University of Alberta Fitness
1-300 Van Vliet Complex T6G 2H9 Edmonton, AB, Canada

The last piece to cover about recovery nutrition is hydration. Don’t forget that water is technically a macronutrient! In many cases, water on its own is enough to support adequate rehydration for people who are active on a regular basis. Yes, you don’t need to ALWAYS chug a bottle of Gatorade after each exercise session. In some cases, there may be a need for introducing electrolytes or carbohydrates into a beverage for rehydration purposes. Fluid requirements around exe...rcise are heavily reliant on exercise duration, how heavy you sweat, and how long you sweat for in any particular exercise session. If you are interested in finding out what your fluid requirements might be after exercise, try out this little experiment: - Figure out your weight change in kilograms: Weigh yourself before and after exercise (without clothing if possible) - Determine how much fluid you drank during your workout in litres (assuming that 1 litre equals 1 kilogram) - Add those 2 numbers together to get a rough estimation of how much sweat you lost! - For optimal rehydration, aim to consume 1 - 1.5 L of fluid per kg of weight lost, in addition to regular fluid needs. - If you sweat a LOT or are a salty sweater, consider adding in a pinch of salt to your rehydration beverage or using an electrolyte supplement. Tip: If you’re someone who drinks milk, chocolate milk is a great recovery beverage! This is because it contains carbs, protein, and fluid. PLUS, since it is a liquid, it is easy to consume and rapidly digested! #ualbertafitness #myvivaoncampus #nutrition #sportsnutrition #performancenutrition #healthyeating #hydration #workoutrecovery

A common question for many new to an exercise routine is: How often should I work out? And a common response is that exercising more frequently will lead to more health benefits Up to a certain point, this is true, but to dive into this further we should have a conversation about training loads. Training load is a combination of the duration, frequency, and intensity of the exercise done in a given time period.... According to Smith (2003), [t]raining loads can be classified as the loads of a single session or microcycle of 35 days in the following manner: excessive load (surpasses the functional capacity of the body and results in a form of over-training); trainable load (results in a specific training effect); maintenance load (is sufficient to avoid a detraining effect); recovery load (favours promotion of the recovery process after a previous excessive or trainable load); and useless load (is below the intensity or value necessary to achieve any of the previously established effects). As Smith explains, just as there is a point where decreasing physical activity will no longer allow for the maintenance of current fitness levels, there is a point at which increasing physical activity will no longer produce fitness improvements, as there isn’t sufficient recovery time for these positive fitness adaptations to occur during. Keep in mind that individual differences will determine where these thresholds are. Those with more training experience will likely be able to tolerate a larger training load, whereas someone with less experience may need more recovery time between sessions. Ideally, we want to find a balance between applying trainable, maintenance, and recovery loads over the long term course of our fitness routine. The age-old adage of listen to your body applies well when making the decision to how to adjust training load for the week. Feeling fresh and energized? Go ahead and push yourself. Feeling a little burnt out physically or mentally? Cut back on the intensity or frequency of your workouts temporarily.

Register for of our online Virtual Recreation Term Pass at: http://ow.ly/bGd950CRxa2 . Enjoy Virtual classes weekly from January 11 - April 2. Choose from a se...lection of fitness, dance, and martial arts classes (All classes included in the same pass)! . FREE for U of A Students U of A Staff: $73.50 Public: $78.75 . Browse our Winter 2021 Online Recreation Guide and register for programs at: http://ow.ly/lp5f50CRxug . . . . #UAlberta #UAlbertaRec #StayActiveStayWell #MyMoveMyMoment #virtualpass #UAlbertafitness #virtualfitness #virtualyoga #yogaclass #martialarts #recreation #2021RecreationGuide #winterrecreation #YEGfitness #wellness UAlberta Fitness See more

Since our fitness facilities are currently closed, we’ll be sharing some tips, tricks, and exercises you can incorporate into your home workouts. If you don’t have much workout equipment at home, isometric exercises can be a great options for making bodyweight exercises more difficult. Those looking for a more challenging variation of a push-up may want to give this isometric push-up a try. Here’s how it’s done: SET-UP:... Drape a towel across your shoulderblades and lay on your stomach Place your hands just outside the width of your shoulders, with the ends of the towel underneath your hands HOW IT’S DONE: Breathe in from your belly to create stability in your core Slowly exhale as you push yourself away from the floor and against the resistance of the towel. Hold for 3-5 seconds, lower down to the bottom of the push-up position and then repeat For more home workout tips and exercises, check out the Exercising at Home playlist on our Youtube channel.

Protein has many essential functions in the body. As many of you may know, a couple of these functions are to help repair and build muscle tissue. This is why protein is talked about so much with respect to exercise performance muscle is where our performance ultimately comes from! Aim to include at least one protein source with each meal and snack (including those that you eat post-exercise). Think protein sources such as lean meats, fish, poultry, tofu, tempeh, dairy, n...uts & seeds, beans & lentils, and seitan. Protein requirements vary for each person depending on training/exercise style, exercise volume, body size, and body composition or desired performance. If you would like to learn about your individual protein requirements, we recommend booking a consultation with Katrina, our registered dietitian. #ualbertafitness #myvivaoncampus #nutrition #sportsnutrition #performancenutrition #protein #healthyeating

Join Chelsea, CCR Fitness instructor, on #IGLive for a movement practice that will get your body reacquainted with what our bodies are naturally intended to doa little bit of mobility, sweat, cool down and stretch! . Check out @UAlbertaRec Instagram on Friday November 27, 12-1 pm (MST). . .... . . #UAlberta #UAlbertaRec #YEGfitness #ualbertafitness #instagramlive #livefitness #fitnessclass #stretch #wellness #naturalmovement #StayActiveStayWell See more

On non-workout days, it may seem like it would be best to rest completely to restore energy and enhance muscle recovery. On the contrary, active recovery, done in the form of light intensity aerobic exercise, can be a useful practice. The rhythmic muscle contractions involved in activities such as walking and cycling increase blood flow and thus allow for faster elimination of the metabolic byproducts that may be responsible for delayed onset muscle soreness. As a guideline for active recovery cardio, exercise at an intensity that is 50-75% of the level you would work at in a regular workout.

We often think of mobility work as something to be addressed by stretching or foam-rolling, but strength training can also play a big role in addressing mobility concerns. Sometimes mobility restrictions can be the result of imbalances in strength between muscle groups acting on the same joint, with the feeling of tightness arising from a weakness of a muscle group. A well-balanced exercise program that incorporates exercises for all the major muscle groups and incorporates ...movement in multiple directions can help keep you moving well for the long haul. Interested in learning more about how to use your strength training to improve mobility? One of the perks of signing up for MyViva Student Plan is access to exclusive fitness resources, including the Addressing Common Mobility Restrictions with Strength Training video. Head over to the link below to learn more about My Viva Plan! https://uofa.myvivaplan.com/

TURMERIC LENTIL SOUP (recipe below) Curcumin is a phytonutrient in turmeric. The curcumin is what gives this spice its golden yellow color (just like the color of our recipe above). Many small studies found that taking a curcumin supplement can reduce muscle soreness. However, some studies also found no benefit to decreased muscle soreness. Due to this mix in findings and their small number of participants, it is not certain if curcumin can help reduce muscle soreness. Addi...ng turmeric as a spice in foods can still yield some health benefits, as it is a good source of potassium and magnesium. Try out this awesome recipe for Turmeric Lentil Soup! Turmeric Lentil Soup Makes 6 servings (1 cup per serving) Ingredients 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil 1 cup onion, diced 1 cup celery, diced 1 cup carrot, peeled and diced 1 cup turnip, peeled and diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. pepper 1 Tbsp. turmeric 1 tsp. ginger 1 tsp. cumin 1 tsp. oregano 1 cup red lentils (dried) 4 cups vegetable stock, no salt added 1 cup water 1 can coconut milk 1 cup spinach, chopped 1 lime, juice Preparation Heat oil in a large pot. Add onions and cook until starting to soften. Add the carrots and celery and cook for 4 more minutes. Add the turnip, garlic, salt, pepper, turmeric, ginger, cumin and oregano. Allow to cook for 2 minutes. Add vegetable stock, water, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 8 minutes. Add the lentils and cook until soft, ~5 minutes. Add the chopped spinach and lime juice and stir until combined. Serve and Enjoy! #ualbertafitness #mymove #mymoment #myvivaoncampus #nutrition #healthyeating #whatsonyourplate #turmeric #soup #recipe

Campus & Community Recreation is excited to announce that we have migrated to our very own website! We’ve redesigned our site layout and navigation to provide a... better overall user experience. With these improvements our goal is to help make it easier for students, staff, and community members to learn about and access our programs, services, and online wellness resources! . You will still be able to find us at: uab.ca/recreation . You will also be able to link to our new site from our previous home on the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation website (uab.ca/ksr) here: http://ow.ly/EaYr50Cm2c2 (navigate to ‘About Us’ > ’Integrated Services’). . We invite you to visit us and take a tour of our new online home! . . . #UAlberta #UAlbertaRec #newwebsite See more

So you’ve heard of mobility and flexibility, but are they the same thing? Flexibility is the ability of a muscle or muscle group to passively and temporarily lengthen through a range of motion. When we are holding a stretch, we are challenging the flexibility of a muscle group. Mobility is the ability of a joint to move actively through a range of motion before a point of restriction is reached. This point of restriction is the one at which we would likely be holding that p...assive stretch that challenges our flexibility. The key difference here with mobility is the active movement. Mobility is not just flexibility, but also having the strength and motor control to move through a range of motion. So why is mobility important? Let say you have a car with a flat tire. You can still drive the car but it won’t move as fast or efficiently. Similarly, if we have a lack of mobility at a joint, the quality of our movement may be negatively affected. The demand that that joint is unable to meet will instead be transferred to another area of the body, and this increase in stress could potentially lead to injury if it is unable to meet that demand. Staying active helps preserve joint mobility and allows for life-long health by maintaining functional independence with aging. Set the stage for this by establishing healthy habits for yourself now, and your future self will thank you. For some practical ways to incorporate a mobility focus into your fitness routine, check out the Total Body Mobility Flow and Combatting Sitting videos in the My Viva Student portal. Head to www.myvivainc.com/students/ to learn more about My Viva Plan can help you with your fitness and wellness goals.

The Government of Alberta has announced new public health measures to protect the health system and limit the spread of COVID-19. The new measures will be in pl...ace between November 13-27. The University of Alberta and Campus & Community Recreation are committed to providing safe and healthy spaces to support your recreation goals. . Effective immediately the following changes will take place: . Team Sports and Group Fitness: . The government has suspended indoor fitness classes and team sports, excluding varsity sports and national team training sessions, for the period of November 13-27. . To meet these requirements, the following activities are suspended immediately at all University of Alberta campuses and facilities: . Group fitness programs Group dance programs Group martial arts programs Intramural sports Club dance groups and team sport activities Curling leagues Rental space for team sports in all facilities . *For more details on sport and recreation facilities that will REMAIN OPEN please visit: uab.ca/recreation OR www.savillecentre.ca . We are seeking your help in keeping our facilities and programs safe and available during the pandemic. Your health is important to us. Thank you for your cooperation and adherence to these safety measures. . . . . #UAlberta #UAlbertaRec #COVID19update See more