More tips to keep fit
August 21, 2000
 |
Here are some more answers to some of the questions that maybe YOU have asked or thought of at some time.
How often should I buy sports shoes?
This question is answered with other questions.
How often do you wear them, what activity are you doing, and how do you treat them?
The simplest action of taking off a shoe would be given second thought to most.
Do you undo the laces or just slide out of them and force them back on?
Your shoes longevity depends on what you do and how you do it.
A person who does light exercise such as walking the dog or a gentle stroll each day should get a good 18-24 months out of a pair of runners.
Aerobic class participants and power walkers are looking at yearly replacement.
The serious runners and concrete pounders should be turning over shoes every 6-8 months.
What causes a stitch and how do I stop it?
Honestly, not much information is available on this other than it is similar to a cramp.
It generally occurs in the chest, diaphragm, or smooth muscle in the abdominal area.
It will come on with exercise and has various causes.
The best bet is to stop or slow down, have a drink, catch your breath, settle down and then resume when it has subsided.
Do I need a sports bra?
If anything else, exercise is more comfortable if you have support.
Small breasted women have minimal risk of tissue damage compared to the larger breasted women.
As breasts are mostly fat, repeated movement will loosen the connective tissues and elastic properties of the breast.
The result over time could be a slight loss of shape similar to that of breast feeding.
The key words really are comfort and support.
Is it better to walk or run?
You burn the same amount of calories no matter what, but time is the crucial factor as it takes longer to burn the same amount of calories.
In a half hour workout, jogging would be more beneficial as you cover greater distance.
If you choose to run, increase progressively as you become fitter.
Move from a walk to a power walk to a jog to a run. Set new goals, vary speeds, vary terrain and listen to your body.
Please ask the PT staff any fitness related questions, we are only too happy to help.
By Dave Murr