Healthy happy you.
You got all geared up for a run, and five minutes into it, you suffer from a twanging pain in your rib cage. Ugh, the dreaded side stitch. They can be so painful you have to stop in your tracks, which can be really frustrating. Experts believe it's caused when the ligament that attaches your liver to your diaphragm becomes overstretched. Breathing in and out heavily combined with the jarring Read more
You're running full speed ahead and suddenly you get an excruciating pain in your side: the dreaded side stitch. Nothing kills a good workout like getting cramps and luckily there are a few things you can do to keep them at bay. Here are five easy to follow tips: Try to avoid eating one to two hours before a workout. If you must eat then avoid fatty foods and proteins and stick to Read more
Ever been awakened by an excruciating cramp in your calf? Your foot? Both at the same time? If you have experienced one of these nocturnal muscle cramps poetically known as a Charlie Horse you will know exactly what I am talking about. While no one has yet to pin point a single cause for these cramps there are many theories as to why they happen, what actions (or inactions) contribute to Read more
If you're looking to amp up your fitness routine, you need to get unstable. Performing classic single-leg exercises while standing on a foam pad, like the one pictured above by Aeromat, is simple way to do this. The squishy surface forces your core and legs to work harder, increasing your strength gains and caloric burn. Standing on the soft surface also strengthens your feet and ankles, which Read more
With last week's Boston Marathon kicking off marathon season, there's been a lot of talk about how to tackle long-distance runs and how to recover from an endurance run once it's over. All great advice, but for many of us, a 30- to 40-minute run is all we want to handle. For all you short-distance runners out there, here's a list of things to never do during your workout. Skip the warmup: Even Read more
Competing in a race is already a challenge in itself; add to that a bit of travel, and you've got a new set of factors to consider. To find out how to achieve race-day success when traveling across the country — or world — we went straight to the expert, Thom Gilligan, founder of Marathon Tours, a specialized travel agency for runners that provides travel packages to destination marathons. Read more
If you used to run regularly before there was a little bundle of joy growing inside you, doctors think it's safe to continue with your running routine while pregnant. You should def get the OK from your OB though, and once you do, you may find it helps with some common pregnancy symptoms such as constipation, leg cramps, lower back pain, and fatigue. Yeah, being with child is fun! Running with a Read more
From pimples to bloating, cramps to spontaneously bursting into tears, PMS and period symptoms not only have the ability to ruin your day, but they can also put a damper on working out. Since exercise actually alleviates many of these uncomfortable feelings, here are some of the best ways to handle common PMS symptoms while working out. Bloating: Swelling in your lower abdomen doesn't always Read more
There are many things you shouldn't do before a workout, such as cold stretching (learn more prewrokout no-nos here). To make the most of your actual workout, here are a handful of things to avoid while getting your sweat on. Exercise on an empty stomach: Used as a common weight-loss technique, exercising on an empty stomach can actually prevent weight loss. Without fuel in your system, Read more
You might not be able to swing a professional ergonomic evaluation, but you can make simple changes to your desk environment to sit up a little bit straighter and avoid neck, wrist, and back strains. While ergonomics is about proper seating position, it also includes common habits you might be unaware of, like your line of sight toward a computer screen and how you type. Try out these adjustments Read more
