The World's Weirdest Fitness Tips & Tricks

We've all chatted about exercising, losing weight, toning up, etc.  I recently received the following article from a friend…not sure how true any of this is but it is interesting, some of it makes no sense to me and some of it is just pure D funny! 

Let me know what you think!

Clothes Make the (Wo)Man Red can increase blood circulation and body temperature, upping the ante on your workout. The science behind it? Red affects the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that regulates body temperature, appetite and energy levels. Reds, as well as oranges, can help get your brain into the zone. Who knew your outfit could get you a better and longer workout?  

Take a Picture of What You Eat Do a quick photo shoot of everything you eat. (And we mean everything.) Even if nobody else sees it, this will get you eating less and higher quality in no time. Be proud of what you put in your body, and the pounds melt away much faster.   

Keep Your Hands Cold “Cold hands, warm heart,” ...slim waistline? Perhaps. Holding a hand-cooling device (such as an ice pack or water bottle) can help you exercise longer. A Stanford study suggests doing this reduces your body temperature and helps you stay comfortable while saving energy for your workout.  

Ellipticals Suck Not only is it arguably the most boring exercise machine, the elliptical is also one of the least effective. It uses momentum instead of muscle force, cheating you out of a harder workout. Although it increases your heart rate, you don’t reach one required to burn fat unless you exercise for 45-60 minutes and vary your intensity and resistance. It can be useful for warming up or rehab, but other than that it’s a time-drain. A good basic rule is: if you can watch TV while you’re doing it, you’re not burning fat.  

Bonding Doesn’t Burn Calories Working out with friends can be a good support system to get you to the gym. But it can backfire too. Many exercisers tend to talk more and slow down, lowering the intensity of their workout. Plus, you can’t break into a sprint in the middle of your conversation!

To avoid this, get to the gym with friends to increase motivation and punctuality, but save the chatter for the locker room.

Drink WHAT?! Drinking pickle juice can help you regain precious sodium lost in a workout. Sodium deficiency can increase cramping. This is great for intense activity in hot weather. If you don’t feel nauseous, drink a few ounces after exercising to speed up recovery.  

If You Like Piña Coladas Pineapple juice can help ease recovery post-workout. Pineapple contains bromelaine, an enzyme that removes lactic acid, the stuff that makes muscles sore and inflamed after working out. Plus the sugar helps you feed your body without refined sugary drinks. Try six to eight ounces 30 minutes after training. You can also get bromelaine in capsule form at the drug or health store.  

Sweat ≠ Working Like A Turbo Jet Sweat is part of homeostasis, or the function that allows your body to regulate itself despite changing environments. Perspiration increases in hot temperatures and intense activity, but you’re actually sweating all the time. It’s not a clear sign that you are burning any calories, however. For instance, sweating in a sauna does not mean you burned more calories than running in cold weather. So quit checking out your pit stains and focus on your heart rate monitor. An elevated heart rate and is the only real indication you’re burning fat!  

This Isn’t A Library Try putting your hands on your stomach while saying “shhh.” Feel the contraction? That is the ab muscles and diaphragm tightening, forcing you to engage your core while breathing, and helping you get more out of each rep (repetition). The louder you shush, the better. It’s great for core exercises like squats, push-ups, and Pilates, and it also helps reverse the negative effects of stress, sitting all day and poor posture. This little trick can help increase strength, improve the spread of oxygen in the body, and strengthen the core.  

You’re Too Young For a Hump! Don’t just spot tone the muscles you can see - there’s more to a good figure than pecs, abs, glutes and quads. Your upper back is a crucial area to tone, both for physical appearance and comfort. Neglecting this zone gives you a clear “hump” caused by forward-rounded shoulders and a forward leaning neck. Not only do you end up looking like a slouch, but you are also vulnerable to neck and shoulder pain.

To reverse this trend, stretch chest muscles and do exercises that force you to retract the neck and shoulders. Good examples are rows, front lat pull-downs, and upward dumbbell flys. Don’t forget to stick your chest out while doing them, too!
 

Courtesy of likes.com