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introduction
Aug. 7th, 2011 10:55 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pandaHi! Newbie here! My name is Panda, and I'm one of those people who always hated exercise. But recently I've realized my mood is better and I have more energy if I exercise regularly, so I'd like to start exercising for 30 min every day. The gym intimidates me, but I've got a workout DVD I really like. I also just started the couch 2 5k program, and I'm really excited about it.
Now I have a total newbie question: like I said, I'd like to exercise for 30 min every day, because I just feel better on days that I exercise. Couch 2 5k is only supposed to be done 3 days a week though, with rest days in between. Is it okay to alternate doing couch 2 5k with doing my workout DVD? My DVD has a 30 min cardio session and a 30 min strength session. On the DVD it says you are supposed to alternate them, and do the cardio workout 2x per week and the strength workout 2x per week. In gym class we were always told you're supposed to take days off after you work out, to give your muscles time to rest and recover, but if doing the cardio and the strength and the running all uses different muscles, is it okay to do them every day, as long as you alternate?
Also, what are you guys' thoughts on what one should eat for a post workout snack/meal? I tried googling for information, but there is so much out there, and a lot of it is contradictory. Eat complex carbs, eat simple carbs; eat peanut butter, don't eat any fat; eat lots of protein, eat lots of carbs; etc etc. Once school starts again, I'm hopefully going to do a fitness assessment with a trainer at my uni's gym, and will ask them about workout foods, but that won't be for a while, and I need to eat things in the meantime. Any advice is very appreciated! Thank you!
Now I have a total newbie question: like I said, I'd like to exercise for 30 min every day, because I just feel better on days that I exercise. Couch 2 5k is only supposed to be done 3 days a week though, with rest days in between. Is it okay to alternate doing couch 2 5k with doing my workout DVD? My DVD has a 30 min cardio session and a 30 min strength session. On the DVD it says you are supposed to alternate them, and do the cardio workout 2x per week and the strength workout 2x per week. In gym class we were always told you're supposed to take days off after you work out, to give your muscles time to rest and recover, but if doing the cardio and the strength and the running all uses different muscles, is it okay to do them every day, as long as you alternate?
Also, what are you guys' thoughts on what one should eat for a post workout snack/meal? I tried googling for information, but there is so much out there, and a lot of it is contradictory. Eat complex carbs, eat simple carbs; eat peanut butter, don't eat any fat; eat lots of protein, eat lots of carbs; etc etc. Once school starts again, I'm hopefully going to do a fitness assessment with a trainer at my uni's gym, and will ask them about workout foods, but that won't be for a while, and I need to eat things in the meantime. Any advice is very appreciated! Thank you!