Dealing with DOMS

Dealing with DOMS. You may not know what on earth DOMS is or are like me and wanted to know why it kept affecting you.

Well, DOMS is, delayed onset muscle soreness and more than likely you have had to deal with it if you are in some way an athlete or just starting to workout. 

If you have, then you know that it can be very painful. I suffered quite often from DOMS so I started to look into what causes it.

According to Wikipedia DOMS is soreness caused by eccentric exercise. It is pain you will feel the onset of it after 24 hours up to 72 hours.

The old idea that DOMS is caused by build up of lactic acid has been disproved by this article. So if it's not lactic acid then what is it?

Inflammation is the culprit states this article. I feel that there is something behind this. I suffer from inflammation and have for some time and can see that being the case.

Of course you are doing some damage to your muscles and tissues also so that will cause some pain. "no pain, no gain" Is the saying, right! Well lets try to limit the pain part!

How to reduce inflammation?  

* Diet- remove foods in your diet that cause inflammation and add foods that fight it

* Take your fish oil/ omega-3 supplements

* Get plenty of rest and de-stress often

* Excersize, try to stay active. The longer you sit the harder it is on your body


I hope this gave you some ideas on how to help with DOMS and if you have any helpful hints, please leave me a comment.

Overcoming Fears

How do you overcome a fear that is so intense that you feel it to your core?


I am going to share how I have slowly tried to overcome my fear of heights and hopefully, some of the things that worked for me will maybe work for you.

Some people say to show fear shows that you are weak. I think that is a harmful saying. A fear isn't always something you can control, but you can try to overcome it.

My fear of heights has been overwhelming in the past but there are things in my life I would like to accomplish so I need to work towards conquering it.

1. Identify the fear and where it stems from
Knowing the reason you have said fear will help you to examine why it has such a hold on you.

2. Come to terms with what gave you the fear
If you have identified that a fear stems from a traumatic incident in your past then really getting to the core of that and moving past it will give you the courage to try and let go of said fear.

3. Starting slow
I will use heights as an example. You shouldn't rush out and climb the biggest hill and look over the edge but maybe just find some stairs that seem more than you would usually climb and go as far as you can.

4. Set a GOAL
Goals are wonderful to have when working out a fear. It gives you perspective and accountability.
That goal doesn't have to be the top dog at first. Set little ones working up to what it is you really want. Remember that "Rome wasn't built in a day"

5. Continue to grow
As you set out to conquer your goals. Always take the time to look back at how you let go of the reason you had that fear. Be proud of yourself for how far you have come. Share with people and let them be supportive.

Having a positive attitude always helps to conquer fears. Once you get to that big goal you set for yourself you may have to pep talk your way through it and it is nice to have a support team also.

Once you have accomplished that goal, keep going! That fear may always be a small voice in the back of your mind but if you don't let it stop you then it won't win.



*What fear have you overcome? How did you accomplish it?

AB Challenge

Here we go again! I have created a two week AB challenge on my facebook group and I know that without some healthy eating this is not going to be a magic make over but It will help a little and it will at least get you into the habit of working your abdominal area.

Go to facebook.com/lmlittelldsm and ask to be added to the group if you would like to make friends and join the challenge. Also here it is for you to print off without having to join the facebook group.

How do you train?

Are you the type of person who feels like they have no follow through?
Is it easy for you to find excuses to get out of workouts if someone isn't there to tell you "you have to do it"? Do some of those excuses involve not wanting to have to go on this journey alone?

Or are you the type that doesn't want someone else in charge of your workout? Do you like the mental challenge of proving to yourself that you have the will power to do something without anyone telling you to?

Sometimes when you start on a new journey it can be hard to stick with it, especially if you do not see results right away or it turns out to be harder than you anticipated. I've listed a few ways you can tell whether you should enlist the help of a coach or you can do it on your own. 

You might want a trainer if?

1. If you are new to fitness and worried that you will injure yourself then maybe you should look into getting a personal trainer.

2. If you feel like there is just no way that you would follow through with going to the gym or doing your at home workout at least 5 days a week then maybe you should get a personal trainer.

3. If you just do not want to try and come up with a workout routine and meal plan to follow. You would rather have someone else do it for you then you might want to get a personal trainer.

You can probably go it alone if?

1. I am the type of person that has control issues. I like to be in charge of what it is I'm going to do in my workout and the type of meals I'm going to eat. If you're like that than you will probably have no issues going it alone.

2. And by going it alone it doesn't have to mean that you have to be alone. You can go to the gym with friends just focus on what you need to get done first.

3. Or you can offer to help your friends or family members with organizing some sort of routine for them or have them do yours.

If you get bored easily and like to switch things up on a whim then you might like to go it alone.

* Do you have a trainer or workout alone?

How to keep track of your progress

Do you like to keep track of the progress you are making with your workouts? How much more weight you lifted than last week or what moves were harder than others. Does it inspire you to do better or just seem like to much work?

I have come to like tracking my progress and seeing the difference so I thought I would share some ways that are good to see how far you have come and what needs some work.

First lets talk about the good old fashion pen to paper like the picture above. This is like scrap-booking to me. I can make it as plain or as pretty as I want it. I sometimes have a harder time with this. It takes away time from the workout to write everything down and my brain will forget how much weight I lifted two sets ago if I'm really into the work and not focused on weight. This is called a one track mind.

If I do it this way then on a Sunday I will make sure to have all the days filled out first and add whatever fun stuff I want so that way when the day comes all I need to add is the total weight.

This is a fun option if you like things pretty and really Who DOESN'T.



Another option to help track your fitness goals would be an app. If you open the Playstore or whatever it is that Apple uses and there you will find so many apps that it is hard to find the right one. My husband and I have installed and uninstalled so many that we lost track. So trust me when I say that the JEFIT app is a wonderful app for keeping track of your fitness.

It lets you pick from a stock workout or you can customize it. It follows along with you and counts down your rest time too. All you have to do is add in the weight and reps and hit GO. I Highly recommend this app.

Snapshot of the Home screen for JEFIT app

I have found that if you are doing a workout routine on bodybuilding.com and you want to keep track of your progress they give you both options as I showed above.

You can printout a paper copy of the workout and write in your weight and reps or most of the routines now come with an app to help track your progress.

Whichever way feels best and easiest for you to keep track of your workouts is what I recommend. Being able to see your progress in numbers and not just what you see in the mirror or on the scale helps to keep you motivated towards your goals.


*How do you track your progress?

The scale should NOT have that much control over us!

It's the dieter's worst enemy....the scale! It holds so much more power over our lives than it should. 

Are you the type that religiously checks the scale every week, or even every day?

How does that make you feel when the number you see is not what you had hoped for? I know that it ruins my day or even my week. It tends to stick with you, that feeling of disappointment. "I thought I was doing everything right!" 

Or, the numbers show a great drop and you are overjoyed. "See, I was right. I felt like I lost and I did!" You want to celebrate and share it with the world.
I am not saying that you have no right to feel this way I just want to share with you that you shouldn't base your happiness on a number you see on the scale.

You are looking in the mirror and liking what you see. Your clothes are starting to fit better or even fall off. Why on earth would the scale then say that you have gained 3lbs?

In doing research for this blog and really for myself to understand what was happening and why I should really just throw away my scale, I found this very informative article by metaboliceffect.com. There article helps to give examples of how deceiving our the scale can be.

I found that research states that muscle does NOT weigh more than fat. It just takes up less space than fat does, which is one of the many reasons why you should be lifting weights. There are such wonderful health benefits to weight lifting.

What could be causing the scale to say something different?

There are many reasons why the scale could tell you something that you really don't feel....especially if you are a woman. We have that dreaded "time of the month" that has us retaining water and feeling miserable.

You might also retain water if you like food that is high in salt content. Ditch the soy sauce! And also the scale will say something totally different if you step on it first thing in the morning before eating and then again later in the day after meals.

I once had a health coach tell me that I needed to weigh myself at least 3 times a day!! I was so depressed by this experiment I ended up staying away from the scale for months. There are better ways to tell how your body is changing.

Can I have a healthy relationship with my scale?

I would recommend that if you feel you need to have a scale, which most of us do. It's a hard relationship to end! Just do NOT leave it out where you can step on it often. Put it away, out of site out of mind. When you are getting ready to start a new program and are curious what your starting and end weights are, then pull it out and use it the once but it put it back away. Don't worry about if you are getting there by a number, go by how it makes you feel.


*Do you use a scale? What way do you  measure your body?

How much sleep you get does matter

Are you the type of person who could spend all day in bed or do you enjoy getting up at the crack of dawn and go until the ten o'clock news comes on.

I use to not think that I needed that much sleep and never felt like I was missing out. When my body wanted up, I got up and if I had things to do then I would think that I needed to get them done instead of going to bed, never thinking anything of it.

That is not the case since starting weight training. I am up early to get my workout in, to start my day off early. If I have things I need to get done then I try to get done what I can because when my body says it's tired, then I listen and go to bed, even if I had things to do.

Do you feel like it's OK to push your body, missing out on sleep?

When your body gives you the signal that it needs sleep, you should listen. Why? This is the time when your body gets to recover from the stress you put it through during the day. It's like when you are sick and all you want to do is sleep. Your body knows when it needs sleep and when it needs to recover from something.

If you feel like there are other things that are more important than getting adequate sleep, your body will show you signs, even as soon as 48 hours after you have been missing out on a good nights sleep. Why should that matter? Well, it's not as easy to lift heavy weights if you are groggy and unable to focus. That is when injuries happen. 


How can you help get those zzz's?

Set an alarm and stick to it, every day.  Make it a routine, even if it is an off day, stick to the same routine. If you fluctuate all over the place sleeping different times each day.

Make sure your room is dark, any light can disturb your sleep. Try not to sleep with the tv on or even keep it out of your bedroom all together.

Don't do a hard workout before bed, that will raise your heart rate and make it harder to get in a state of calm or even eat a big meal after 5 or 6, especially things containing caffeine. 

5 things to help your morning

I am a morning person!! Some people are not but they have busy lives that require them to get a lot done before some people are out of bed.

Are you one of those people that would rather hit the snooze as long as possible than get up before the sun and enjoy some alone time?

I have 5 things that I do to help make my morning go smoother and maybe one of them would help you too.

1. If you get your workouts in before the gym gets crowded and you have a gym bag full of stuff you have to take with you, then why not sleep in your workout clothes? I don't have to rush off to a gym because mine is in my basement but I know that the longer I can take to get the coffee going the better, so this really helps me. (I was told by my Dr. that since I have cysts in my breasts, sleeping in a sports bra actually helps with the pain...it does)


2. I know you have heard the whole "make your lunches the night before" but it really is a time saver, heck why stop there, you should prep your whole week on a Sunday and that takes away a lot of the stress from your week. You have better things to do than slave over the stove first thing in the morning, if you prep you'll have breakfasts too. I would go nuts without my prep day!


3. Make a to-do list. I like to do mine on a Sunday also but re-check it every night before bed so in case I need to add or subtract anything. I am a list person!! I make a list for EVERYTHING. It helps me feel calm when life gets out of control. It also gives you an idea of how busy your morning may end up being.


4. DELEGATE, you are just one person and you can not be expected to do everything. Unless you are a control freak like me, then make lists for other people and don't get to crazed if they don't handle it like you would just take a breath and let it go.


5. Now if you wanna feel like your getting one over by hitting that snooze button, then set the alarm a few minutes early but not a lot because you have a wonderful day ahead of you that you can get a lot done before your house is awake and ready for their day.



Well I hope that one of these ideas sounds like something that would help you. I use to not be a morning person but once I started working out and got that endorphin rush in it helped the rest of my day go so much better.


*What do you do to help your morning go smoother?

Is your HEART really in it?

Do you know what your ideal heart rate is? Are you reaching and holding that heart rate through out your workout? Why does your heart rate even matter if you are just weight training?

These are some of the questions I had when my old health coach first suggested I get a heart rate monitor.

First of all, your heart is also a muscle and like all muscles it needs to be used and properly, to be healthy. Knowing what your heart rate should be during a workout is where you should start. How on earth do I do that was my thought! It's pretty simple actually. You just take your age and subtract that from 220, that gives you your max heart rate. To be in your target heart rate, it should be between 55-85% of that number.

Now that you know your number, what should you do about it? You should be trying to reach this number when you workout and hold it there for roughly 30-40 minutes. I'm not saying that if you don't reach that number every time that it is a wasted workout because just being active some days is good but to really get into the fat burning zone your heart has got to be in it.

What are some things you can do to get your heart rate up?

Hiking
If you like to walk but not yet ready to get out there and go for a run, then you can go for a hike. That is a good way to elevate your heart rate for a longer period.

Biking
Indoor or out, going the distance on a bike is a good way to get your heart rate up, especially if you find a hilly path and you put your speed up.

HIIT
High intensity interval training is a quick way to get your heart rate elevated and keep it up. Not all trainers will recommend HIIT to people that are new to physical fitness because it is all about going all out. Example- running for a minute and sprinting for 30 seconds, for roughly 20-30 minutes but no longer.

Weight training
Not a lot of people think lifting weights when it comes to raising your heart rate but it is a great way. You can do high reps with low weight or low reps with high weight and you will be getting the oxygen flowing. If you keep at steady pace with little rest in between you will raise your heart rate while working your muscles. 

What ever it is you enjoy doing just get out there and do it. Eventually you will get the whole heart rate thing under control.


*What's your favorite way to get your heart rate up?

Why a rest day should be a must day

Do you feel guilty if you miss a workout? "I feel just fine working out every day," you say to yourself. I just have an active rest day.

Those are fine and all but to avoid injury sometimes you need to take care of yourself and have a rest day or two.

What happens when you take a rest day?

It gives your body a recovery period, meaning that your tissue that was broken down during your activity, will have time to repair itself. You are also able to build back up your energy levels. 

Having scheduled rest days also help burnout and overtraining from not taking hold. There should be no reason to feel like you need to workout every day. It's healthy to take a break, for your mind and body.


How often should you take a rest day?

I would say that this question can not be answered just one way. This depends on the person. If you are lightly active than I would say you could easily get by with one rest day but if you are a highly active person and your workouts are intense, one is a  must and two might even work.

Sometimes when you are going hard for an extended amount of time then maybe a week of light activity/rest would do you some good.


What are some things to do on a rest day?

You may think that a rest day means you have to lay around on the couch eating ice cream but it doesn't have to. You could try Yoga and stretches. Depending on where you live, you could get outside and do yard work. If you have a dog, take them for a nice walk. Rest days don't have to make you feel like you're missing out.



*What do you do on your rest day?

Should you be using a fitness app?

Are fitness apps there to help us be productive or can they be counterproductive?
In this day and age, it is not uncommon to see people glued to their smartphones or tablets. Of course "there's an app for that!"

I thought that I would explore the pros and cons of the fitness app craze. Do they help our performance or just get in the way?

A very big market
There are so many different apps in the market that are labeled in the health and fitness genera that it can lead to feeling overwhelmed when wanting to find what will work best for you. I am not going to go into detail with all the different specialties, instead, I'm going to just talk in generalities.


I use one...or more, maybe
OK, so when I first started out with fitness I didn't know what I was doing so I turned to YouTube for guidance. Easier to follow along than to go out in uncharted territory. Once I got my bearings and things got going, I wanted to track reps and weight so that I could one up myself the next time around.


What are the benefits
There are many good aspects to using some sort of fitness app. If you are like me and love lists, tracking, and journaling, you can find one that is like that all rolled into one.  Who doesn't want a place to keep accountable for some goal they have? If you can see it consistently then you are more than likely to be encouraged during the journey and end up reaching that goal.


Is there a downside
The most important thing I think there is to remember not to get caught up with the numbers and not get down on yourself if you don't reach that goal right away. It should be all about the journey, so if you keep that in mind then actually finding the right app would be your only downside....oh and internet connection!


I use JEFIT on my Kindle and it gives you workout plans that as you go along you can track the reps and weight and it times your rest for you. bodybuilding.com has kind of the same thing per each workout you pick. Now these are for weightlifting, I'm not sure about just general workouts.

*This is just my opinion on fitness apps and do not want you to think that you need an app to get fit, I just happen to need extra help.

** Do you use a fitness app? What kind?