Planet Fitness: Fremont

What Is a Good Carbohydrate to Eat After a Workout? Most fitness enthusiasts understand that proper nutrition before a workout is essential. But what you put in your body after your workout can be just as important. Eating a balance of carbohydrates and protein after exercising will aid in recovery and muscle building and ultimately help you achieve your fitness goals. The Glycogen Factor... During your workout, the body uses stored glucose for fuel. In the muscles, the stored form of glucose is called glycogen. When you work out, your body depletes this stored energy. For this reason, it's important to eat carbohydrates immediately after your workout. Consuming carbohydrates after you exercise gives your body a chance to replenish the glycogen lost during your exercise regimen. Snacks With Carbohydrates The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends eating carbohydrates 15 to 20 minutes after your workout. You shouldn't eat the carbohydrates alone, however. Ideally, you want to consume a snack that includes a 3-to-1 ratio of carbohydrates and protein. Good examples of post-workout snacks include a smoothie with kale, nonfat, plain Greek yogurt, fruit and soy milk. You can also consume yogurt with berries or a slice of whole wheat bread with 2 tablespoons of nut butter and a sliced banana on top. In addition, low-fat chocolate milk has been shown to be a good post-workout snack. A 2012 study by "Medicine and Sports Science" found that consuming chocolate milk immediately after exercise and again two hours after exercise may be optimal for recovery and reduce muscle damage. Meals With Carbohydrates In addition to eating carbohydrates directly after your workout, you want to aim to eat a regular meal three to four hours after you exercise. Examples of good meals with carbohydrates include turkey on a whole-grain wrap with your favorite sliced veggies or 3 ounces of baked chicken over brown rice served with a cup of sauteed broccoli. For vegetarians, replace the chicken for tempeh or tofu, which provides a healthy dose of protein in addition to the carbohydrates found in the rice. Another meal idea is quinoa and black beans -- which both contain complex carbohydrates -- served with a side salad. Other Considerations Remember that while carbohydrates are important after a workout, it is necessary to consume protein as well. Carbohydrates help to rebuild your glycogen stores, while protein is needed to build and repair your muscles. You also want to make sure you eat both carbs and protein one to three hours before you step foot in the gym for an optimal workout. Mix and match with different lean proteins and healthy carbs in the context of a well-balanced meal. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends making about half of your plate vegetables, one-fourth protein and the other one-fourth carbohydrates.

How to Set Up a Women's Home Gym When you think of a gym, you likely picture heavy-duty weight machines, cardio machines and an impressive display of free weights.While these items are standard for a commercial gym that serves many people, a home gym for women is much different. Here, you customize the equipment for individual use, with personalized exercises designed to meet your specific fitness goals. Women don't need to use only light weights -- include a variety of weigh...ts and other equipment to implement a comprehensive exercise plan that includes cardio, strength training and flexibility. Set your fitness goals. Women may focus on a variety of goals or combinations, such as weight loss after pregnancy, better muscle definition in their legs or upper arms or even a smaller rear end. Focus your equipment to to support your goals, ability and climate. Consider aerobic equipment like a treadmill or stationary bike, which are adjustable and usable on rainy or hot days. If these pieces are too large or expensive, select a jump rope or set up an area where you can work out using DVDs to target traditional problem areas, such as your buns, thighs or belly. Invest in strength training pieces like a stability ball, medicine ball or resistance bands. Choose dumbbells and other weights with care, starting with smaller, lighter weights that are comfortable to lift yet still challenging. For flexibility work, get a mat and a yoga block which can be used to modify stretches to make them more or less challenging. Choose the location for your gym. You sufficient room for your equipment and activities. Treadmills and elliptical trainers require about 30 square feet, while a stair climber will only take up 10 to 20 square feet. Free weights can cover anywhere from 20 to 50 square feet, but smaller weights take up less space. Check the ceiling height of the space, as you need vertical space for your activities. Lighting and ventilation are other factors in locating a home gym. Opt for a well-lit area with good air flow to keep the temperature and humidity at comfortable levels. Evaluate your equipment to ensure your home gym will be an asset in your fitness plan. Make adjustments as needed. Go through a circuit that includes different exercise stations in the gym, like cardio and strength work, to make sure everything is easily accessible and comfortable to use.

Water & Sports PT Exercises Physical therapy, or PT, rehabilitates injured people back to work, sport and daily functional activities. Sports PT focuses on returning athletes to sport with increased strength, stamina and flexibility to perform at the level demanded of them. Sports PT also utilizes hydrotherapy, which are pool water exercises, to rehabilitate injured clients. Exercises in the water improve fitness and help to prevent future injuries. Pool Jogging... Jogging in the pool is a low-impact alternative to running on pavement. The pool's buoyancy creates resistance for you to push down against the water with your legs, mimicking a running action. Pool jogging can be done with a flotation device worn around your waist to help keep you afloat. Try it by adopting an upright posture in the water, leaning forward slightly from the pelvis. Bend both knees up to a 90-degree angle; extend one hip by pushing your foot down and behind you. Avoid bringing the foot in front of you as this creates a cycling action and is less efficient for running. Increase the intensity of workouts by jogging hard for 30 seconds followed by 30 seconds of lighter jogging repeated 10 times. Include a five- to 10-minute warm-up and cool-down. Pool Pushups Athletes can do pushups in the pool to develop upper-body strength. This exercise can be modified according to your individual capabilities. Start by facing the pool wall with both hands palm-down resting on the deck, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Push down through your upper body to lift yourself half-way out of the pool; pause and return to start position. Repeat 10 times or until fatigued. Increase the difficulty of the exercise by lifting more of your body out of the water. Leg Kicks Strengthen core abdominal muscles, legs and train your balance with alternating leg kicks. Stand in chest-height water close to the wall of the pool for support if needed. Contract your abdominal muscles as you stand tall with arms straight out by your sides. Kick your left leg straight out in front of your body. Return to start and repeat with your right leg. Complete 10 to 15 repetitions per side or until fatigue sets in. Repeat two to three sets. Lunge Lunges in the pool can be more forgiving on achy knees thanks to the effects of buoyancy. Do this exercise standing tall in water at about waist-level or just below the chest. Adopt a stride stance so that your left leg is a few feet in front of your body and right leg back. With your belly muscles tight, slowly lower the back leg toward the pool floor. Your front knee should not extend past your toes. Repeat 10 times or until fatigued and switch legs. Increase exercise difficulty by holding a float-weight in each hand and pushing them straight down into the water as you lunge.