Hello, Spring!

It is time to celebrate! Spring is here, and the weather is finally getting warmer! This means we can open our windows and let some fresh air in. We can spend time with family and friends at barbeques. And we can finally spend more time outdoors!

All of us at Lake City 24 Hour encourage you to get outside and get moving! Warmer weather allows you to take your workouts outdoors. You no longer have to worry about cold temperatures or slipping on the ice. Just because the weather outside is getting warmer, though, does not mean you should totally abandon utilizing the fitness center.

Going outside is a great way to get in cardio workouts. You can run, walk, bike, swim, etc., and while all of these are excellent exercises, they all fall into the same category of exercise: cardio. One thing many people do not realize is that only doing cardio exercises is not the best thing you can do for your body. Cardio workouts are great--but these workouts should not be the only thing you are doing.

In fact, building muscle through lifting weights or doing different types of exercise actually burns more fat than repeatedly doing cardio. Strength training builds lean muscle, which not only increases your metabolism, but it decreases fat as well. In other words, the more muscle you build, the more calories you burn on a day-to-day basis.

Additionally, while running or biking may “burn more calories” in your mind than a strength-training session, this is not always true. This especially is not true if you are just running or biking at a steady pace. While interval cardio training burns the most calories for you, strength training can be just as good of a calorie-torching workout. Also, remember that you cannot out-exercise a bad diet. Even marathon trainers watch what they eat while in training.

Keep in mind that doing one type of exercise day after day can get extremely boring. On top of that, your muscles start to remember what you are challenging them to do. The only way you constantly improve your body and performance is through muscle confusion--never working the same muscles repeatedly. Yes, cardio is great, but doing the same exercise over and over again is not-so-great for your body.

As you begin to embrace the outdoors more with this warmer weather, keep in mind that doing a variety of exercises is what is best for your body. We hope you continue to utilize the fitness center so that you can achieve the greatest results possible for your body. If you are unsure of what to do, swing by and ask Dr. Redenius or seek out one of our trainers to help guide you on what you can do to achieve the healthiest body possible.

We hope you have a great day!

Dr. Jeff and Jenny Redenius