Madeeha Syed

Working out is essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but sometimes it’s important to skip your workout and take a recovery day.

Why You Should Rest in Between Workouts

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Discover the importance of recovery days after workouts, including sleep, rest, and muscle recovery time. Learn effective strategies to optimize your workout recovery.

Why You Should Rest In Between Workouts

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Why Is Both Cardio And Strength Training Important For A Total Body Workout?

Overview

Is cardio better than <a href="https://merisehat.pk/article/why-strength-training-is-a-miracle-fitness-routine" target="_blank">strength training</a> for weight loss? Is strength training what saves you in the long run? The health and fitness community has been asking these questions since times immemorial and everyone has evidence-based research to back up their claims about the superiority of one or the other. Every fitness trainer will tell you something different and this can lead to some confusion for the uninitiated.&nbsp;

Let&rsquo;s see what the actual truth is.&nbsp; 
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Cardio

This is an aerobic exercise and can be of two types: Steady state cardio and High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).&nbsp;<ul><li>In steady state cardio you slowly increase your heart rate and develop a steady pace which helps you burn calories and build your endurance. These can include activities like going on a walk, light jogging, running on a treadmill, using an elliptical or biking etc. They should ideally be done over a period of 45 minutes to an hour but as a beginner you can start with as little as 15 minutes.&nbsp; </li><li>HIIT is exactly what it sounds like, it’s when you perform high intensity activity and alternate it with short recovery periods. They last ideally for over 10-30 minutes and can help you burn more calories in a very short period of time. Biking, sprinting, jumping rope and swimming can be done according to this technique. You can also do some body weight exercises according to the HIIT principle such as squats or lunges where you quickly perform as many reps as possible for 30 seconds and then walk around for the next 10 seconds before starting back up on your reps.&nbsp; </li></ul>Some noteworthy benefits of cardio are as follows: &nbsp;<ul><li>It’s great for cardiovascular health and gets your blood pumping.&nbsp;</li><li>It burns a ton of calories and is extremely effective for weight loss.&nbsp;</li><li>It’s great for your lungs as it helps them expand to their full capacity and also works respiratory muscles including your diaphragm.&nbsp;</li><li>Helps improve brain function and perfusion.&nbsp;</li><li>Helps you get a full and restorative sleep at night.&nbsp;</li><li>It also helps your body release endorphins which ultimately lead to a better mood. So it’s great for your mental health too!&nbsp; </li></ul>

Strength Training

This is also called resistance training and is done to improve endurance and strength. Strength training is commonly associated with lifting weights or doing body weight exercises but things like calisthenics and plyometrics also fall under the same umbrella.&nbsp;With strength training you can do full body workouts with big compound exercises that target multiple muscle groups at once. You can also divide the week for different muscle groups, such as arm days on Mondays, and abs on Tuesdays etc.&nbsp; Some great compound exercises for strength training can be squats, barbell hip raises, deadlifts, bench press, pull ups etc. The good thing about these is they help you improve your coordination and mobility while challenging multiple muscle groups.&nbsp;Body weight exercises are extremely easy to perform and everything from squats, lunges, mountain climbers, planks and pushups can be done without the need for any equipment.&nbsp;Although full body workouts are efficient and give maximum benefits in less time, splitting one or two muscle groups to each day of the week can help you train for longer and give you more time to recover as well.&nbsp; Some noteworthy benefits of strength training are as follows:&nbsp;<ul><li>It helps you build more muscles and makes you leaner in the long run. This is mainly considered great for aesthetic reasons.&nbsp;</li><li>It helps you burn more calories and increases your metabolism.&nbsp;</li><li>It has a lower risk of injury since you are doing controlled movements.&nbsp;</li><li>Weight bearing can make your bones stronger in the long run.&nbsp;</li><li>It’s great for improving your posture.&nbsp;</li><li>It can improve cardiovascular health as well.&nbsp; </li></ul>

So, Which One is Better?

It turns out that this question itself is a false dichotomy. You don’t have to choose between the two and can simply just combine them.&nbsp; It’s also important to recognise that although both of them do have similar benefits such as cardioprotection and better respiratory health, there are certain things only one of these can give you.&nbsp;For better overall health, it’s necessary that we incorporate both of these in our workout routines. A 2017 study has shown that combining cardio and strength training can help you keep lean muscle mass on. Whereas if you just perform cardio, it can have a catabolic effect on not just the fat stored in your body but also the muscles which leads to loss of lean muscle mass.&nbsp;&nbsp;With strength training it takes a while to build those muscles and gain mass. Yes, you start feeling stronger and healthier within a week or two of lifting weights but the real benefits are reaped in the long run.&nbsp; This is the reason why high-level athletes have strength training as the foundation of their workout routines so that they can build muscles and gain a solid base. Once the season approaches they indulge more in endurance training by doing more cardio and aerobic exercises which helps them optimize their performance and perform at their maximum capacity.&nbsp;In the same vein, cardio helps you burn more calories in the short term and it does help you lose weight fast, however there is no long-term improvement in our overall body composition.&nbsp;Our bodies also tend to adapt overtime so you’re going to be burning fewer calories with the same workouts later on. It can also lead to a situation we call ‘skinny fat’ where you have a normal BMI but higher fat-body percentages and lower lean muscle mass. These people are at higher risk of developing long-term complications such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease etc.&nbsp;On the other hand, strength training doesn’t just help you build muscle but also boosts your metabolism for 24-48 hours. Building more muscle means increasing your basal (resting) metabolic rate (BMR) in the long run since bigger muscles require more nutrition and hence burn more calories with time. A higher basal metabolic rate means you will be burning more calories even when you're not indulging in any physical activity.&nbsp;

Conclusion

Whether your goal is weight loss or achieving optimal health, endurance and stamina, combining both forms of workouts will help you out in every single one of your endeavors.&nbsp;Next time you are formulating your workout schedule, don’t forget to sprinkle in some cardio in between your strength training days. The last caveat here is that sleep, nutrition and stress management play a huge role in deciding how your body responds to any kind of workout and hence should be prioritized as well. Remember, you can’t out exercise a bad diet.&nbsp;

Dr. Safia Mehmood

Tips & Tricks On Working Out In Winter

As winters creep up on us, we grow lazier and more and more averse to getting out of bed. It becomes an annoying imposition to step out into the chilly mornings to go for your daily jog and this risk undoing all the hard work you&rsquo;ve put into your fitness when it was warmer. 
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Tips & Tricks For Working Out

But it doesn&rsquo;t have to be this way. Behold, our tips for working out in winter: 
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<ul>
	<li>Layers, Layers And Layers: Wearing multiple layers before you step out to can help you avoid the cooling effect of the sweat evaporating from your body. Wear at least 3 layers of clothes and go for fabrics such as polyester or nylon in order to keep dry, this is especially important for the layer closest to your skin. Fabrics such as cotton can hold onto sweet which pulls heat away from your body and you end up with double the misery of working out in the cold weather. Dressing dry is as important as dressing warm during the winter months. It&rsquo;s also important to know when to discard layers. As your body warms up and you start sweating, take the outer layer off so you&#39;re not carrying moisture and risking catching a cold. Ensure you&rsquo;re cooling down before changing out of wet gear. 
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Hydrate: As with summers, your body sweats when you work out in the cold and that leads to some <a href="https://merisehat.pk/article/dehydration-and-neurological-health-how-are-they-related">dehydration</a>. However, many of us tend to not notice it as much as we do in the summers. It&rsquo;s still very important to adequately hydrate during your workouts so your body can perform optimally. 
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Don&rsquo;t Go Alone: The hardest task in winter is to get out of the house. Having a group of friends who can keep you motivated can help with this. If not the promise of a six pack, then the fun you end up having with your people can be a big motivator. So, don&rsquo;t leave it all up to yourself. 
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Mix It Up: You don&rsquo;t always have to go to the gym or step out for a jog, you can work out indoors and switch it up with some body weight exercises too. If you&rsquo;d like to go the extra mile, invest in a good resistance band and some free weights to get the most out of these indoor workouts. On the days you really can&rsquo;t move our body, some light stretching and yoga can come to the rescue. Similarly, you can ditch your jog for a hiking trip or cycling. 
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Warm Up: Warms ups are crucial before any exercise but it&rsquo;s especially important to do this in winters. Ensure you aren&rsquo;t jumping into high intensity workouts without properly warming up beforehand. Doing some stretches and giving yourself time to properly cool down afterwards can help you get the most out of every workout. Dynamic stretches help warm up the muscles you&#39;re about to use so they&rsquo;re good for warm ups. For cooling down afterwards, static stretching is more beneficial. 
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Socks And Gloves: During the colder months, our blood flow is mostly concentrated in our body&rsquo;s core and this leaves our hands, feet and head prone to feeling colder than the rest of our bodies. Invest in some good socks, beanies or hats and gloves to ensure you&#39;re keeping youre extremities warm. 
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Breathe Smart: While you huff and puff during a workout you end up swallowing a lot of air through your mouth. While breathing through our nose, the air is warmed up which is an effect we lose with mouth breathing. This is especially worse in the winters as you swallow cold air. In order to fight this off you can wrap a scarf around your mouth to trap vapors and keep your air humidified and warm. 
	&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

You can still get in your daily workouts if you try a little harder. This will help you not only help with your physical fitness but can also ward off those winter blues and give you more energy throughout the day. 
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Should You Work Out When You’re Sore?

Do you get that feeling when your whole body aches a few hours or even a day after a really good, intense workout? At best, it&rsquo;s just light discomfort and at worst, it&rsquo;s hard for you to move. You can feel that the muscles in your body have stiffened up and are as hard as rocks &mdash; and not in a good way. 

This is quite simply known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (Doms). And while some soreness after an intense or new workout is completely natural, having a &ldquo;no pain, go gain&rdquo; mindset can have serious consequences. 
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Rest To Heal And Repair: You need to know when your body needs to rest. The workout is important, but so is letting your body heal and recover. 

We feel sore because the muscles in our bodies have undergone microscopic muscle damage. This makes it more vulnerable to increased tissue damage or even muscle tears if it undergoes more stress before it has had time to heal. Allowing your body time to heal without damaging it further enables your body to adapt to your workout and get stronger. 

That&rsquo;s the idea behind resistance training. You&rsquo;re intentionally creating a microtrauma in the muscle so that when it recovers, it becomes stronger and denser than it was before. But feeling sore after a workout is not the same as having an injury, in which case you should seek medical help immediately. 

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Make Sure Your Soreness Is Not Actually An Injury: According to experts, a good way to tell the difference between whether your pain is Doms or an injury is to first check if the pain is bilateral. If only one leg is sore after you&rsquo;ve worked both could indicate an injury. 

For muscle tears, you&rsquo;ll also feel a sharp pain when doing normal movements in the area affected. In this case you should rest immediately and seek medical help. 

If this feels like normal soreness in a tendon, ligament or muscle, it&rsquo;s most likely Doms. You can also continue working out around it. 
&nbsp;

Feeling Sore

&nbsp;While most trainers will tell you it&rsquo;s okay to work out if you&rsquo;re feeling sore, you should stop if: 
&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>It&rsquo;s Hard Or Unbearable For You To Get Out Of Bed: This includes if it&rsquo;s difficult for you to sit up or stand after an intense workout. This is your body&rsquo;s way of telling you need more time to rest before you start working out again.</li>
	<li>You Need To Take A Painkiller To Help You &ldquo;Push Through&rdquo;: If you need medication to help you work out, you probably shouldn&rsquo;t. </li>
	<li>Your Soreness Doesn&rsquo;t Improve With Movement: Sometimes the answer to fixing muscle stiffness is to warm them up through movement. A good way to get them going is to go for a light walk and do some warm-up stretches. If they don&rsquo;t feel better even after that, this may be a sign that your body needs more time to recover. </li>
	<li>You Continue To Feel Sore Days Later: Doms is usually at its worst 24-48 hours after the workout but if you&rsquo;re still feeling sore three to four days after working out, you probably need to see a physiotherapist or a medical professional to check for any underlying issues. </li>
	<li>Your Muscles Are Swollen And Urine Is Dark: You need medical help immediately. 
	&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Tips

It&rsquo;s hard to stick to a workout programme, especially if you&rsquo;ve just started. People should not let muscle soreness put them off exercise.

Here are some tips to help you get started even when you&rsquo;re feeling less than your optimum self:

Take Time To Warm Up Properly: Light muscle soreness or Doms may lessen as your muscles begin to &lsquo;warm up&rsquo;. You need to engage in stretches that give your joints and muscles a full range of motion to stimulate them. After static stretches, try doing dynamic stretches. If <a href="https://merisehat.pk/article/why-strength-training-is-a-miracle-fitness-routine">strength training</a>, you can try going through the anticipated range of motions with lighter weights or at a lower intensity. 

Stretch Or Cool Down Properly Afterwards: People don&rsquo;t seem to place as much importance to cooling down, but how you allow your body to come to rest after a workout is just as important as warming up. Stretch, take deep breaths, allow your body to cool before moving forward.

Exercise Different Muscle Groups: If some parts of your body are feeling particularly sore, avoid working or stressing those muscles and focus on a different muscle group. For example, if strength training your lower body has left you with sore legs, focus on your upper body, and so on. The key is not to give up or stop working out altogether. 
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Some muscle soreness after working out is normal. It&rsquo;s your body&rsquo;s natural process of adapting to your new workout routine or the new intensity you have introduced it to. If you are experiencing a lot of soreness, it is best to let your body rest for one to two days. You can work out while sore, but you should focus on a different group of muscles. Don&rsquo;t use muscle soreness as an excuse to stop working out. 

And finally, if you think the pain you are feeling is more than just normal soreness post-workout, seek medical attention immediately. 
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Rukhsana Rizwan

Post Workout Blues

How to deal with delayed-onset muscle soreness.

Delayed onset muscle soreness, commonly known as DOMS, is the discomfort or pain felt in muscles after a strenuous <a href="https://merisehat.pk/article/the-benefits-of-compound-exercises-three-effective-moves-to-include-in-your-routine">exercise routine</a>. This discomfort typically begins 24 to 48 hours after exercise, peaks within 72 hours, and then gradually subsides.

DOMS can make it difficult to perform everyday activities, and in severe cases, it can limit mobility and affect daily life. However, there are some ways to reduce the effects of DOMS and ease the discomfort.

Deal with Muscle Soreness

In this article, we will discuss how to deal with delayed onset muscle soreness. 
&nbsp;

<ol>
	<li>&nbsp;Start With A&nbsp;Warm-Up And Cool-Down: One of the best ways to prevent DOMS is to start your workout routine with a proper warm-up and end it with a cool-down. Warming up will increase blood flow to the muscles, preparing them for the exercise routine, and reducing the risk of injury. A cool-down will help to bring the heart rate back to a normal level and reduce the chances of soreness. 
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>&nbsp;Hydrate: Staying hydrated is important to reduce the risk of DOMS. Drinking water before, during, and after exercise can help to keep the muscles hydrated and reduce the buildup of lactic acid. Lactic acid is produced when muscles work hard, and it can contribute to the soreness felt after a workout. 
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>&nbsp;Stretching: Stretching before and after exercise can help to reduce muscle soreness. Stretching helps to increase flexibility, improve range of motion, and reduce muscle tension. It also increases blood flow to the muscles, which helps to reduce soreness. 
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>&nbsp;Rest: Resting is an essential part of any exercise routine. Giving the muscles time to recover after a workout is crucial to prevent DOMS. It is important to give the muscles at least 24 hours of rest before exercising again. During this time, the muscles will recover, and any soreness will start to subside. 
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>&nbsp;Massage: Massaging the muscles can help to reduce DOMS. Massage can increase blood flow to the muscles, which helps to reduce soreness. It also helps to reduce muscle tension and increase flexibility. You can use a foam roller or get a professional massage to help reduce the effects of DOMS. 
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>&nbsp;Ice And Heat Therapy: Using ice and heat therapy can help to reduce muscle soreness. Ice therapy helps to reduce inflammation and pain, while heat therapy helps to increase blood flow to the muscles, which helps to reduce soreness. You can apply ice or heat to the affected area for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day, to help reduce DOMS. 
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>&nbsp;Pain Relievers: Pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help to reduce the discomfort associated with DOMS. However, it is important to use these medications only as directed, as they can have side effects if used in excess. 
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>&nbsp;Proper Nutrition: Eating a balanced diet can help to reduce the effects of DOMS. Eating foods high in protein can help to repair and rebuild the muscles, while eating foods high in antioxidants can help to reduce inflammation. It is also important to stay hydrated by drinking water and eating foods high in electrolytes. 
	&nbsp;</li>
</ol>

DOMS can be an uncomfortable and painful experience, but there are ways to reduce its effects. Starting with a proper warm-up and cool-down, staying hydrated, stretching, resting, massaging, using ice and heat therapy, taking pain relievers, and maintaining a balanced diet are all ways to reduce the effects of DOMS.

However, if the soreness persists or is severe, it is important to consult a medical professional to rule out any underlying medical conditions. By following these tips, you can reduce the effects of DOMS and get back to your exercise routine in no time. 
&nbsp;

Introduction

While it may feel counterintuitive to skip a <a href="https://merisehat.pk/article/why-is-both-cardio-and-strength-training-important-for-a-total-body-workout">workout</a>, recovery days are essential for allowing your body to rest and repair, reducing your risk of injury, and improving your overall performance.
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Benefits of a Recovery Day

One of the main reasons to take a recovery day is to allow your muscles time to rest and repair. When you exercise, you create tiny tears in your muscle fibers. These tears are necessary for your muscles to rebuild and become stronger, but they also require time to heal. Without proper rest, your muscles will not have the opportunity to repair themselves, which can lead to injury and decreased performance.

Another benefit of recovery days is that they help to prevent overtraining. Overtraining occurs when you exercise too much without proper rest and recovery. This can lead to a decrease in performance, an increased risk of injury, and can even lead to burnout or other negative health consequences. By taking recovery days, you allow your body the time it needs to recover and avoid the negative effects of overtraining. 
&nbsp;

In addition to physical benefits, recovery days also have mental benefits. Exercise is known to release endorphins, which can improve mood and reduce stress levels. However, too much exercise can actually have the opposite effect, causing increased levels of stress and anxiety. By taking recovery days, you allow your mind to rest and recharge, reducing stress levels and improving overall well-being.

Another reason to take recovery days is that they can improve your overall performance. Rest and recovery are essential for allowing your body to rebuild and become stronger. When you give your body time to recover, you will be better prepared for your next workout, and you will be able to perform at a higher level. 
&nbsp;

It&rsquo;s important to note that recovery days don&rsquo;t necessarily mean sitting on the couch all day. Recovery days can include activities that are less intense than your usual workout, such as stretching, yoga, or walking. These activities can help to improve circulation, promote muscle recovery, and reduce stress levels.

It can be difficult to take a recovery day, especially if you are used to exercising regularly. However, it&rsquo;s important to listen to your body and give it the rest it needs. If you are feeling fatigued, sore, or are experiencing any pain or discomfort, it may be time to take a recovery day.

It&rsquo;s also important to note that recovery days don&rsquo;t have to be scheduled. If you wake up feeling particularly tired or sore, it&rsquo;s okay to take a recovery day even if it wasn&rsquo;t planned. It&rsquo;s better to take an extra day to recover than to risk injury or burnout. 
&nbsp;

So how often should you take recovery days? The answer varies depending on your level of activity and the intensity of your workouts. If you are new to exercise or have a low-intensity workout routine, you may only need one recovery day per week. However, if you have a high-intensity workout routine or are training for a specific event, you may need to take two or more recovery days per week.

It&rsquo;s important to listen to your body and adjust your recovery days as needed. If you are feeling particularly fatigued or sore, you may need to take an extra recovery day or two. On the other hand, if you are feeling energized and well-rested, you may be able to reduce the number of recovery days you take. 
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In conclusion, taking recovery days is essential for allowing your body to rest and repair, reducing your risk of injury, and improving your overall performance. Recovery days don&rsquo;t have to mean sitting on the couch all day, and can include activities that are less intense than your usual workout. It&rsquo;s important to listen to your body and adjust your recovery days as needed. By taking recovery days,

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