5 False Food Label Claims

What looks like a healthy choice on the outside isn’t always all it’s wrapped up to be on the inside

By: Paige Greenfield

How to Make the Healthy Choice

Photo Credit: Peter Crowther

As a cyclist, you probably consider yourself a health-savvy shopper. Be warned: A study in the Journal of Marketing reports that those who pay the most attention to food labels are more likely to be duped by false claims.  To make the healthiest choices, scrutinize the nutrition facts and ingredient ­panels, says Joy Dubost, PhD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Here’s how.

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"Made With Real Fruit"

What you see: Made with real fruit

What you get: “There are absolutely no regulations around this claim,” Dubost says. Consider Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Cereal Bars Mixed Berry. Sounds like a solid preride bite. But the made-with-real-fruit filling contains puree concentrate (more like sugar than actual fruit) of blueberries, strawberries, apples, and raspberries.


The solution: The lower a fruit is listed in the ingredients, the less the product contains. “If you want to increase your fruit intake, rely on whole fruits,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, RD, author of Read It Before You Eat It.

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"Lightly Sweetened"

What you see: Lightly sweetened

What you get: Unlike “sugar-free” and “no added sugars,” this claim isn’t regulated by the FDA. It’s easy to be fooled: Wheaties FUEL, a cereal that’s marketed specifically to athletes and carries the lightly sweetened label, contains more sugar per ¾-cup serving (14g) than the same amount of Fruit Loops (9g).


The solution: Check the nutrition facts panel. The American Heart Association recommends that women keep added sugars below 24 grams per day and men aim for less than 36g.

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"Gluten-free"

What you see: Gluten-free

What you get: To make this claim, a product must be made without wheat, barley, or rye. But there have been reports of cross-contamination with gluten-containing grains during growing or manufacturing, says Pamela Cureton, RD, a dietitian at the Center for Celiac Research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.


The solution: Look for a seal from the Gluten-Free Certification Organization, the Celiac Sprue Association, or the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, which test products to ensure they have no gluten.

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"Added Fiber"

What you see: Added fiber

What you get: Though products with this claim do actually pack additional fiber—often listed as polydextrose, inulin (derived from chicory root), or maltodextrin—it’s unknown whether consuming them has the same benefits, such as lowering cholesterol, as the fiber found naturally in whole foods, says Dubost.

The solution: It’s okay to consume added fiber (often found in cereal, yogurt, and energy bars), but too much can cause a ride-derailing bellyache. “Aim for 14 grams per 1,000 calories,” Dubost says.

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"Wild Rice"

What you see: Wild rice

What you get: “True wild rice comes from a plant that’s indigenous to certain lakes and rivers in the Midwest and Canada,” says Peter David, wildlife biologist at the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission in Wisconsin. “Most people eat the kind produced out of California, which may be treated with chemicals.”


The solution: Look for the plant name Zizania palustris on the ingredient list. It packs four times the amount of protein, 73 times the potassium, and 12 times the fiber per serving as its impostor.

Run+Fun= No Burn Out

Pick Your Runs, But Keep it Fun

Posted on July 11, 2012 by David Shumate

Clarion Ledger Online

 

Last year I was signed up for the Chicago Marathon; a marathon known to be a flat course, and typically cooler weather (typically!). My training had gone well and five weeks earlier, I had my second fastest marathon ever in Tupelo, 3 hours 19 minutes. A week later I set another personal record (PR) in a 10k just four weeks before Chicago. But Chicago went badly awry for me. Looking back, I can see a few things that I did wrong that likely were the culprit of my worst marathon ever! I didn’t hydrate properly in the first six miles; I went out way too fast with the A corral even though I was seeded in the B corral. Regardless, I ended up spending time in a medical tent at mile 19 and then at mile 22 where the doctor suggested that I await a bus that carries the wounded to the finisher’s area. I wasn’t going to DNF (did not finish) so I made it in 4 hours and 22 minutes completely disgusted on a day when the weather was pretty good. However, if there was a silver lining at all, I did discover the girls in the 3:45 – 4:30 pace groups seem to have more curves than those in the 3:10 pace group that are shaped more like lumber.
I think my immediate and perhaps lingering reaction for several days afterwards is a common one of runners, “I’ll never run another marathon in my life!” However, after running the Tupelo Marathon just weeks before Chicago, I had qualified and signed up for the Boston Marathon. So seemingly to me, it was unfortunate that I was already signed up for another marathon months away (April 2012). I was convenced that I never wanted to run another one at the end of the Chicago Marathon.
No matter what pace a runner runs, they know when they have bombed a race finishing much slower than expected. When a runner bombs a marathon we typically swear them off. We don’t have a baseball bat or a golf club to hurl into the air, so at worst we may threaten to burn our running shoes. This is more of a symbolic gesture of how deeply dejected we feel.
On the other hand however, if we have a good marathon we are all about plotting out the year and which marathons we may run, because after all, we had fun doing well in the last one. Running is a bit of a festive atmosphere whether it’s a 5k or a marathon or even a group run. You get to see everyone and everyone has different running objectives. The races are a bit of a parade and definitely a participant sport. It can be competitive, yet fun.
If you want to get better, or simply not get burned out, then you have to keep it fun for yourself. This may mean trying different race distances, different training programs, running fewer races or taking a road trip to a race. Road trips are always a fun venue. If you run point races in the Mississippi Track Club, you get to travel to small towns all over the state that often have an annual festival the same day as the 5k. And then there are a lot of running groups. You’ll find these just about any place you go. Running groups know how to keep it fun!
The best place to get started if you’ve never participated in 5ks or group runs are the running shoe stores. In Jackson, there are two: Fleetfeet in Ridgeland and Stinky Feet in Flowood. Both of these locations are ideal if you are thinking about getting into running. They have people that know running and can get you started in the right shoes, which honestly is the most important thing to getting started. They can hook you up with running groups and point you in the running direction you think you may like to go!
So if you are trying to be competitive, how do you keep it fun? One of my favorite running quotes by my friend at the University of Phoenix in Scottsdale, Arizona, Coach Dean Hebert, a gifted runner and coach who specializes in sports psychology says it best, “Set goals, not expectations”
One common denominator of every great coach I have been around, from my daughter’s high school coach to an Olympian is “Keep it fun.” You can do this and be discipline as well. And yes, if you are starting out, it may take a little work, but it does get fun!
This week’s race in Bryam, the Swinging Bridge 5k is an out and back course. Every time I think about this 5k it makes me laugh. In 2005, it was a very muggy sunny day. There were 84 runners and the top five were pretty fast local people, Chuck Engle, Mike Thrailkill, Rob Oates, George Faulk, and Dale Griffin. There were a lot of runners there with agendas, some carrying over from the prior week’s watermelon classic 5k. Here’s how it typically use to go and maybe even occasional now as far as the start of the race. Jack Ward of the Mississippi Track club drags his step ladder to the starting line. Then he beats on the megaphone until it finally works, and gives very good instructions of the course, where to turn, and to be careful. Then the starting gun jams a couple of times and finally it will fire for him. However, in 2005, just before the start, Jack has his hands full while walking up to his ladder. At the same time he is trying to cock the trigger before making announcements and telling the timers to set the clocks. The gun accidently fires while Jack is holding it, shooting himself in the other hand, and runners take off blazing down the road. The starting clocks were not set and Jack has no luck yelling at runners, already a good 100 meters away, to come back. Later after the race was over I asked Jack, “You didn’t really give any instructions today?” He showed me the powder burns on his hand as he told me how he accidentally shot himself with the starting pistol. To this day I still prefer a starting pistol to a starting horn

10 Fitness-Boosting Secrets from America’s Greatest Athletes

Olympians share tips on their favorite exercise moves that you can use in your workout routine
By: The Editors of Men's Health

Secrets From the Best

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Ever wonder what Olympians do to train their bodies for such intense physical performance? (Search: Olympic Workouts) We gathered the 10 best exercises and workouts completed by the top athletes, for the complete list, visit: The Men’s Health Guide to the London 2012 Olympics.

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Speed

Faster acceleration and the ability to maintain peak velocity will boost performance in any game you play.

1. Race the Man in the Mirror
The secret to speed is patience and relaxation, says Tyson Gay, one of the few men to have recently beaten Usain Bolt in the 100 meters. (Video:Train Like Tyson Gay) To perfect your form, Gay recommends running in place in front of a mirror while holding two 15-pound dumbbells. "Make sure your shoulders are relaxed, and let the weights pull your arms into a natural swing," says Gay. Go as hard as you can for 10 seconds. That's 1 set. Rest for 30 seconds and repeat. Do 8 sets.


2. Twist For Quickness
Any sport that depends on trunk rotation for speed and acceleration—from golf to baseball to mixed martial arts—requires a strong, stable core. To train his core, national champion sprint kayaker Ryan Dolan does Russian twists with his feet elevated. Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat. Hold your arms straight out in front of you, palms together. Lean back so your torso is at a 45-degree angle, and raise your feet a few inches off the floor. Now rotate your torso to the right and then the left as fast as you can for 30 seconds. Rest for 30 seconds. That's 1 set; do 2 more.

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Agility

More than razzle-dazzle moves, agility is a winning mix of strength, balance, stability, and superior reaction time.

3. Balance Better
Trey Hardee, the 2011 decathlon world champion, does speed skaters to stay sharp. Stand on your right foot with your left foot behind your right ankle. Bend your right knee and bound to the left, reaching toward the floor with your right hand. Land on your left foot and bring your right foot behind your left ankle. Jump back to the right, landing on your right foot as you reach toward the floor with your left hand. Do 3 sets of 10, resting 30 seconds in between.

4. Cut Faster
To slalom faster through big bodies on the hoops court, forward Carmelo Anthony trains with ladder drills. Create your own warmup by marking off four to eight consecutive 18-inch squares and doing moves that mimic the activity you're about to perform. Hop through as fast as you can for 20 seconds, going forward and backward. Then mix it up: left leg only, right leg only, sideways, high knees. Do 10 sets with 20 seconds' rest after each.

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Power

Technically, power is defined as force times distance over time. Informally, it's the speed at which you can use your strength.

5. Forge Total-Body Fitness
At 5'7" and 185 pounds, 2012 national weightlifting champion and 2008 Olympian Kendrick Farris can clean-and-jerk 447 pounds—the equivalent of hoisting an adult black bear over his head. Like all Olympic lifts, the clean and jerk is highly technical, but you can learn a version called the high pull, which delivers many of the same total-body benefits. (More: Try one of our total-body workouts!) Grab a barbell using a shoulder-width, overhand grip, and hold it at midshin; keep your feet flat, hips back, shoulders down, and chest out. The first part of the high pull is a deadlift, but instead of stopping when the bar reaches your thighs, continue the upward trajectory with a powerful shoulder shrug, and rise up on your toes. Bend your elbows to allow the bar to come up to chest level. Do 3 sets of 5, resting 2 minutes in between.

6. Snatch Speed And Strength
World champion high jumper Jesse Williams doesn't lift weights in competition, but he depends on lifting. "The stronger you are in the Olympic lifts, the quicker you're able to put force into the ground to jump," he says. His go-to move is the snatch; the best regular-guy version is the dumbbell single-arm snatch. Hold a dumbbell in your right hand just below knee height, with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Thrust your hips forward as you straighten your knees, shrug your shoulders, and rise up on your toes. Let momentum carry the weight to chest height as you bend your elbow. Now rotate your upper arm and push your hips back so your body dips as your arm straightens. The weight will be over your shoulder and your legs straight. Do 3 sets of 5 reps with each arm.

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Stamina

If you can maintain your performance as your rivals weaken, it almost guarantees that you'll win more often than not.

7. Win with Consistency
Don't try to match miles with Olympic marathoner Meb Keflezighi, who runs 100-plus of them every week. Instead, focus on maintaining a consistent pace with his once-a-week interval drill. "You'll run with more composure, which will help you run faster," he says. Warm up at an easy pace for 1 mile. Time yourself as you run 8 quarter-mile repeats, each at the fastest pace you can maintain for the entire drill. Your rest period is the same as your quarter-mile pace. Finish with a relaxing 2-mile jog.


8. Climb Pyramids
Pyramid schemes have a justifiably bad rep in finance. But pyramid intervals are a great way to work up to your maximum heart rate. Rower Dan Walsh, a 2008 bronze medalist, does six 10-minute intervals on the rowing machine, starting with 18 strokes a minute on the first and working up to 24 a minute by the fourth. Then he works back down to 18 for the final interval. Sixty minutes of this is all-pro level, but you can use the pyramid technique for any endurance sport, with any interval length. Shoot for 20 minutes of short intervals (30 to 60 seconds) or 30 minutes of longer challenges. Just make sure you hit your fastest pace in the middle interval, and work at an easy pace for at least a minute in between.

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Strength

Performance depends on the muscle you build in the weight room and the skill-specific practice that allows you to use it.

9. Wrangle a Stronger Core
To strengthen his core and shoulders, swimmer Michael Phelps uses this battling-rope circuit. Do the first exercise for 30 to 45 seconds, rest 15 seconds, and move on to the next. When you've done all three, rest 1 minute and then do two more circuits. Grab a rope end in each hand and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. This is the starting position for all three exercises. Up and down: Make waves by lifting and lowering both arms as fast and hard as you can while keeping the rest of your body braced. In and out: Move your arms out to either side and back in as fast and hard as you can, creating lateral waves. Alternating: Do the up-and-down wave, but alternate arms so one is up when the other is down.


10. Build Lean Muscle
Middle-distance runners need to be strong and lean. That's why Lopez Lomong, a 2008 Beijing Olympian in the 1,500 meters, does this circuit, holding a 25-pound kettlebell in each hand at arm's length: 1) Walk 50 yards; rest 5 seconds. 2) Do 10 squats; rest 5 seconds. 3) Do 10 lunges with each leg; rest 2 minutes. Repeat for a total of three circuits

4 New Fast Food Items to Avoid

We’re all for the occasional indulgence, but some chains are taking “junk food” to a whole new level—and a downright revolting one, at that. These concoctions should never (ever, ever) cross your lips
By: Molly Raisch

Photo Credit: Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut's Hot Dog Pizza

Love pizza? What about hot dogs? How about them together?! We’re sad to say there is such a thing. Pizza Hut restaurants in the United Kingdom recently unveiled a new offering of a “Hot Dog Stuffed Crust” pizza on its delivery menu. Bite into the crust and end up with a mouthful of salty, processed meat along with your mouthful of dough. For now, you won’t be able to get these stateside, but stay tuned. In the meantime, we say: God save the Queen…from a heart attack!

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Photo Credit: Taco Bell

Taco Bell’s Doritos Locos Tacos

Loco indeed. Earlier this year, Taco Bell unveiled the Doritos Locos Tacos, which combines their signature Taco Supreme—full of gut-busting ground meat, cheese, and sour cream—with a new shell made from Nacho Cheese Doritos chips. Need we say more?

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Photo Credit: Burger King

Burger King's Bacon Sundae

A bacon-topped vanilla ice-cream sundae was recently added to Burger King's national menu after a test run in Tennessee. Unfortunately, the bacon-overload craze isn’t limited to Burger King: Jack in the Box has a bacon-flavored milkshake that racks up 773 calories, 40 grams of fat, and 75 grams of sugar in just one 16-ounce order.

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Photo Credit: KFC

KFC's Double Down

While it’s smart to avoid white bread, we’re not sure that’s what KFC had in mind when they created the Double Down. This “one-of-a-kind” sandwich swaps bread for two slabs of fried chicken. And it doesn’t stop there: the rest of the sandwich consists of two slices of bacon, Monterey and pepper jack cheese, and some sort of special creamy sauce. It tallies up to 32 grams of fat and 1390 milligrams of sodium per sandwich.

The Worst Summer Exercise Mistakes

Warm weather is the ultimate motivation to get outside and start moving. But don’t get burned by these hot weather slip-ups

By: Emily G. W. Chau

Photo Credit: Thinkstock

summer exercise mistakes intro

You don’t have to be a meteorologist to know this summer is going to be a hot one. Outdoor exercise is a perk of warmer days, but when temperatures skyrocket, you’re at greater risk for dehydration, sunburn, and even chafing. But staying safe (and comfortable) in the sun requires more than just the occasional slap of sunscreen. Here, the 11 worst summer exercise habits that’ll leave you hot and bothered—and how to fix them.

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Photo Credit: Hilmar Hilmar

Drinking Hot Coffee Before Your Run

Sure, drinking java has been shown to help you run faster and work out longer, but you might want to limit your prejog joe during the summer months. The caffeine in coffee acts as a diuretic and may increase your chances of dehydration if you drink more than 5 cups. And, if you like your brew hot, you could be hurting your performance. A study published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that cooling your body before a run could enhance performance. People who drank an ice-cold slushie before working out in the heat were able to run longer and felt less exhausted than those who drank cold water.

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Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Wearing Too Loose Clothing

No one wants to feel like their legs are stuck in spandex sausage casing, but sprinting around with flapping shorts can increase your chances of chafing. Add summer sweat to the mix and you’ll exacerbate the burn. If you’re prone to chafing, invest in BodyGlide or petroleum jelly and try wearing spandex underneath your running shorts, says Chris Travers, an exercise physiologist at the Cleveland Clinic. When picking out a pair, you don’t want the fit to be too tight or too loose—both will create friction and rubbing. Take a look at the seams to make sure that they’re not too rough or raised.

Another tip from Travers: The stiffness of brand-new clothing can up your chances of chafing, so give them a wash before wearing.

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Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Not Eating After a Workout

When it’s hot as blazes, you may find your cravings for heavy, filling foods falls by the wayside. The appetite-curbing power of heat holds true after a workout, too. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who worked out in hotter temperatures (97°F) ate 300 fewer calories at their next meal than those who exercised in cooler temps (77°F). While cutting back on calories isn’t necessarily a bad thing, be mindful to refuel properly after your workout. You should eat a snack that has both carbs and protein within 30 minutes after your workout to replenish your glycogen (aka quick energy) supply, as well as to stop your muscles from breaking down. For people who don’t feel like eating at all after a summer workout, try replenishing with liquid calories, such as a sports drink containing whey protein, recommends Chris Mohr, PhD, RD, of Mohr Results in Louisville, KY. You’re getting in needed calories and rehydrating your body.

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Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Wearing a Hot, Black Number

Black exercise tanks may be slimming, but they trap heat. “Darker clothes are going to hold more heat than lighter-colored outfits, so you’re going to want to avoid the blacks, dark blues, and dark grays when it’s sunny out,” says Travers. While it’s true that darker clothes tend to block the sun’s UV rays better than lighter options, sports apparel companies are making tops treated with chemicals that add UV protection. Merino wool products also naturally block the sun’s rays better than other fabric blends. Stay cool and still look chic with Icebreaker’s GT Run Rush tank in ember or cove. The lightweight merino wool shirts are wrinkle-free, naturally anti-odor, protect you from UV rays, and are cute, to boot.

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Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Forgetting to Hydrate at the Pool

Playing in water isn’t the same as drinking it. “Because swimmers are in the water, it can be easy to overlook how much water the body loses through sweat as compared with exercise on land,” says Jeffrey Chu, a swim coach with the Three Village Swim Club in East Setauket, NY, and a member of the USA Swimming National Committee for Safety Education. When you can’t feel your sweat, your body misses its cue to hydrate. Plus, because water transfers heat more quickly than air, swimming in warm water can make it harder for you to dissipate heat produced while working out. It’s harder for you to cool off, making it all the more important to stay hydrated.

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Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Only Drinking Water During Your Workout

Whether you’re in the water or on land, you’re probably already slightly dehydrated by the time you feel thirsty. To avoid muscle cramps and dehydration, you need to drink up before, during, and after your sweat session. Drink 17 to 20 ounces of water 2 to 3 hours before you workout and gulp another 8 ounces during your warm-up. While exercising, you should take in another 7 to 10 ounces every 15 minutes or so. When you’re done, remember to rehydrate and weigh yourself: Drink 8 ounces in the 30 minutes following a workout, and an additional 16 to 24 ounces for every pound of water weight you sweated out.

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Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Trying to Reach a New PR

Everything tends to slow down in the summer, including your split times. It’s for good reason, too: Trying to reach a new PR in hot conditions isn’t just unrealistic, it’s also dangerous. When you’re exerting yourself in warmer temperatures, core temperatures rise faster, as does your heart rate—putting you at risk for heat stress. [When you run on a hot day], “you perspire more, so you’re losing fluids and electrolytes at a more rapid rate, and it’s harder to breathe when it’s humid outside,” says Travers.

Instead of focusing solely on how fast you’re running, tune in to how your body is feeling. Keeping track of your heart rate might be a better indicator of how hard you’re working as compared with how fast you’re running. If you’re going to go out for a hard run, or for speed work, you’re better off going early in the morning or even taking it indoors.

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Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Going Shirtless

When you’re sweating buckets, it sure feels a lot nicer to lose the cotton shirt, but you’re also putting yourself at greater risk for sun damage. Whether your shirt is on or off, make sure you apply at least 1 ounce (the amount it takes to fill a shot glass) of sunscreen on all exposed parts, recommends the American Academy of Dermatology. Slather on a sweat-proof lotion with an SPF of 30 or higher.

For additional coverage, wear a wicking shirt, like the TNP T by Under Armour. “Shirts like these have sunscreen built in,” says Mohr, who is also a spokesperson for Under Armour. “They cool you and protect you—so that’s a win-win.”

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Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Sleeping In

Lazy weekends are nice, but don’t even think about pushing off your morning sweat session by an hour during the summer. It gets too hot, too fast, and you’re putting yourself at greater risk for heat exhaustion. Avoid exercising outside from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.—the hottest times of the day—and aim to head out early in the morning or during the evening when the temperatures are cooler.

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Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Cycling Without a Helmet…

It can be tempting to toss your helmet when it’s humid out, but committing this cardinal safety sin won’t actually make you any cooler. Ball State University researchers found that cyclists who wore helmets in hot-dry conditions and hot-humid conditions were no hotter than those who went helmetless. However, some helmets do trap heat—especially if you’re using one from 6 or 7 years ago. So pick one that maximizes airflow. “Try on a helmet, then look in a mirror,” says Don Palermini, director of marketing at Bell Sports. “If you can see through the top few vents and out the back of the helmet—something good channeling allows—then it's likely you'll be more comfortable.”

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Photo Credit: Thinkstock

…Or Choosing the Wrong One

Contrary to what you might think, more vents in a helmet don’t equal better cooling. Fewer large vents that connect to channels within the helmet liner help air flow better than a lot of smaller vents that let air in, but don’t direct it out. It also helps to match your helmet to the kind of cycling you do, says Palermini. A good mountain bike helmet generally has larger, wider vents on top that help dissipate heat when you are moving at slow speeds, like when you're climbing a steep trail. A good road cycling helmet tends to have longer vents that do a better job at moving air through when you are going faster.

10 Ways To Recover Quickly After Exercise

What to Do After Exercise to Speed Exercise Recovery

By Elizabeth Quinn, About.com Guide

Updated March 02, 2011

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

Use a foam roller for myofascial release and massaging tight muscles

Photo � E. Quinn

Rest and recovery is an essential part of any workout routine. Your after exercise recovery routine has a big impact on your fitness gains and sports performance and allows you to train much more effectively. Unfortunately, most people don't have an after exercise recovery plan. Here are some tips to get your post-workout plans on track.

Why Recovery After Exercise Is Important¹

Recovery after exercise is essential to muscle and tissue repair and strength building. This is even more critical after a heavy weight training session. A muscle needs anywhere from 24 to 48 hours to repair and rebuild, and working it again too soon simply leads to tissue breakdown instead of building. For weight training routines, never work the same muscles groups two days in a row.

10 Ways To Recover Quickly After Exercise

There are as many methods of recovery as there are athletes. The following are some of the most commonly recommended by the experts.

1. Cool Down². Cooling down simply means slowing down (not stopping completely) after exercise. Continuing to move around at a very low intensity for 5 to 10 minutes after a workout helps remove lactic acid from your muscles and may reduce muscles stiffness. warming up and cooling down are more helpful in cooler temperatures or when you have another exercise session or an event later the same day.
2. Replace Fluids³. You lose a lot of fluid during exercise and ideally, you should be replacing it during exercise, but filling up after exercise is an easy way to boost your recovery. Water supports every metabolic function and nutrient transfer in the body and having plenty of water will improve every bodily function. Adequate fluid replacement is even more important for endurance athletes who lose large amounts of water during hours of sweating.
3. Eat Properly⁴. After depleting your energy stores with exercise, you need to refuel if you expect your body to recover, repair tissues, get stronger and be ready for the next challenge. This is even more important if you are performing endurance exercise day after day or trying to build muscle. Ideally, you should try to eat within 60 minutes of the end of your workout and make sure you include some high-quality protein and complex carbohydrate.
4. Stretch⁵. After a tough workout, consider gentle stretching. This is a simple and fast way to help your muscles recover.
5. Rest⁶. Time is one of the best ways to recover (or heal) from just about any illness or injury and this also works after a hard workout. Your body has an amazing capacity to take care of itself if you allow it some time. Resting and waiting after a hard workout allows the repair and recovery process to happen at a natural pace. It's not the only thing you can or should do to promote recovery, but sometimes doing nothing is the easiest thing to do.
6. Perform Active Recovery⁷. Easy, gentle movement improves circulation which helps promote nutrient and waste product transport throughout the body. In theory, this helps the muscles repair and refuel faster.
7. Have a Massage⁸. Massage feels good and improves circulation while allowing you to fully relax. You can also try self-massage and Foam Roller Exercises for Easing Tight Muscles⁹ and avoid the heavy sports massage price tag.
8. Take an Ice Bath¹⁰. Some athletes swear by ice baths, ice massage or contrast water therapy (alternating hot and cold showers) to recover faster, reduce muscle soreness and prevent injury. The theory behind this method is that by repeatedly constricting and dilating blood vessels helps remove (or flush out) waste products in the tissues. Limited research has found some benefits of contrast water therapy¹¹ at reducing delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)¹².How to use contrast water therapy: While taking your post-exercise shower, alternate 2 minutes of hot water with 30 seconds of cold water. Repeat four times with a minute of moderate temperatures between each hot-cold spray. If you happen to have a spa with hot and cold tubs available, you can take a plunge in each for the same time.
   
9. Get Lots of Sleep¹³. While you sleep, amazing things are taking place in your body. Optimal sleep is essential for anyone who exercises regularly. During sleep, your body produces Growth Hormone (GH)¹⁴ which is largely responsible for tissue growth and repair.
10. Avoid Overtraining¹⁵. One simple way to recovery faster is by designing a smart workout routine in the first place. Excessive exercise, heavy training at every session or a lack of rest days will limit your fitness gains from exercise and undermine your recovery efforts.

Listen to Your Body for a Faster Recovery

The most important thing you can do to recovery quickly is to listen to your body. If you are feeling tired, sore or notice decreased performance you may need more recovery time or a break from training altogether. If you are feeling strong the day after a hard workout, you don't have to force yourself to go slow. If you pay attention, in most cases, your body will let you know what it needs, when it needs it. The problem for many of us is that we don't listen to those warnings or we dismiss them with our own self talk ("I can't be tired, I didn't run my best yesterday" or "No one else needs two rest days after that workout; they'll think I'm a wimp if I go slow today.").

A "How-to" Manual for Beginning Walkers

Moving is Basic

No matter what our fitness level, most of us at least think about getting started with our own fitness program when those around us are excited. This is especially true in January when everyone is making New Year's resolutions. For lots of folks, that initial enthusiasm wanes when the demands of work and home increase, if the weather is gloomy or at the first signs of overwork/overload fatigue.
On the other hand, regular exercise makes a person more productive and energized and, as the days get shorter and rainier, it's the perfect anecdote to keep the doldrums at bay. Consistent exercise can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, increase stamina, lower body fat and help manage blood sugar for diabetics.
So, how is a busy person supposed to successfully make walking a regular part of their daily routine?
Start by remembering that moving is basic. You were designed for motion. Have a plan that fits your current fitness level. You'll enjoy physical changes and re-energize your ability to get out and engage the world. It's never too late to start (or start over!).
8 Steps for Success

1. If you're over 40 or if you have any chronic disease (asthma, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, etc.), visit or call your physician for the okay to begin an exercise program.
2. Get a good pair of running or walking shoes. Avoid cross trainers, aerobic shoes or any footwear that's been in your closet for more than a year. Make sure you have a thumb's width of length between your longest toe and the end of the shoe and, when you're standing up, make sure your foot isn't wider than to sole of the shoe.
3. Start and end each workout at a slow stroll (not too much faster than window shopping). The middle of your walk should be brisk enough so you know you're working harder, but not so hard you couldn't easily carry on a conversation.
4. Pain is an indication from your body that something is wrong and needs to change. Perhaps you are doing too much too soon (the #1 cause of injury). Apply ice to the sore area for 10-15 minutes, twice a day. Avoid frostbite by using a cloth between the ice and your skin or, if you are using an ice cup directly applied to the area, monitor your skin and keep the ice in constant motion. Take a couple days off and start back with less time or distance and flat terrain. If your pain continues, seek competent medical advice. Find a qualified health care provider who is familiar with exercisers — a sports medicine physician, physical therapist, etc. You deserve to get the help you need in order to accomplish your exercise goals.
5. Obey the "5-Minute Rule": Unless you are ill (i.e., you have a fever), you have to put on your workout clothes and you have to get yourself out the door for at least 5 minutes. If after 5 minutes you can't or don't want to complete your workout, go home guilt-free. Tomorrow, try again.
6. Progress at a modest pace. Remember that "more" is not necessarily better. Add 0-10% of your total weekly time or distance to the next week's schedule. (If you walked 20 minutes 3 times and 30 minutes 2 times for a total of 120 minutes, add no more than 12 minutes to the next week.) Always allow yourself to repeat the same schedule for consecutive weeks if that is what feels right to your body. The programs included below can successfully progress at a slower rate. If your body wants to accomplish the 8-Week program in 10 weeks, do so and call it "good." Consistency is the key!!
7. Reward your consistency. Every workout counts even if you have to try and try again to get yourself into a regular routine. If you're a beginner, a quarter mile (one lap of a track) is a big deal. Give yourself a quarter for each quarter mile you walk and spend your monthly earnings on a movie or a new sweater or a favorite author's newest book.
8. Attitude is everything. Though it may be a challenge to get started, there isn't much any of us can do on that is as inexpensive, potentially enjoyable and which will so positively impact our health and well-being as putting our body in motion. You have my permission to "whine" for an entire minute! But, then you have to switch to positive self-talk and to make obstacles into challenges! You'll be amazed at how this positive energy will spill over into the rest of your day.