DOI: 10.1146/annurev-psych-010418-102936

The post Why Weight Loss Shouldn’t be On Your New Year’s Resolutions List? 0 (0) first appeared on Tone & Strengthen.

This past year has been an eye opener for me when it comes to recovery. I started scheduling a full day off in my week. My workouts have been more effective, and I feel better on the days I work out. I have realized that rest and recovery are vital for optimal performance, injury prevention, and progress in your fitness goals.

I am a fitness trainer and coach; my work requires teaching and training daily. I love what I do, but it’s physically demanding work. When I was training for Marathons this year, I started adding miles but kept the same workload. I have high-stress levels with the responsibilities of virtual fitness business expansion, including teaching many fitness classes. On top of that, I added the extreme amount of physical stress with twice-daily workouts.  I love running too and participating in races, but my physical stress balance was totally off. Believe it or not, mental stress and physical stress both, must be accounted for while training.

Why Recover?

According to research, exercising too much without resting enough in between can lead to low testosterone levels and high cortisol levels, the stress hormone. These hormonal changes can cause loss of muscle tissue, weight gain, and excess belly fat.

If you don’t let your muscles recover between workouts and give them at least a day off, you put yourself at risk of overtraining and getting injured. Repeated stress from exercise causes small tears that can strain muscles. Plus, the cumulative workout time and intensity can increase the cortisol level in your blood and lead to hormonal issues, muscle imbalances, and injuries.

Like me, many athletes understand the importance of training but don’t understand that rest and recovery are a part of training. Rest allows the body time to repair and strengthen itself in between workouts. Recovery is where your body adapts to that stress of exercise.

This year I learned that if I pushed hard a few days a week and added enough recovery days to bounce back, I could be a better athlete and a better coach. It turns out I love rest days now.

Three R’s of Fitness Training

Here are the three Rs of training that should be part of any balanced training program.

Relief- It’s normal to feel tired after exercise; however, feeling fatigued and constantly being tired and sore isn’t normal. It happens when your body repeatedly doesn’t fully recover after the workout. You can feel excessively drained all day. Make sure you just put your feet up on your rest days and keep it to light activities like taking your dog for a walk. Your body needs relief from constant physical stress.

Rest- Let’s talk about the zzzzs. Sleeping is vital for recovery. Make it a priority. To overcome the physical and mental demands of hard training days log-in at least eight hours of sleep. It is also one of the easiest ways to repair muscle damage. Our body’s reaction to lack of sleep includes a slower metabolism, higher heart rate, mood fluctuations, a weakened immune system, and less control over what we eat.

Recovery- In the exercise physiology text, recovery includes physiological functions returning to homeostasis, refueling energy stores, and refilling cellular energy enzymes.

Food is a major component of recovery. Eat a well-balanced meal with good protein and carbohydrates sources on your rest days. Protein is especially important to rebuild your muscles. 

Another way to restore balance to your body is by massage. Massage from a therapist or self-massage with foam rollers is an excellent way to break adhesions and get the blood and oxygen flow back to muscles.

Try taking the time to make rest and recovery a priority in your training regimen. Your body and mind will thank you, and your training will benefit from it.

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This year, I have decided to focus on three big goals and then divide them into smaller chunks. My big goals are to improve my Marathon race time, scale my business by networking with other wellness professionals, and organize my home. These goals involve many smaller resolutions like better nutrition, meal planning, better sleep, decluttering the home, donating items I don’t use, scheduling time for weekly networking, and growing Tone and Strengthens team of coaches and instructors, to name a few.

You can fill your resolution list with easy, good-for-you goals. Keep them simple and focused on a particular area of your life. These help you destress, organize the crazy in your life, and be more productive at the same time. So, try to put these easy ‘new year new you’ goals on your list this year.

Cook at Home- Cooking at home can even take less time than eating out. There are plenty of quick, simple, and less time-consuming recipes. When you prepare your meals, you have more control over the ingredients. You can ensure that you and your family eat fresh, wholesome meals by cooking for yourself. 

Feed the Bookworm in You- Try to get more reading done this year. Books are knowledge, and who knows where that knowledge will take you. Try Goodreads App to keep track of the books you have read. Don’t discount the audiobooks. I love listening to books while working out. You can get two things done at once, and you’ll look forward to your workouts.

Delegate Chores- Delegate the chores that have been on your to-do list for a while to another person. You can hire someone to do the chores. If money is tight, try exchanging chores for those you enjoy doing with a close friend.

Use Your Lunch Break- You can get a lot done in 60 minutes. Take a lunch break and use it for a hobby or workout. You will return fresh to your desk and be more productive. Need any ideas for things you can do while on lunch? Read Gone for Lunch by Laura Archer.

Write to Yourself- Reflecting on your day and acknowledging emotions is calming. Try being kind to yourself and quiet that inner critic when you write to yourself. When you’re stressed, keeping a journal can help you recognize the cause of stress. Once you know the cause of stress, you create a plan to resolve the problems and reduce your stress. Journaling can improve your mental health.

Create a Power Phrase- Mind is a powerful tool, but we don’t use it to our advantage often. Negative thoughts and self-talk primarily consume us. Create or find positive mantras for yourself and repeat them throughout the day.

Create a Calming Space- Declutter one or two chaotic areas of your home. It’s important to make the space around you as peaceful and calm as possible, even if it’s just your desk or a corner of the room. By consciously making your home decluttered, your daily life will be easier and elicit a sense of calm and relaxation. You won’t have to add non-essentials to your to-do list. A clear and clean space will help you have more clarity in your life and take action towards your goals.

Be Mindful- Pledge to be present by staying in the moment. Do some small exercises to pay attention to your current experiences and accept them without judgment? Practicing mindfulness promotes empathy, love, compassion, and joy. 

Join a Club- Joining a club will help you meet new people who have the same interests as you. Maybe it’s a new hobby you have wanted to take up or a current interest you want to get better at. Clubs help you find new friends and learn something new.

Volunteer- This year, challenge yourself to try something new and practice using your current skills while making a difference by volunteering. Volunteer work may become more valuable than your regular work! You’ll notice a slight shift in yourself as you volunteer. You’ll feel more connected to others and become less absorbed in the everyday stresses of daily life.

These are some ideas for your new year’s goals that come with social, emotional, physical, and professional perks.

The post Ten Simple New Year’s Resolutions 0 (0) first appeared on Tone & Strengthen.

This is a hybrid fitness class. Choose from virtual or in-person options. In-Person class will be at Northampton Township Recreation Center, Richboro, PA.

Are you ready for a one-hour full body workout?  Set to today’s hottest music, Body by Barre fuses ballet, Pilates, sports conditioning and stretching. This regimented routine will evenly sculpt and quickly transform the entire body, resulting in a toned, trim physique.  Classes begin with a warm-up focusing on postural strength and alignment, followed by upper body exercises. A waist height sturdy surface can be used for flexible training, and to sculpt the lower body and abs.  Class ends with core work and stretching.  Many of the stretches and strengthening exercises are endorsed by sports medicine physicians and orthopedists. 

All Virtual classes are recorded and recording is provided to registered participants for 48-hrs after class.

*Yoga mat, Pilates ball, loop resistance band, and two light dumbbells are suggested for this class*

The post Body by Barre (Hybrid) – Mar 1st – Apr 5th 0 (0) first appeared on Tone & Strengthen.

Are you ready for a one-hour full body workout?  Set to today’s hottest music, Body by Barre fuses ballet, Pilates, sports conditioning and stretching. This regimented routine will evenly sculpt and quickly transform the entire body, resulting in a toned, trim physique.  Classes begin with a warm-up focusing on postural strength and alignment, followed by upper body exercises. A waist height sturdy surface can be used for flexible training, and to sculpt the lower body and abs.  Class ends with core work and stretching.  Many of the stretches and strengthening exercises are endorsed by sports medicine physicians and orthopedists. 

All Virtual classes are recorded and recording is provided to registered participants for 48-hrs after class.

*Yoga mat, Pilates ball, loop resistance band, and two light dumbbells are suggested for this class*

The post Body by Barre (Hybrid) 0 (0) first appeared on Tone & Strengthen.

Are you ready for a one-hour full body workout?  Set to today’s hottest music, Body by Barre fuses ballet, Pilates, sports conditioning and stretching. This regimented routine will evenly sculpt and quickly transform the entire body, resulting in a toned, trim physique.  Classes begin with a warm-up focusing on postural strength and alignment, followed by upper body exercises. A waist height sturdy surface can be used for flexible training, and to sculpt the lower body and abs.  Class ends with core work and stretching.  Many of the stretches and strengthening exercises are endorsed by sports medicine physicians and orthopedists. 

All Virtual classes are recorded and recording is provided to registered participants for 48-hrs after class.

*Yoga mat, Pilates ball, loop resistance band, and two light dumbbells are suggested for this class*

The post Body by Barre – Jan 18th – Feb 22nd 0 (0) first appeared on Tone & Strengthen.

All Virtual classes are recorded and recording is provided to registered participants for 48-hrs after class.

*Yoga mat, Pilates ball, loop resistance band, and two light dumbbells are suggested for this class*

The post Body by Barre 0 (0) first appeared on Tone & Strengthen.

Many of us strive each day to achieve fitness goals. Many of us struggle with the obstacles that we face each day as well. We believe in instant gratification, and when we don’t get the results the next day, we give up. To achieve health and fitness success, it’s crucial to stay focused and keep the journey fun and upbeat. You’ll be more successful if you know what your goals are and how you’re going to achieve them. My top three success strategies for achieving fitness goals are listed below.

Prioritize Fitness – My clients think they aren’t achieving results because they are lazy and don’t have enough time. Yes, I’ve had that conversation with them many times. That’s not true. I say to them if you were to look at all the areas of your life, would you say that you are lazy? I didn’t think so.
And then there’s the time! Life can get busy. Maybe, you have a big project for work, you’re chauffeuring kids, or you are going through a life challenge like job loss. There is nothing better than moving your body when you are busy. You will have more energy and focus, which will lead to more productivity. If you want lasting and sustainable results from your fitness journey, you need to make it part of your lifestyle. Making fitness a priority is essential.

Stay Positive – We’ve all been there. Embarking on a new fitness adventure, all pumped up and motivated, and then we hit an obstacle, or the results don’t follow. We get frustrated. We start talking negatively to ourselves. It’s important to stay positive. Practice positive thoughts. Surround yourself with friends and family members who will uplift you.

Celebrate Small Wins – Breaking down long-term goal into smaller, manageable milestones is essential. Further breaking those smaller milestones into actionable steps in daily life will give you a way to succeed every day. Make sure you celebrate your small wins. For example, spend a few minutes watching your favorite Netflix show or talk to a friend to celebrate your successes.

We all want instant results, but that’s not realistic. Feel good about the fact that you’re showing up and putting in the work. Honor your progress and enjoy the journey. This way, you’ll be able to achieve your goals faster.

The post Success Strategies for Achieving Fitness Goals – Part 1 0 (0) first appeared on Tone & Strengthen.