Helping Your Body Recover

If you are a super active person who engages in many strenuous physical activities throughout the day, it is important that you are helping your body recover from that activity.  Remember, anytime you exercise vigorously or complete a challenging physical task, you are breaking down the body to some extent.  This “minor damage” to the body can actually be a very good thing as long as your body is allowed to repair and rejuvenate.  If you are properly recovering, your body should become stronger and healthier.  Here are three important factors to consider:

Sleep – The number one time period in which the body heals, repairs, and grows is when you are fast asleep.  There are many important hormones in the body involved with the repair process including human growth hormone, which could also be called the “repair hormone.”  Your body releases this hormone to stimulate healing from the wear and tear your body experienced during the day.  Elementary kids need 9-10 hours of sleep per night, teens need 8-9 hours, and adults need 7-8 hours.  If you are not making the time to sleep, plan on making the time to be sick and tired.

Nutrition – The food we put in our bodies has a direct affect on our energy, immune system, growth & repair function, and mood.  It is important to eat as many whole real foods as possible.  Avoid the junk whenever possible.  Junk would include cookies, cakes, chips, crackers, candy, pop, or anything else filled with mysterious ingredients found in a package.  It is especially important that athletes get adequate protein.  Protein provides essential nutrients that build and repair body structure, including muscle tissue.  The two most important times to get protein in the body are at breakfast (to boost energy & nourish the body first thing), and after intense physical activity (to start the repair process right away).  Good sources include:  beef, chicken, pork, turkey, fish, cottage cheese, greek yogurt, whey protein, milk, and eggs.  Veggies and fruits are also very important because they provide electrolyte minerals for your body.  Electrolyte minerals allow you nervous system to fire the impulses needed for your muscles to move.  Without them, you will fatigue easily and possibly cramp (your muscle will spasm or contract irregularly).  Veggies and fruits also contain antioxidants, which protect your body from free radicals.  Vigorous exercise generates free radicals, so it definitely helps to have a supply of antioxidants on hand to act as a “shield” against them.  There are many great choices; just make sure they are fresh, or fresh-frozen.  Juice does not count.

Stretching – Stretching after a workout can help speed the repair process by flushing out some of the waste products from exercise.  It can also help maintain flexibility that may be lost if muscles are allowed to tighten up.  Two muscle groups I definitely recommend stretching post exercise are the hip flexors and the hamstrings.  For proper demonstration of these stretches, just search for “hip flexor stretch” or “hamstring stretch” in the search bar at the top left corner of this blog.

I hope these tips can be beneficial to you.  If you have any questions, feel free to email me, or post in the comments section below!

Final Student Questions of the Year! 2011-2012

If I don’t like to try new foods, what should I eat?

I have a few tips for you.  First, talk to your parents about filling the fridge and freezer with fresh, wholesome, healthy foods.  Many people don’t like to try new healthy foods because they are so used to eating the same things over and over – especially convenient processed food items.  One strategy is to get rid of the junk food so it’s not there, and replace it with healthy choices.  Another great suggestion would be to encourage your parents to get fresh food from farmers markets or even grow your own food in a garden.  It’s amazing how delicious fresh veggies and fruits taste when they are picked right off the vine!  Other than that, slowly start to try new foods.  Maybe start with one new food per month.  If you do that, before you know it you will be trying all sorts of new foods.  Part of a healthy nutritional plan is eating a variety of foods, so good luck!

What can you do to help your lungs?

One thing that might help is eating more antioxidants.  Antioxidants are found in fruits and vegetables with dark deep colors, especially blues, purples, greens, oranges, and reds.  Antioxidants help by stopping things that cause wear and tear to our body, whether it is stress, pollution, bacteria, or injury.  They are like natural protectors.  They can protect the organs in the body, including the lungs.  Also, building up your aerobic energy system helps the lungs become more powerful.  Gradually start to do more endurance activity like jogging, swimming, and biking.  This will strengthen the heart, lungs, and muscles which should lead to better breathing.

If cocoa is grown on a tree, is hot cocoa and chocolate good for you?

Cocoa that has not been refined or changed is actually pretty good for you.  My recommendation is to eat dark chocolate that is at least 60-70% cocoa.  The higher the percentage of cocoa, the healthier it is.  High quality dark chocolate contains antioxidants and minerals, and is much lower in sugar than milk chocolate (which is not good for you).

What does watermelon improve?

Watermelon is rich in the micronutrient lycopene which protects the eyes and skin from damage.  It also contains vitamins C and A which support the immune system.

Does thinking hard make you hungry?

Thinking hard actually could make you somewhat hungry.  Your brain uses up a surprising amount of glucose as it helps you learn, understand, and solve problems.  It can also think better when it is nourished with omega-3 fats found in foods like fish and walnuts.

 

 

What is the best food to eat after working out?

The most important food to eat after a workout is something with protein.  Protein helps rebuild the muscles that were broken down during the workout.  Some excellent post workout foods include whey protein, meat, eggs, cottage cheese, and milk.  

Why does muscle put on more weight than fat?

Muscle weighs more by volume.  A pound of muscle will look smaller than a pound of fat – it takes up less space.  So, someone who is very muscular may weigh as much as someone who looks fat.

Nebraska Farmers Markets

If you are interested in eating fresh healthy food this summer, check out a farmers market near you!  There are many awesome markets throughout the state with vendors selling a variety of home grown, nutritious foods.  If you go to the link below, you can search for markets in every county in Nebraska.  It is a great resource.

http://www.ourbesttoyou.nebraska.gov/farmers_markets/farmers_markets.html

If you have questions, don't hesitate to comment or email me!  Have a fun healthy summer!

Student Questions!

If you eat 10 carrots would you get really strong?

While eating 10 carrots is good for you (they have vitamin A in them which is important for the immune system), it’s not going to make you really strong.  If you want to get strong, you have to challenge your body through resistance training (push-ups, lunges, squats, planks, burpees, etc), and make sure you are eating high quality protein.  High quality protein sources would include beef, chicken, pork, fish, dairy, eggs, nuts, & beans.

What is the best exercise for you?

I really don’t think there is a best.  Different exercises improve the body in different ways.  It just depends on your goals.  If you’re looking to improve overall fitness, I would say three great ones are burpees, sprinting, and planks.

Is volleyball effective since there is not much running involved?

Volleyball is still effective for fitness as it improves reaction time, jumping ability, focus, and hand-eye coordination.

How do you improve your immune system?

Just like most things in health, you have to take a comprehensive approach.  Good nutrition (see my Eat Real Food post), exercise, quality sleep, and stress management all improve the immune system. 

If you did planks for as long as you can everyday would your whole body be stronger?

You shouldn’t do them every day because you would never give your body a chance to recover and repair.  I would do them every other day or every 2 days.  This would be a more effective strategy for improving strength.

Do push-ups improve lower body strength too?

Push-ups are primarily an upper body strengthening exercise.  Focus on lunges, squats, jumping, and sprinting to improve lower body strength. 

What is “your” favorite exercise?

That’s a tough one.  One of my favorites would be sprinting.

How does soccer benefit your fitness?

Soccer is good for improving anaerobic (quick burst) fitness, quickness, eye-foot coordination, leg strength, and to some degree endurance.

What would happen if you broke your leg?  Would it effect you the rest of your life?

It just depends on how well your body heals.  Most people can bounce back from a leg break as long as they get proper care and give their body high quality nutrition and rest. 

Can stress cause you to be sick?

It definitely can.  When we are constantly stressed, our body releases natural stress chemicals called cytokines and gene signals in our body that help us deal with the stress.  If we don’t overcome the stress, these things can weaken our immune system.  A little stress can be good, but a lot of stress is not.

If you exercised every day for 2 hours, how much fat would you burn?

Everyone’s metabolism and health status is different so there is no one answer.  As long as that person is getting plenty of quality restful sleep, and eating nutritious foods, they would definitely burn some fat.

Is music proven to help people exercise?

Music has been proven to be a strong motivating factor in regards to helping people exercise.  Just ask your friends and family if they would rather exercise in silence, or with their favorite upbeat music.  I’m willing to bet most of them would say with music!  Personally, I know I’ve been energized by music!

Eat "Real Food"

The world of nutrition can be quite vast and often times confusing.  Many people aren't sure what, where, or how to eat.  My advice is keep it simple by eating REAL food.  When I say real food, I mean food that is as natural and whole as possible. 

Examples of real food:  Fresh or frozen veggies and fruits, fresh or frozen cuts of meat, eggs, herbs, spices, nuts, seeds and dairy especially fermented dairy like cottage cheese, yogurt, and kefir.  This is what a healthy nutritional plan consists of.  If you can't grow it, pick it, hunt it, or raise it, it's probably not real food.

Skip the processed, packaged, refined junk food as much as possible.  Sure, it's convenient and tastes good, but it's far from real food.  If you don't believe me, check the ingredients list on the next packaged food product you buy and count how many ingredients you have no clue about.  Processed food is full of extra additives and sugars to keep it from spoiling on the shelves. 

Food is like instructions for your body.  It programs your body to grow, repair, rejuvenate, and thrive!  That is of course if you are eating real food.  What you put in your body has a direct effect on your health and how you feel.  The human body needs a variety of nutrients including proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.  Eat a variety of the foods I listed above and you will attain all of these nutrients.  They all work in unique ways to aid the body.

I encourage everyone to visit a farmer's market this summer or even start your own garden.  Simply do a Google search for Farmer's Markets in your area and you should get the information you need.  There are also numerous free resources online about gardening.  I particularly like the method of "square foot gardening."  If you have any questions, feel free to comment below or email me!

April PE Stars

Here the students who were voted April PE Stars!  Great Work!

A PE Star is someone who shows excellence in the following qualities:

* Work Ethic
* Focus
* Positive Attitude
* Sportsmanship
* Leadership



3rd Grade Stars

4th Grade Stars

5th Grade Stars

6th Grade Stars

More Student Questions!

How long do you workout in a day?

As far as working out, I think it’s important to move as much as you can throughout the day.  Being a PE teacher, I get to do that as I’m rarely off my feet.  Besides my constant daily movement, I try to really challenge my body a couple times a day – usually before school or over the lunch hour, and then sometime after school.  

 

How long have you been a PE teacher?

This is my 6^th year as a PE teacher.  It’s an awesome job!

Is lots of apple juice bad for you?

I would never recommend lots of any fruit juice.  When you just drink the juice, you miss out on many of the other nutrients that were in the fruit including the fiber and some vitamins and minerals.  Some juice is ok, but most of the time go for the whole fruit.

Does every sport help you get healthier?  What is the best sport for health?

Most sports do help you get healthier unless the sport is very high impact.  If your body is constantly taking a beating and not recovering properly, then the sport may not be helping a lot.  Make sure you get extra sleep and good quality protein in your meals if you are playing a high impact sport.  I don’t know if there is one particular sport that is the best for your health.  I say do whatever you enjoy, and as long as you’re moving, that’s great!

 

If you’re not good at doing push-ups, is there any way you can practice at home?

Absolutely!  Just do what we do in class. Try modified push-ups, plank push-ups, push-up holds, and then work on a regular perfect push-up.  I recommend working on them every other day to give those muscles time to rest and rejuvenate in between.  

Does sleeping improve your body at all?

I actually talked about this in a previous question, but yes, sleeping is ESSENTIAL to keeping our bodies working properly.  Sleeping is the most important time our bodies use to recover, repair, and grow.

Don’t you want your heart to beat slow?

If you have a strong heart that is working very well, your heart will beat slower when you are at rest.  That is because it is able to pump/push more blood throughout the body with each beat.  One way to measure one’s cardiovascular fitness is to check resting heart rate.  Also, someone who has a very fit heart will have to work harder to get their heart rate up compared to someone who doesn’t have as fit a heart.

How would you loose weight and get muscles?

A combination of real whole fresh food (low in sugar), resistance exercise (push-ups, lunges, squats, lifting weights), some great aerobic/anaerobic workouts (sprints, jogging, jumping, skipping, biking, swimming, basketball, etc), having fun & controlling stress, and getting plenty of sleep.

How can I work out in the winter without equipment?

Do all the things we do for our dynamic warm-up!  Remember, your body weight can serve as your resistance.