Showing posts with label Workout Tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Workout Tips. Show all posts

10 Sins Of A Morning Workout You Didn’t Know


Morning workouts are hands down the best physical gift that you can give to your body. It has been shown to reduce depression, CVD, cancer, boost your energy levels, reduce stress, and in some instances delay the aging process. And most importantly, when you get your workout done first thing in the morning there is no chance that you'll get too tired or busy to skip it later. 

On the flip side, there are multiple pitfalls that can fly in the face of your workout progress. Make sure not to make there errors during your early exercise They include but not limited to; 

Inadequate Sleep 

Doctors recommend that every person have at least 8 hours of sleep every day. This is for one simple reason, to allow your body re-energize and rejuvenate. If you are looking to exercise in the morning, it would be counterproductive to wake up feeling excessively tired as a result of sacrificing your sleep. 

Disrupted sleep cycles have been shown to arouse cancer growth by elevating melatonin hormone levels. 

Skipping The Warm-Up 

While doing moderate work out in the morning you can afford to skip warm-up. However, if you are indulging in HIIT, you risk injury by forfeiting warm-up. 

It is important to note that a human body takes a maximum of 15 seconds of warm up and muscular contractions to attain 1°C temperature. A good warm-up session should help your body temperature shoot by between 1-2°C. 

This temperature range is enough to trigger sweating which is all that is required to warm up your body. 

By doing this before your morning exercise, you will be increasing the blood flow to the cardinal muscles hence averting unnecessary injuries. 

Working Out In A Restricted Range Of Motion 

A human body is a symmetry composition. In simple terms, it is like a jigsaw puzzle word that can’t work in isolation. Most people focus on working out certain body parts say the chest alienating the others parts. As a result, this imbalance leads to weaknesses in certain parts of the body with the back taking the largest share. 

High-intensity workouts work magic in defining your whole body muscles at the same time enhancing your aerobic fitness. It's not advisable to concentrate on just a single form of exercise. However, if it’s all you have time for always settle for high-intensity workout. 

You Do Your Cardio First Before Strength Training

Stepping foot into the gym to get stronger and add muscles is everyone’s dream. However, taking shortcuts is not only detrimental but counterproductive. 

If your main aim is to pack on muscles and getting stronger, never start by doing cardio and close the session with strength training. Although there’s nothing wrong with that, we always advise this to help you reserve energy for the weightlifting sessions. It can also be safer to have more energy during your weightlifting so you don't injure yourself due to fatigue.

Equating Working Out To A Punishment Or A Chore 

The sooner you realize that your workout doesn’t owe you any explanation the better off you will be. For this reason, once you start your morning workout, don’t take it as a chore but as a small step toward a healthy life. 

A workout is more than just putting on your Under Armour running shoes and running five kilometers every morning and lifting the heaviest weight your gym can afford. Coming with the right attitude and mental determination also plays a hand in reaching your overall goals. 

Not Tracking Workout Progress Or Diet

As the famous saying goes “if you want to manage anything successfully, you must be able to measure it”. 

Always take note of everything in your morning workout routine. Otherwise, how would you even know whether you are making any progress? Make sure to keep your progress quantifiable.

Everything from the type of exercise, number of reps did, and even minutes spent on each. You can also keep pictorial evidence by taking photos and periodically measuring your body fat percentage. 

This helps highlight your achievements and failures and know where to adjust accordingly. 

A case in example, if you start a new diet regime and the results aren’t reflected in your physique you will know where and what to adjust. 

Lack Of Consistency 

Most are the days we wake feeling lazy, tired and lethargy surrounding us. However, we tend to overlook the fact that building the body of our dreams is pretty simple: 

It entails honoring our commitments. If you commit to working out in the morning for three days a week, slot it in your calendar and ensure that you actually do it. If it’s proving to be unattainable, cut your routine to few days and never skip it. 

You Arrive Undernourished

Whoever started peddling the illusion that working out without eating anything deserves a lifetime jail term. Always keep it in the back of your mind that it doesn't help you burn fat and it’s not only doesn't work not only for you but for everyone. 

Studies have shown that having a snack before hitting the gym greatly improve the fat burning capability of your body. 

What’s the moral of the story? Always take your breakfast or snack before hitting that morning workout session. 

Your Workouts Are Super Predictable 

The only thing that is allowed to be predictable in this world are death and taxes, not your workout. Many are the times we tend to focus on working out without variation. What happens next (God forgive us) we slide down the boredom road and reach a fitness plateau. 

Our nervous system and system kick into adaptation mode and we seize to make any progress. All you have to do is shake things up and try to incorporate various workout programs whose ripple effects cants be underestimated. 

Following A Failed Fitness Trainer. 

Many are the times we always to fall into a Utopian world by relying on the trainer's past record which shouldn't be the case. Even if they were Mr. Universe or Ms Olympia during their prime and they are out of shape now, never hire them. 

As a general rule of thumb, your trainer should be the beacon of health and wellness that you look up to. 

They don’t necessarily have to be tip top all year round, but if you can hone some workout stunts they can’t, how do you expect them to help you transform? 

Final Thoughts 

Time wasted is never recovered. Who said that you have to spend your morning working out by engaging in ineffective methods? Bill Starr once an Olympic weightlifting champion said, "Endurance and persistence generate progress.” Work towards fixing these workout mistakes and reap the most out of your morning workout. 


I hope you enjoyed this article about how to make sure your morning workout is effective while still staying on a budget.

Interested in more articles about frugal fitness workouts? 

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- Wellness Benefits Of Playing Golf Consistently

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How A Daily Workout Can Solve Your Body Problem

frugal fitness daily workout improve body problems exercise training

People complaining of low energy levels, muscle stiffness, low back and neck pain, etc. are increasing day by day. Many of us have even accepted these issues as part of our life. Many a time we don't even bother to visit any doctor. In the long term, these smaller problems get converted into major body problems. One important thing that we overlook is that most of these body problems are due to our unhealthy lifestyle. Eating junk food, little or zero workout, improper sleep, incorrect posture, etc. are some examples of living an unhealthy lifestyle. 

What if I tell you that there is a very simple solution available that will help you in preventing such body problems. And most of us already know it. Well, the answer is regular exercise or any other physical activity. Yes, we all know that exercise keeps our body, mind, and soul healthy. 

Many people think that only overweight people need to exercise regularly. It's not true. Regular exercise is beneficial for everyone, irrespective of age or gender. Exercise is good for our heart, brain, muscles, bones, and joints. People who exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet have lesser chances of getting ill as compared to those who don't exercise. 

If you want to keep yourself physically and mentally fit and want to avoid body problems like joint pains, stiffness, back pain, hypertension, weight issue, insomnia, stress, etc. follow one golden rule. EXERCISE REGULARLY. 

If you are still not convinced, keep reading. 

1. Positive Effects Of Regular Exercise On Our Body 

We all know that burning calories help in weight loss. What could be a better way to burn calories other than regular exercise. The number of calories burnt is directly proportional to the intensity of the workout. A healthy diet and regular workout go hand-in-hand as far as controlling weight or reducing weight are concerned. 

Going to a gym is always a good option for a workout, but it's not the only option. Doing physical activity is more important. It can be done in any form. Running, jogging, dancing, aerobics, yoga, playing outdoor games, etc., are only a few examples of physical activities. Each of these activities results in burning calories. 

Besides the above-mentioned physical activities, there are other ways in which you can burn some of those extra calories. For this, you just have to replace some of your existing habits with new ones. Like taking stairs instead of the escalator, walking, or riding a bicycle instead of a car for shorter distances, etc. No matter whichever physical activity you chose, one thing that is mandatory to get a fruitful result is 'consistency.' Just be regular with your workout regime. 

2. Exercise Boosts Energy 

Blood carries oxygen in the body. Exercise increases blood circulation in the entire body. As a result, cells get more oxygen. Regular exercise increases muscle strength. Exercise increases our muscle endurance, which further helps in preventing muscle pains, reducing stress and fatigue. Studies have shown that regular physical activities boost energy levels in the body. 

In the initial stages of your physical activity, you might get tired soon. Don't give up. Continue with your exercise regime, and within a few days, you would find them less tiresome. With time, our body gets accustomed to our daily workout routine, and we would feel energized and physically fit. 

3. Stronger Resilience 

The graph of our life is full of ups and downs. To survive in this world, we face various challenges in our lifetime. These challenges can be physical, emotional, and even mental. In extreme situations, we even give up and become victims of bad habits like smoking, alcohol, or drugs. Once addicted, it becomes tough to leave such addictions. These habits are bad for our physical as well as mental well-being. 

A healthy way to cope with the stress during such a situation is to get involved in any kind of physical activity. Exercise or physical activity not only relaxes our mind but also helps in clearing out negative thoughts. We can think better with a clear and calm mind. 

4. Maintains Immune Functioning 

How often we get sick depends a lot on how strong is our immune system. Our immune system not only fights infections but also helps in fighting stress. With age, our immune system becomes weak. Studies have shown that people who do regular exercise have a stronger immune system as compared to those who don't. Exercise boosts the cells that fight with the infection. 

Hence if you want to prevent cold, cough, seasonal fever, or other bacterial infection, exercise regularly and increase your body's immunity. 

5. Builds Aerobic Power 

Aerobic power of the body refers to the maximum capacity of the body to work by breathing on oxygen and taking it to various tissues of the body. 

Studies have shown that every year, our body aerobic power reduces by 1%. Hence, by the age of 70 years, our body's aerobic power gets reduced by 30%. Studies have shown that long and short term exercise can reduce this loss by almost 50%. This itself gives us a very good reason to do a workout regularly. 

6. Keeps Bones Strong 

With age, our bones become become weaker. As per studies, around 1% of bone mineral is lost by our body. Regular exercise helps in keeping our bones strong. If the aim of the exercise is strengthening bones, then you should go for resistance training. These training sessions focus on weight lifting. If you are planning to start resistance training, it is better to do it under the guidance of a professional trainer. Initial Resistance training sessions start with lighter weights, which are increased with time until our body reaches its maximum capacity to lift the weight. 

7. Exercise Promotes Better Sleep 

Exercise improves sleep quality. If you exercise during the daytime, you will enjoy good sleep during the night. However, doing exercise before going to bed is highly avoidable. Peaceful and quality sleep is essential for our body. It prepares our body and mind to carry out next day chores.

How To Get In The Zone When You Workout

how to stay in the zone during your workout


There are two kinds of fuel to your workout. There Is the critical nutritional fuel you need to keep your body going. Then there Is the motivational fuel you need to keep your mind going. After all, it is the mind that convinces the body to move and to keep moving. If you can’t convince the mind, you will have a harder time convincing the body. So, let’s look at some of the ways you can get your mind in the zone and make your workout last longer, go easier, and work better.

The Road Ahead 

Progression is an incredibly important element to the human psychology. If we feel like we are getting something, we are reaching something, or we are seeing measurable differences, we are likely to continue doing what helped us get there. With exercise, however, it is not always to see progression. It can be a slow progress. Whether losing weight or building muscle, taking progress pictures of yourself can be a great help. But before that, make the difference measurable. If you are running, for instance, set running goals of new distances to reach, new records to set in terms of time, or new endurance records showing how long you could stay on your feet for. As you see yourself push your boundaries further and further, it creates a momentum that makes the work all the more rewarding. 

Listen Up 

Setting goals and measuring your progress can work fantastically in the long run. But what about in the short-term? The brain can be tricked into tolerating all kinds of hardship with the right stimulus, and it just so happens that for exercise, music is one of the best stimuli out there. Find the best headphones for running, set up a playlist of upbeat, high-tempo songs that keep a consistent rhythm, and get going. Music distracts you from the physical effort, helps you keep pace, elevates your mood, and has even been proven to make people try even harder and push even further when it comes to their exercise. It instantly changes the experience of working out. 

Use A Helping Hand 

The right company can be just as effective as music. If you’re new to working out or running, then inviting a friend along is one of the best steps you can take. If they are a little more experienced, they can offer tips to make it as smooth as possible. Otherwise, friends are great at keeping people accountable. 

When you feel like you are part of a group effort, you are less likely to heed your own desires to stop, slow down, or take a break. What’s more, good company increases endorphin production in the brain, which makes the body feel better. In time, your body produces enough of those during a workout to keep you self-sustaining, but if you need a little help to get to that point, it is not big deal. 

Get In The Zone And Stay In The Zone

The right mindset can truly make all the difference to your exercise. Without motivation, it is too easy to avoid making the hard choice and get back into it the next morning or to decide to call an early break. Fitness is mental, not just physical. Remember that when you are working out.


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What Happens When You Exercise After a Long Time

what happens when you exercise after a long time workout hiatus

No matter how hard you try to stay committed to your workout routines, a period where you are forced to take a break is inevitable. At any given time, circumstances beyond your control could force you to quit exercising temporarily. Examples of this can include instances when you suffer from an injury or an illness. 

In other situations, laziness and vacation plans can also interrupt your exercise routine. 

Whatever the case may be, fitness freaks often strive to bounce straight back to the training ground after missing their sets and reps for a while. The big question is now: what happens when you exercise after a long time away from it? 

A lot of strange things will happen to your body when you restart your workouts after taking a long break from the gym. 

Your body will tend to lose its good condition due to the long period of physical inactivity. Here are some things to expect after an extended break. 

Things That Happen To Your Body When You Stop Exercise 

During training sessions, your muscle fibers push and pull against one another. This causes your muscles to ache, giving rise to the pains experienced after exercise. 

The push and pull motions between fibers leading to muscle tear. The good news is that when a muscle fiber tears, it usually triggers a self-repair and regrows itself bigger and stronger. This is made possible through the creation of denser fibers. 

When you take a long break from training, the muscle fibers in your body gradually lose their strength and flexibility. The whole situation works in a similar way to Lamarck's theory of use and disuse of body parts. If you don't actively use part of your body, it will atrophy (weaken). 

When you finally return to the gym to restart your training activities, it's advisable to calibrate your workout intensities and start from a low intensity. 

Returning to your normal exercise schedule means that you're going to start stressing your muscles again, leading to micro-tears in your muscle fibers. This must happen before your muscle mass will be built up again. Click on additional information to learn how to build muscle mass with anabolic steroids. 

What Happens When You Start Exercising Again? 

When you start your routine again, you will be more prone to injuries since the flexibility of your muscles has not been fully restored. The level of synovial fluid (in the joints) reduces when you go into hibernation mode. In turn, this will limit the degree of movement of your joints, further increasing the risk of injuries. 

To make sure you restart your routines on a good note, do aerobic warm-up activities to reduce the risk of injuries. 

Hopefully, after working out for 3 to 4 weeks, your muscles, as well as your ligaments and tendons, will start to regain their elasticity. Only after that should you think of increasing the intensity of your exercise. 

On the cardiovascular system, the blood supply to the skeletal and muscular systems will increase after 2 to 3 weeks when you restart exercising. Your muscles will require more oxygen to function properly. 

Overall, doing cardio exercise will significantly boost the efficiency of your circulatory system. Your heart will begin to function at its best since your blood pressure will likely go down to optimal levels. 

Conclusion: What Happens When You Exercise After A Long time? 

It's always a good thing to return to the gym. Apart from regaining your lost muscle mass, you will also enjoy a positive emotional state. Exercise releases endorphins. These are peptide hormones that reduce anxiety and stress. 

But if you approach the restarted routines with extreme workouts, the experience may not be good. You could injure yourself or deal with high levels of lactic acid in your muscles.

To lessen the risks of injuries, start with low-intensity exercises and progress from there. In addition to that, warm-ups should be part and parcel of your daily workout.

How Smoking Weed Helps With Working Out

smoking weed and working out high baked bodybuilding

When you think of any weed, there is a certain kind of image that springs to mind. One that doesn't often pair up with the typical picture of a healthy lifestyle.

But did you know through exercising, the body produces its own natural THC? So the ideas are not as far apart as you may think.

In fact, there are a lot of different ways that weed benefits your everyday workout routine. And you can definitely get your supply of weed from the web or your local dispensary.

Hard to believe that smoking pot can help improve your workout gains? Keep reading to learn more about how smoking weed and working out mesh together for a better exercise experience.


Talk to Your Doctor Before Beginning Any New Regimen

This advice is good no matter how you decide to change your routine. Adding something new to your workout needs careful consideration. Working out high is no different from anything else.
Before you begin adding weed to your lifestyle, speak with your doctor. Be honest with them and let them know what you intend to do.

Not only will they answer any questions you have, but they can also help you find the right dosage for your body type. Smoking weed before a workout is a different experience than when smoking for recreational use. It is a good idea to get a helping hand in guiding you to the right usage.

Finding the right dosage is difficult even for experienced users. You will want to make sure you do it the right way to keep from overdoing it.


The Right Strain for the Right Job

The next step is to find the right strain for your needs. Your desire for a healthier lifestyle won't work if you are taking the wrong kind of weed for the job.

The dosage and the strain that work best for your needs often depends a lot on the strain itself and your desired results. There are hundreds of different strains available on the market. Finding the right one is a process that requires experimentation and research.

In a general sense, Sativa strains are often known for their energizing effects. This makes these particular strains a good place to start.

In the end, however, it is best to learn more about the different kinds of cannabis strains before diving in head first. The more you know, the better the outcome with weed.


Boost Your Energy Output

One of the defining qualities about Sativa strains of cannabis is the way it gives its users a burst of energy. You find yourself focusing better and your energy doesn't wane or waver.

This quality makes it a great supplement for exercise. This extra help boosts your strength and endurance to ensure that you get the most out of your workout. Every set you do is the best possible.

If you've been looking to put an extra drive into your workouts, this is your answer. You'll end up working longer than ever before.


Enhance Performance

With the extra energy that weed puts into your system, alongside the extra focus, your entire performance enhances. You'll find yourself working harder and longer, getting more out of your exercises than ever before.

Focusing on your performance with a one-track mind strengthens the gains you'll get in the gym.

A lot of the time our minds wander or our concentration falters. But with the help of weed, you'll have no trouble at all keeping focused on performing at your peak level.


Relax Your Mind As You Workout

Working out brings with it its own stress-relief and calming effects. Working out while high enhances this feeling to a greater degree.

This depends a little on the strain you choose as a supplement, but most strains have an effect on our mental state of mind. Why not maximize this feeling with a strain that helps against stress?

A hybrid strain, one that has both Sativa and Indica, is a great choice for a mixed effect. This way, you're getting the best of both worlds: the burst of energy and the calming relaxation. 


Enjoy the Workout Process More

The pain-relieving qualities of weed ensure that you don't feel the mental drain of working out as much. It's a difficult process, to keep going to the gym and putting yourself through rigorous training. It takes a lot of dedication and hard work to keep going.

With the help of weed to calm your thoughts, this is a whole lot easier. It brings a pleasurable spin alongside the sore muscles and the drain to your free time.

Instead of dreading your workout each day, you'll find yourself looking forward to it. You'll enjoy the entire process of exercising instead of fighting against yourself to complete it.

Not only does this help with your own mental stress, but it also solidifies your eagerness to keep your healthy lifestyle going strong. If you enjoy every step of the way, you'll want to keep going back for more. 


Soothe Sore Muscles

Smoking isn't the only way to get the most out of your weed. A lot of the pain-relieving qualities are in different lotions, oils, and salves as well.

These topical applications are best when rubbed into sore muscles. Through these oils and lotions, your muscles get a direct hit of the CBD inherent in weed. It soothes your muscles and helps in the recovery process, reducing any pain or swelling that occurs.

A gentler recovery means you're in less pain after exercising. You'll feel the good remnants of a hard workout and reap the rewards with only a fraction of the pain.


Is Smoking Weed and Working Out the Future of Exercise?

With so many great benefits of using cannabis products stacked in its favor, we don't think it is that far-fetched of an idea. Smoking weed and working out makes for an enjoyable exercise session.

As the stigma against smoking marijuana continues to wane, the possibilities are endless. Soon, smoking weed and working out may end up as close-knit in our lives as peanut butter and jelly, which you might have the munchies for post-workout on weed.

In your next workout session, after speaking to a professional, give marijuana and muscle a shot. The high gains speak for themselves.

Before you go, take a moment to learn how to get your new healthy lifestyle to stick with you for the long haul. Have a high time!

10 Tips To Prevent Joint Pain From Working Out

how to prevent joint pain from working out

The number of people with severe joint pain is projected to affect over 75 million adults by the next decade. Joint pain can compromise your quality of life or lead to chronic illness without treatment.

Don't let your chronic joint pain slow down your life!

Instead, keep reading to discover our 10 tips to relieve your pain. Try these prevention tips today if you are experiencing joint pain from working out. With these 10 methods, you can continue living your best life pain-free!


1. Ice it with Cryotherapy

Chill out with cryotherapy. Tissue swelling is caused by an increase in blood flow to certain areas throughout the body. Cold temperatures can chill out that blood flow and reduce the inflammation. 

The next time you feel your pain flare up, grab an ice pack.

Apply the ice to the affected area for 15 minutes at a time. To avoid suffering from ice burns, make sure to wrap the ice or ice pack in a towel. Don't place the ice or pack directly against your skin. 
Reapply the ice a few times throughout your day.

The next day, reduce the number of times you apply the ice. You should still keep the ice against the affected area for 15 minutes. 

Reduce the number of times you apply the ice each day. In time, this process will help you experience pain relief. 


2. Soak Up with Hydrotherapy

The next time you experience joint pain from working out, draw yourself a warm bath.

Warm water eases the pressure on your muscles and joints. If your knees and hips are feeling the burn, the warmth can alleviate the joint pain. Once you are immersed in warm water, massage the affected area.

This will help stimulate blood flow to ease the inflammation. 

Make a note if you experience joint pain while exercising. Don't push yourself too hard. If your gym has a hot tub or sauna, treat your post-workout body with a little hydrotherapy.


3. Schedule Tea Time

Herbal teas and other natural mixtures can also help ease the pain. The next time you go shopping, keep a lookout for:


  • Green tea - decreases inflammation, improves blood flow, reduces the risk of blood clots, and reduces the risk of heart attacks
  • White tea - eases inflammation in joint tissue and helps with skin recovery
  • Ginger tea - decreases inflammation and prevents certain diseases
  • Black tea - decreases inflammation and oxidative stress
  • Roobios tea - treats chronic inflammatory conditions and reduces oxidative stress
  • Masala chai - decreases inflammation and eliminates free radicals
  • Tumeric tea - fights chronic inflammation
  • Rosehip tea - boosts immunity, decreases inflammation, and treats rheumatoid arthritis

These natural herbs can prevent future hip, knee, and other joint pains you experience from working out. The next time you are feeling joint pain, pour yourself a soothing cup of tea, sit back, and relax.


4. Massage the Pain Away

Treat yourself! A relaxing, soothing massage is also an effective method for relieving joint pain. 

Schedule an appointment with a local masseuse or save some cash and do it at home.

If you are choosing to massage yourself, try using a topical menthol rub for additional pain relief. 

Massage the cream into your skin and focus on the affected area. When you are massaging yourself, don't forget to direct your strokes towards your heart. 


5. Work It Out by Exercising

Did you know the direct medical costs for patients with arthritis is $140 billion a year? Over 54 million people, or 23% of adults in the United States, have arthritis. This condition is also the leading cause of work disability in the country. 

Remaining physically active can decrease your arthritis pain.

It also improves your mood, function, and quality of life. Many people with joint pain, however, neglect to keep up with their daily physical activity. Without exercise, your arthritis could lead to heart disease, obesity, or diabetes. 

If you experience joint pain while exercising, change up your routine. Try:


  • Walking three to four times a week
  • Swimming (laps or a water aerobics class)
  • Strength training (stronger muscles eases the strain on your joints)
  • Cycling (which minimizes the impact of traditional jogging)
  • Yoga (which improves your flexibility and range of motion)
  • Tai chi (which improves joint flexibility and function)
  • Pilates (which improves muscle control and eases pressure on your joints) 
  • Use a proven pain-relief cream like Flexumgel

You don't always need to head to the gym for exercise. If these exercises don't appeal to you, try gardening, cleaning, or light strength training at home. 


6. Medication to Soothe the Strain

Certain medications can help ease the pain, too. If anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen aren't enough, see your doctor. They can prescribe a muscle relaxant to reduce your pain.

If you prefer relieving your joint pain with natural methods, check out our Frugal Fitness and Healthcare sections for more affordable home health tips.


7. Get Professional Help with PT

Physical therapists are professionally trained to help improve your range of motion. Their exercises and guidance can help you experience relief during your appointment and at home. 


8. Alternative Treatments

If physical therapy isn't your style, try acupuncture instead. This treatment can help improve your range of motion and ease the pressure on your joints.

In addition to alleviating the pain you're currently feeling, acupuncture can also help prevent future pain, too. 


9. Go Immobile

Sometimes, the pain is too much to go for a swim or make it to a physical therapy appointment. If that is the case, immobilize the joint where you're experiencing pain.

Try using a brace or splint.

However, you should note that immobilizing the area isn't always the best option.


10. Get Some Rest

If the pain is too much to bear, take a break.

Rest can help your body repair itself. Taking the time to catch your breath and relax will also restore your energy and take the pressure off your joints. 

If you experience joint pain while exercising, try to take a break between workouts. Give your body time to heal and your joints will thank you! 


10 Tips for Relieving Joint Pain From Working Out

Feeling the burn? Try these 10 tips the next time you experience joint pain from working out. With these tips, you can soothe your joint pain away and get back to a better life.

Explore the official Frugal Fitness and Healthcare sections of the blog for more tips on how to stay fit on a budget. 

7 Simple Tips For Creating A Workout Plan

tips creating workout plan

If you are one of those people who takes fitness and nutrition seriously, you must create an advanced workout plan that suits the needs of your body. While you can find several templates and guidance online about plans that worked for other people, you will need to tailor the exercise and nutrition to your personal preferences and circumstances to get the best results. Below you will read more about the secret ingredients of workout plans

1. Start With A Simple Routine 

If you try to master too many exercises at the same time, you might get overwhelmed and decide to abandon your plan. Start with easy to do routines and reps, and build up your muscles to do more over time. Simply put, learn to do a 5-minute plank pose before you would start doing 150 pushups a day. 

2. Exhaust Your Muscles Regularly 

The key to building muscles and releasing tension is to exhaust your muscles during workouts. If you get tired during the first rep, carry on until you feel like you cannot move an inch, and go on even more. This will give you more benefits long term than casually working out. 

3. Take a Break Sometimes 

While regular exercise is important, it is also crucial that you allow your body to recover. Take a stretching or resting day or two each week when you avoid a strong workout, and improve your muscle flexibility by taking a short walk or bike ride. 

4. Adjust Your Diet Accordingly

You will need to change your diet and increase your protein and fatty acid intake in order to get the most out of your healthy living plan. You can find some free diet plans and recipes, as well as meal ideas online to create a daily menu that works for you. 

5. Use Proven Dietary Supplements 

An increased level of workout will put extra strain on your body, and to maintain your health, you will need to support it. Look at LiveGood.com for some trusted supplements that will help you build muscle and prevent injuries while you work out. You can also check review sites and blogs to find out more about the workout supplements available. 

6. Change Your Routine from Time to Time 

Doing the same workout every day for weeks can get boring. Make sure that you focus on the weakest muscle area at the time, and move on to develop other areas once you are happy with the strength you gained at one place. Even frugal workouts with cheap exercise equipment or no equipment will provide the variety and results you need. 

7. Measure Your Exercise Progress 

To stay motivated and stick with your fitness routine for longer, you need to be able to measure your progress and set yourself goals. With working out, your main goal should not be pounds lost, but inches gone from certain areas and strength gained. To make the most out of your workout plan, you need to listen to what your body has to say to you. Get started slowly, build up your strength, measure your progress, and change your diet to support your body through this transition period.


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How To Recover Faster From A Workout

how to recover faster from a workout

Recovering quickly after an intense workout or race means you can begin your next training session faster and stronger. Of course, you’ll also greatly reduce the pain and discomfort that usually accompanies a “bad recovery” — sore muscles, aching joints, and a pounding headache, anyone? 

Unfortunately, knowing how to improve workout recovery isn’t something novice athletes usually focus on. Instead, the focus is generally on the workout itself and how to maximize its benefits. Taking time to look at your recovery can be a radical change for the better in the way you exercise. Here are some tips to help you get started with improved post-workout recovery. 

6 Ways to Improve Your Recovery (And Recover Faster) After Workouts 

1. Go Hard On Your Water Intake 

Many people who struggle to recover from their workouts aren’t drinking enough water. While it can be hard to chug while you’re exercising (many people end up with cramps, for example), drinking at least eight ounces of water while you work out can at least replace your sweat. 

To get the rest of your water in throughout the day, try to have a water bottle with you at all times. Also, consider drinking other liquids like milk, caffeine-free tea, and low- or no-sugar juices. All of these liquids, plus the water you drink, will keep your body hydrated and your muscles pliable so that workouts don’t cause as much harm. 

2. Eat A Balanced Diet

Eating a nutritious diet keeps your body strong and resilient — even after a tough workout. You’ll want most of your meal plates to be filled up with veggies. Supplement that with some meat or fish and a small portion of whole grains. 

Additionally, take a look at how much protein you consume on a regular basis. Most people aren’t getting enough. Naturally, the best sources of protein tend to be animal-based, so incorporate foods like chicken, turkey, lean beef and pork, fish, and eggs into your diet. Some nutritionists advocate matching the amount of protein (in grams) you get each day with your body weight (in pounds). It's important to get enough amino acids to help build and repair muscle tissue.

3. Consider Trying A CBD Topical 

CBD topical creams and gels can help alleviate the muscle pain associated with difficult workout recoveries. Not only does CBD (also known as cannabidiol) have natural anti-inflammatory properties to limit muscle and joint pain flare-ups, but it’s also good for reducing overall stress. It can fight nausea and even improve your sleep — both of which help with workouts as well. Find a Los Angeles dispensary that specializes in topicals and choose one that meets your needs to help recover from workouts. 

4. Get Regular Massages 

Pent-up stress in your body can often exacerbate sore muscles and joints after a workout. Therefore, if you can limit the stress and tension in your body and mind to begin with, you can often alleviate pain and discomfort after a grueling workout. 

Massages are good because they loosen up the muscles, improve circulation, and increase your overall relaxation. They can even increase alertness and energy. Many people make a plan of incorporating a massage into their post-race recovery period, which is a great way to make this transition much more comfortable. 

5. Try A Foam Roller To Relax Sore Muscles 

Foam rollers offer an easy-to-use technique for applying self-myofascial release (SMR). This reduces inflammation and can help with soreness and tightness. Many professional athletic coaches and physical therapists recommend using a foam roller directly after any type of workout. It can also be used as a warmup routine. 

To use a foam roller effectively, position your roller beneath the area you want to massage (the legs, arms, or lower back, for example). To apply the necessary pressure, use the body weight of that area of your body to pin the roller between you and the ground, then gently roll the roller to deepen the massage. 

This is a great frugally fit option since not everyone can afford consistent massages!

6. Get More Sleep 

There is a strong, established relationship between quality sleep and muscle recovery after a workout. That is, the better you sleep, the better and faster you recover. 

Experts recommend that most adults get at least seven to eight hours of sleep every night. Too little sleep can result in an inhibited immune system and less resiliency to both injuries and illness. 

Having trouble getting to sleep? Can’t seem to stay asleep once you get there? The problem could be related to screens. 

An increasing number of adults are spending hours every night on tablet devices and smart phones or in front of their computers or TVs. All of these devices emit a blue light, which tells the body that it’s daytime. 

This makes it harder for you to sleep well because the body won’t produce the natural hormones that help sleep kick in. Naturally, at night, you want your body to think that it’s nighttime! Therefore, limiting the use of screens before bed (for at least an hour, experts say) can have great effects. In turn, this can benefit your post-workout recovery by allowing your body time to heal and rebuild. 

Ramp Up Recovery Post-Workout

If you’re used to grueling workouts that leave you strained and sore for days, try the tips we’ve offered above. Not only will they almost certainly help reduce your recovery times after exercise, but they’re also sure to improve your health and wellbeing overall!

How To Balance Weight Lifting With Cardio For Maximum Gains

how to balance weight lifting with cardio maximize gains combine workouts

People are too quick to frame cardio and weightlifting as being diametrically opposed. Do too much of one and you limit the effectiveness of the other – and vice versa. When executed in the right doses, cardio and weightlifting can work synergistically to help you realise your fitness goals. You just need to learn how to balance them properly. 

To help you on your journey to peak performance, we’ve covered some of the common misconceptions about cardio and weightlifting and what you can do to find the perfect blend of both. 

Why Are Muscle-Focused Lifters Skeptical Of Cardio? 

You won’t see competitive weightlifters running around the local park. The reason for that is very simple: intense cardiovascular exercise burns up calories that your body needs to build muscle. By sacrificing these calories to run, swim or cycle, you are expending resources that can otherwise be spent maximising the size and strength of your muscles. Your squat variations aren’t going to matter if you’re using up all of your body’s stores on cardio. 

The Benefits Of Blending Cardio And Weightlifting 

Ultimately, carrying out difficult cardio sessions will improve your stamina. With improved endurance, you can exercise harder for longer. And your overall health will improve: regular cardio improves heart health and helps eliminate fat. You’ll quickly make progress in your weightlifting journey

Even if you’re solely focused on building muscle, if you can fit in a few cardio sessions every so often, it’ll increase your endurance and your overall health. 

Stagger Your Workouts 

Building muscle occurs during the recovery process from strenuous weightlifting – not when you’re actually exerting yourself lifting weights. Your muscles need a minimum of 48 hours to thoroughly recover from a weightlifting workout. In this time, you need to ensure your body is fuelled with all of the nutrients, fluids and rest it needs to recover and grow. 

Because of this lag, you need to ensure that your workouts are staggered correctly. If you’re going to do some strenuous cardio, make sure it is at least 48 hours before (or after) a weightlifting session. By staggering your workouts in this way, you can ensure that neither form of exercise gets in the way of the other. Because of this, neither goal is compromised. 

Think About Your Daily Routine 

If you lead an already active lifestyle – maybe you cycle to work, go on a walk during your lunch break and play five-a-side after work – you might not need to do much cardiovascular exercise beyond that. Similarly, if your job requires you to be on your feet all day – rather than slumped at a chair in an office – you might already have the ideal blend of cardio and weightlifting. 

If, however, you’re not particularly active during the week, you might want to consider squeezing in a few sessions of cardiovascular activity. That could be a gentle jog around the block, a few lengths of swimming or an evening bike ride.

Why Is A Fitness Regime Beneficial For Your Health?

why frugal fitness regime beneficial health workout benefits

Working out does not only improve your body but your overall health as well. You have probably heard it a thousand times. That's because it is true. You might be uncomfortable and sweaty for an hour or two, but after that, you'll wish you've done it all over again. 

Doing physical activities is like a drug. You will definitely want to improve yourself from then on. Click on the link for more details on the subject https://www.buzzfeed.com/sallytamarkin/i-flexed-and-the-sleeves-fell-off

Eating healthy should be a priority for everyone. Sure, you can have a cheeseburger now and then, but what matters is that you don't overindulge in fatty foods. It's not good for your health, and you will start to gain weight like crazy. Starting to work out can motivate you to eat healthier and to drink lots of fluids. If you don't believe it, just give it a try. 

If you've decided to make a positive change for your body, then you'll need a fitness regime. Luckily, a fitness instructor can show you different exercises and monitor your progress. What is essential is that you don't give up along the way. It can get challenging and demanding, but in the end, it will be all worth it. If you aren't aware of the benefits that a fitness regime offers, here's what you need to know. Check out this source for more. 

Reducing Weight 

A lot of people struggle with weight throughout their lives. Some bodies are genetically predisposed to become larger and larger in a short period. This, of course, can happen to anyone that doesn't take care of themselves. Working out can provide you with satisfactory results. 

You see, as you perform physical activity, the excess fat in your system will start to burn. The process is slow but very beneficial. That's why you need to work out regularly to achieve the desired outcome. As long as you stay focused and determined to look fitter and thinner, then this can happen to you. Just don't expect it to happen overnight, because it won't. Read more on this link

Also, a lot of people take dietary or weight-reducing pills that will somehow allow them to become thinner and slimmer. Most of the time, this is a marketing scam from people that want to make more money by selling you lies. The only way to reduce fat is to work out and maintain a healthy diet. Anyone that tells you otherwise is lying to you. 

Reducing Bad Cholesterol 

High levels of bad cholesterol in the system can lead to a heart attack. This can happen if you continuously indulge in fatty foods that are rich in cholesterol. For some people, it might happen sooner because of their genes. All of that can be prevented if you start taking responsibility. You need to take care of your body. 

By working out, you burn fat as mentioned above, and therefore minimize the levels of bad cholesterol. Of course, you can't solemnly rely on physical activity. You need to start eating fruits and vegetables. Meat is also rich in iron, vitamins, minerals, but it is important how you cook it. Try to stay away from fatty foods. Once you start working out, that won't be a problem anymore. 

Why treat something with pills when you can prevent it from happening? Sometimes a person cannot survive a heart attack. Those that do usually have to take appropriate medication for the rest of their lives. You don’t have to deal with this as long as you start taking care of yourself. 

Good For Mental Health 

People with poor mental health are leashed from having a normal and happy life. This is because they often think bad scenarios in their head and fill themselves with worry and anxiety. A proper fitness regime can take your mind off of all those things. You'll have a goal to achieve, and it will give your day meaning.

Also, after every workout, you'll feel much more motivated and content than you did before. That's because working out is a positive change that you give your body as well as your health. However, it is essential that you try to master the technique of each exercise, because otherwise, you won't achieve what you want. 

Improved Sleeping Patterns 

Lots of people struggle with insomnia. Instead of taking pills every night to fall asleep, you should consider doing physical activities every single day. You can also visit a local gym and get yourself good and tired. There are a lot of demanding exercises that can leave you all sweaty and exhausted. Once you get home, all you need to do is take a shower, and you'll instantly fall asleep. Throw away your pills because they won't be necessary.

3 Fun Ways To Exercise With Your Dog

fun ways exercise with your dog

There are many ways to exercise your dog inside or outside and these range from high activity exercises to fun games like searching or retrieving inside the house when it is raining outside. But we are going to discuss more canine exercise options below.

Dog Workout Wellness

Indeed exercising your dog doesn’t necessarily limit you to physically tiring activities, a dog also needs to be challenged mentally. Ideally, you exercise your dog regularly in a way that involves both. If you either have a very young or a very old dog you need to be careful with physically tiring activities that involve intense pressure on the joints. On average (and this differs between big sized and smaller sized breeds) a dog is fully grown by the age of 1 ½. Whilst the dog is still growing, avoid repetitive or unnecessary jumping and longer galloping especially on concrete. 

However, with both younger and older dogs you still need to exercise them physically, especially young dogs have a lot of excess power. And indeed a moderate strain on the joints is necessary to help them grow and even avoid osteoporosis. This is why the joint fluid needs to be massaged into the gristle in order to keep it healthy and this is happening when you moderately exercise. 

A very gentle but still tiring physical activity involves watersports. 

#1 Watersports 

Although it is not every dog's cup of tea it is worth giving it a try. But do not just throw the dog in the water because it can be traumatising! Ideally, you try to get your dog used to water activities at a young age but don’t worry also older dogs can get used to it. There are many sports your four-legged friend can join you on like kayaking, boating, paddleboarding or even surfing. If your dog is a water freak he will definitely enjoy a walk by the sea or a lake. Dog owners of these kinds of dogs know the struggle too well of giving their dog the opportunity to go and enjoy swimming, getting the dog dry afterwards and keeping it safe whilst in the water. No matter the level of experience your dog has in and around water unfortunate incidents can be just around the corner. Therefore it is recommended to always make your dog wear a life vest or a buoyancy aid. And after the dog has had it’s fun it is useful to always have a compact outdoor towel in your car too, to make sure your dog stays warm and dry afterwards. 

#2 Indoor Exercises 

If the weather is not playing along very well especially in the winter months you can, for example, play hide and seek with his favourite treats or toys. It is good to mention that some dog breeds (like Alaskan Malamute) just love being outside when it is cold, and snow is actually their favorite treat. You can also keep old cardboard boxes or the inside cardboard roll of kitchen or toilet rolls and fill them with treats. In order to get to the treat, your dog has to open or destroy it which engages him mentally. How stimulating exercises like these can be, can be seen for example with professional search or drug-sniffing dogs. These dogs can just be used around 30 minutes at a time because the sniffing is so exhausting that they need frequent breaks. We as humans underestimate that because our smell organ is not as far developed that we can distinguish between very small odour particles and therefore would be able to use it to that degree. Therefore, don’t underestimate small little exercises like these, they are equally as important as physical exercises. 

#3 Go For A Hike Or A Bike

Depending on where you regularly walk your dog, a hike might be a welcome diversification to you and your dogs’ normal daily walk to for example the park. A hike or a bike is a good way to build strength and endurance but start in small steps to get you and your dog used to it. Usually, all types of dogs enjoy time and exercises within nature but besides knowing your and your dogs abilities you as well need to know their level of obedience. 

Dog Workout Safety

Since you never know what is waiting around the corner and in case you know for sure that your dog loves to chase animals keep him on a lead if you can’t see very far or you definitely know he’ll run off as soon as he is unleashed. It is not worth the stress, the fine or the loss of the animals or even your dog’s life. If you know your dog is that type, invest in a long leash to make these walks as interesting and fun as possible.

Adding Elements To The Pursuit Of Fitness

add workout elements exercise techniques frugal fitness

Going to the gym every day is hard. Most people don’t like this sort of activity, simply hoping to get the results they want from a couple of visits, and being disappointed when they don’t get what they want. This results in loads of people dropping out from their exercise routine, simply going back to normal life when they get bored. To help you out with this, this post will be exploring some of the additional elements which can be added to your exercise to improve your experience on the pursuit of getting fitter. These sorts of tips can be useful for anyone. 

Science & Researching 

There is a lot of science which goes into the food which you need to eat. When you’re exercising more, you will need to have more energy, eating foods which provide you with the stuff to keep yourself going. When you’re trying to gain weight, though, you will need to have protein to help you. Of course, in reality, it is far more complicated than this, and the needs of your body will take a long time to figure out. By dedicating yourself to this, you can focus on learning about the science behind your body, giving you something extra when you’re starting to get bored of the work which you’re going. 

Cooking 

Exercise and diets have always gone hand in hand, with each being pointless without the other, and most people struggling to reach their goals if they don’t cover them both. By learning how to cook, you will give yourself the chance to enjoy much healthier meals, while also being able to include exactly the nutritional value which you need. Books like the Big Fat Surprise can be a great help when you’re doing this. Not only is all of the food delicious, but it’s also designed to be nice and healthy. It’s always worth looking to cook the foods you enjoy the most, finding ways to make them healthier, rather than trying to eat things which you find too dull. 

Competing With Others 

Finally, as the last idea on this list, people have always used the spirit of competition to help them to push themselves further in life. When it comes to exercise, this can be used as a very easy way to make your workouts more fun. By having people with you or connecting to them through a fitness app, you can gather data about everyone’s work at the gym. At the end of each session, it will be easy to see who has worked the hardest, and this will spur everyone on to put the work in when they are exercising. This sort of approach is great when you have friends who all go to the gym. 

With all of this in mind, you should be feeling ready to step away from the usual issues which people face at the gym. It can be too easy to find yourself getting bored of exercise, even when it simply doesn’t have to be this way.


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