Fitness Smarts

By Lisa Brown MS, RD

Dietitian and graduate of Attacking Anxiety and Depression

“I will restore the years the locusts have eaten.” Joel 2:25

Reducing Anxiety with Fitness Smarts

It is very tempting to want that endorphin high when you are full of anxiety. The problem is your body might not be ready for the aerobic workout, especially if you are not used to exercising often. If you have any rapid heartbeat, dizziness or breathlessness after exercising, then you need to educate yourself and treat your body kindly. You can get over this hump by knowing how to exercise more intelligently…I did.

Stay Hydrated to Exercise Smart

Dr. Bruce Miller states that “during a hard workout 2-4 pints of water can be lost in an hour. Usually the first signs of being low in fluids are breathlessness, fatigue, and an increase in heart rate.”*

So what about sports drinks? Are they a good way to hydrate for your workout?

According to Anita Bean, “Sports drinks may be better than water at speeding recovery after exercise, particularly when fluid losses are high or for those athletes who train or compete twice a day.”**

I believe you should treat yourself as an athlete because of all the adrenalin coursing through your veins when you exercise. I would recommend drinking a sports drink before and after exercise. Exercising smartly means that you should make sure you are drinking more than eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Drink, drink, drink. You do not need to drink the whole bottle if you start feeling full.

Carry the bottle with you so that you can drink all day instead of gorging right before your work out. This will just make it harder for you to move. Do not wait until you are thirsty either. Again from Dr. Miller, “Thirst lags behind need.”

You can also try water and lemon juice or a bit of fruit juice. That may be all you need to hydrate properly for your workout. Experiment and see how you feel until you find what works best for you.

Know Your Target Pulse Rate for Smart Fitness

On www.virtualfitnesstrainer.com you can plug in your age and it will give you a heart rate range to stay in during a workout. If you are experiencing symptoms of anxiety after exercise I would recommend starting slow and staying on the low end of the range.

Consider buying a pulsometer to help you go slow and steady. They are much more reliable at reading your heart rate than you will be while you exercise. It’s also important to give yourself a long cool down (15-30 minutes) after your workout so that your pulse rate will come down slowly.

It’s Smart to Know Your Exercise Limits

If you are pretty sedentary (couch potato) consider starting by walking for fifteen minutes around the block every day and adding 5 minutes each week. Exercise is such a key to recovery. Overdoing it at first, though, can cause injuries and decrease your motivation. Let your body adjust slowly. It’s so worth it. Believe me.

Consider working with an exercise physiologist who can give you an exercise program suitable for you. Your doctor or gym may have an idea of who could help you more.

Take care and God bless you,
Lisa Brown MS, RD

*Miller, Bruce. 1993, The Winning Edge: Sports Nutrition (Dallas TX: Bruce Miller Enterprises, Inc.)
**Bean, A (2001), The Complete Guide to Sports Nutrition (London: A&C Black).