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Effects Of Different Medications On Exercise

Effects of Different Medications on Exercise Either you or somebody you know might be on some kind of long term medications! I am not talking about somebody who takes an aspirin or a paracetamol or some antipyretic. When I say long term medications, I am talking about cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar lowering drugs. When a patient usually gets on any of these drugs there are high chances that they are on them forever!

Each one of these medications has a tremendous impact on the body which comes as a blow if you’re an exercise person! Every medication has a different set of action, so here are some points for you to keep in mind.

1. Cholesterol Medications

The most commonly used cholesterol medication is statin. The generic names of these drugs available are usually Rosuvastatin, Atorvastatin, Fluvastatin, Lovastatin, Pravastatin, Simvastatin and Pitavastatin.

Note: To check which statin is your medication, check behind the tablet. If it is not mentioned, check it on the company’s site

Effects Of Cholesterol Medications On Exercise 

Statins deplete CoEnzyme Q10 in the body, which is very important for muscles to produce energy. This will affect your strength training routine and your post strength training recovery will be slow. It might also lead to rhabdomyolysis which means muscle death – it is definitely not good.

What Can You Do?

  • The first thing which you should always try is getting off statins as soon as possible with some changes in your diet and exercise routine. You can ask your coach to help you with this! Let your doctor change your medicines and your coach can guide you with the diet and exercise routine.
  • While you are on a statin, you should always try a gradual progress. Do not rush into any kind of exercise routine. Give your body enough time to get adapted.
  • Take longer recovery time. Instead of having a 1-day gap between your strength training schedules, you can take a 2 day gap which will give your muscles more time to recover. You can do light workouts on the day when you don’t plan to do strength training.

2. Beta Blockers

This is a group of medications is used to lower high blood pressure. The most commonly used beta blockers are atenolol, bisoprolol, propranolol and metroporolol.

Note: To check which beta blocker is your medication, check behind the tablet. Salt name is always mentioned. If in case it is not mentioned, check it on the company’s website.

Effects Of Beta Blockers On Exercise

People who are on beta blockers see that their heart rate is always less no matter what form of exercise they do. Maintaining a proper heart rate during different activities is very important for having good cardiac health. People taking beta blockers witness that their heart rate after a sprint and after moderate jogging is exactly the same. In fact, this shouldn’t be the case. It has to be more while sprinting than jogging.

What Can You Do?

  • Instead of checking your heart rate for your exercise progress, start checking your exertion timing
  • If you start panting very soon, note that time. Work on your stamina and then go ahead. Beta blockers will always keep your heart rate low.

3. ACE Inhibitors

These are another set of medications which are used to lower high blood pressure. The most commonly used ACE Inhibitors are fosinopril, lisinopril, quinapril.

Note: To check which ACE Inhibitor is your medication, check behind the tablet. Salt name is always mentioned. If in case it is not mentioned, check it on the company’s website.

Effects Of ACE Inhibitors On Exercise 

There are 2 types of people – One who has high blood pressure and is not taking any medication and another one who has high blood pressure and is on either a Beta Blocker or an ACE Inhibitor.

If the person without the medication exercises, his blood pressure will come down automatically post exercise. This is called as post exercise hypotension.

This even happens with someone who is on blood pressure medication, but then it can go really very low! That’s the reason people feel dizzy, shaky, nauseous, and experience blurred vision post exercise. Sometimes, the person can faint as well.

What Can You Do? 

  • For obvious reasons, you cannot skip the medications and neither can you skip your workout but you can definitely manage it
  • For people on BP medications, you should cool down a bit longer than an average person. Instead of a 5-minute cooldown, do a 10-minute cooldown
  • Use your tracker effectively. For example, if your heart rate is 140 beats per minute- Post workout it can drop to 110 which is ok. After another minute it might fall further to 90. Hold on. Breathe it. Stretch yourself. Your targeted heart beat should be only 10% more than your RHR (Resting Heart Rate) which is around 60-70 beats per minute.

4. Blood Sugar Lowering Medications

There are different blood sugar lowering medications which affect the body in different ways. Either they increase the insulin function or remove excess sugar out through urine or they decrease the amount of carbohydrate absorption in the body.

For a non-diabetic person, while exercising, there are different hormonal fluctuations which happen. Adrenaline is released followed by a surge in cortisol levels and these hormones raise blood sugar levels. To bring this down, pancreas secretes another hormone called insulin which brings the elevated sugars down. So, the fluctuation is not seen, whereas this is not the case in people with diabetes.

Some medications can cause hypoglycemia (Blood sugars below 70) in diabetics.

What Can You Do? 

  • In this case, nothing can be done apart from monitoring
  • Check your blood sugar levels before exercising, middle of the exercise and post workout
  • Keep half a glass of fruit juice or 1 glass of milk with you always! If the sugar drops, please consume either of the two.
  • Do strength training, reduce your carbohydrates, add enough proteins to your routine and ask your doctor to reduce your medication.

If this article helped, let us know in the comments below. You can find more articles on fitness here.

If you need help or have any queries regarding the information above, drop us a comment or speak to a certified expert directly by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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Planks: The Quick and Easy Way to Stay Fit!

Benefits of Planks

With everyone’s busy schedule, even squeezing in a 15 minute workout seems like a stretch. Quite honestly, we all want to be fit, lose weight, gain muscle, reduce belly fat or increase stamina and so on, but very rarely find the time to do it. In such a scenario, it is necessary to think about which workouts consume less time but are more effective. There are many exercises that you can perform at any time, anywhere and with no equipment. One such workout is Planks.

Planks strengthen your mid-section, upper-body and lower-body muscles along with the front of your body. It also strengthens the inner core muscles that support your joints. At a time, it works on all your core muscles. It can also help you improve posture, balance and overall fitness.

How To Hold A Plank

  • Lie face down with forearms on the floor and hands clasped
  • Extend your legs behind the body and rise up on the toes
  • Keeping your back straight, tighten the core and hold the position for 30-60 seconds (or as long as you can)

Plank Variations and How to Perform Them

There are different variations for the plank which are a little difficult to perform. Let’s explore them!

  1. Side Plank: Roll to the side and come up on one foot and elbow. Make sure your hips are lifted and the core is engaged. Hang tight for 30-60 seconds (or as long as you can)
  2. Reverse Plank: Start by sitting on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you. Place your palms on the floor, below your shoulders, squeeze your buttocks and thighs, and then push your body up into a reverse plank position. Alternatively, you can begin by placing your elbows rather than your hands on the floor, for a less dramatic lift. Keep your body in a straight diagonal line from your shoulders to heels. Ensure that your hips are in line
  3. Dynamic Prone Plank: Starting with a standard plank position, raise the hips as high as they can go and then lower them back down. Continue this movement for as long as possible. Make sure the Back stays straight and the hips don’t droop.
  4. Plank to Push-Up: Starting in a plank position, place down one hand at a time to lift up into a push-up position, with the back straight and the core engaged. Then, move one arm at a time back into the plank position (forearms on the ground). Repeat alternating the arm that makes the first move
  5. Jumping Jack Planks: There are planks, and then there are planks with pop! Start in a traditional plank (shoulders over the wrists and the body in one straight line) but keep your feet together. Then, simply do jumping jacks with the legs, moving them out to the sides, then back together. Aim for 12-15 hops (out and in is one)

Fun Fact: Just by holding a plank for 30 secs a day, you can make your core stronger. It also helps you lose fat!

One word of caution is being careful when performing planks. Overdoing it could lead to injury. This is important if you have back pain or an injury. If you’re trying it for the first time, get into it slowly and gradually till you can hold the plank for longer duration. The duration can be increased with  practice.

Points to Remember

  • Keep breathing while doing the Plank. In essence, don’t hold your breath
  • Ensure that your hips, head or shoulders do not drop
  • Don’t place your hands very close, it can create internal rotation and instability in your shoulder joint
  • Try to hold the Plank in a proper position for a short duration rather than holding it in a wrong position for a longer time

What do you think? Try out planks and its variations and let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

You can find more articles on fitness here. You can also join our certified experts for a live, interactive session on GOQii PRO. Book a class now from the GOQii App.

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व्यायाम को एक आदत बनाने में आपकी मदद करने के लिए 6 ट्रिक्स

व्यायाम को एक नियमित आदत बनाने का प्रयास करेंअमूमन जब आप आपने बॉडी शेप में आने के लिए एक नया वर्कआउट रूटीन सेट करते है, तो आपके इरादे अक्सर आपके एक्शन से मेल नहीं खाते। आपको एहसास होने लगता है कि कुछ हासिल करने का इरादा रखने और उस इरादे को पूरा करने के लिए वास्तव में काम करने के बीच एक बड़ा अंतर है। इसके बारे में खुद को परेशान नहीं करने की जरूरत है। हमेशा कोई न कोई रास्ता होता है जो इस अंतर को कम कर सकता है। आइए कुछ तरकीबों पर गौर करें जो वर्कआउट को आपकी आदत बनाने में आपकी मदद कर सकते हैं!

एक्सरसाइज को आदत कैसे बनाएं

  1. एक लक्ष्य निर्धारित करें और खुद को उसका एक रिमाइंडर भेजें: मैं कसरत करना चाहता था क्योंकि मैं हमेशा एक सैनिक की तरह फिट रहना चाहता था – यही मेरा लक्ष्य था। मैंने अपने फोन पर सुबह 5 बजे के लिए “एक सैनिक की तरह फिट रहें” के लिए एक रिमाइंडर सेट किया। यह मेरी सुबह के अलार्म के रूप में भी काम करता था। एक ऐसा लक्ष्य निर्धारित करें जहां आप हर रोज खुद को याद दिलाएं और आप जब तक अपना वर्कआउट पूरा ना कर लें आपको नींद नहीं आनी चाहिए।
  2. दोस्त को चुनौती दें: जिस दिन आप वर्कआउट शुरू करने का प्लान बनाते हैं, उसी दिन अपने दोस्त को चुनौती देदें। मैंने अपने दोस्त को मैसेज किया, “अरे, अगले 30 दिनों में, मैं अपना स्टैमिना 6/10 से बढ़ाकर 10/10 करने जा रहा हूं’। यकीन मानिए, आपका दोस्त आपको यह कभी नहीं भूलने देगा कि आपको रोजाना व्यायाम करने की जरूरत है।
  3. 21/90 नियम का प्रयोग करें: यह नियम कहता है कि किसी आदत को बनने में 21 दिन लगते हैं। एक लाइफस्टाइल बनाने में 90 दिन लगते हैं। इस नियम के अनुसार आप 21 दिनों तक एक भी दिन स्किप नहीं कर सकते। इन 3 हफ्तों में एक्सरसाइज आपकी आदत बन जाएगी। और एक बार जब आप इसे करने में सक्षम हो जाते हैं, आप इसे अगले 90 दिनों तक करना जारी रखेंगे।
  4. 1 रेस्ट डे के साथ खुद को रिवार्ड करें: 1 दिन अपने “रेस्ट डे” के रूप में रखें। यह आपकी मांसपेशियों की रिकवरी के लिए भी महत्वपूर्ण है।
  5. इसे आनंददायक बनाएं: ऐसे में आपका पसंदीदा म्यूजिक एक जादू का काम करेगा।  बिना बोर हुए आप अपनने वर्कआउट से प्यार करने लगेंगे। यह वास्तव में कुछ ऐसा है जो मैं करता हूं और इसका भरपूर आनंद लेता हूं।
  6. बेबी स्टेप्स लें: आखिरी लेकिन सबसे काम की ट्रिक – जब मैंने वर्कआउट शुरू किया, तो मै पूरे “जोश” में था। मैं सेट्स और रेप्स की गिनती करना भूल गया और बहुत सारी एनर्जी के साथ वर्कआउट किया। मुझे हमेशा से लगता था कि जितना ज्यादा वर्कआउट करूंगा, उतनी ही जल्दी मुझे परिणाम मिलेंगे। लेकिन हुआ ठीक इसका उलटा। दूसरे दिन के वर्कआउट के लिए मेरे पास कोई एनर्जी नहीं बची थी। तो, यह मेरे लिए एक सबक के रूप में था – शुरुआत में बहुत ज्यादा करने से बर्नआउट होता है; जो आपकी वर्कआउट कि आदत के छोड़ने का कारण बन सकता है। तो, शुरुआत में 15-30 मिनट के लिए हल्की तीव्रता वाले व्यायाम से शुरुआत करें। हमारा एकमात्र उद्देश्य नियमित होना है – यानी कि हम बिना किसी दिन नागा किये रोज़ाना वर्कआउट करते रहे। “एक समय में एक कसरत। एक बार में एक दिन। एक समय में एक भोजन” – चालेन जॉनसन।

अब जब आप इन आसान ट्रिक्स के बारे में जान गए हैं, आइए वर्कऑउट्स को एक आदत बनाने का लक्ष्य रखें! अच्छी सेहत की चमक का आनंद लेने के लिए अपनी व्यायाम का आनंद लीजिए।

यदि इस लेख ने आपकी मदद की है, अपने विचार हमें नीचे कमेंट्स में बताएं। आप यहां मोटिवेशन और फिटनेस पर और लेख पढ़ सकते हैं। यदि आप लगातार बने रहना चाहते हैं या काम करना शुरू करना चाहते हैं, GOQii PRO पर लाइव, इंटरैक्टिव, मज़ेदार सेशन के माध्यम से एक विशेषज्ञ से सही मार्गदर्शन प्राप्त करें। GOQii ऐप के माध्यम से अभी क्लास बुक करें।

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Quick Indoor Workout To Keep You Active!

Indoor HIIT

With the onset of monsoon, it might be impossible to hit the gym or venture outdoors to get your daily active fix. While most of us don’t have a mini gym set up at home, what do we do?

We’ve got the perfect solution to help you raise your heartbeat, aid fat loss and keep you active indoors! You don’t need any equipment and we’re sure this quick indoor workout will help you sweat and get the burn you need!

You already know what HIIT is and the benefits it provides. Now is the time to try it out! We have shared 3 levels below, namely Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. Choose the quick indoor workout that best suits you!

1. Beginner

  • 20 sec Jumping Jacks
  • 20 sec Marching
  • 20 sec Spot Jogging
  • 20 sec Wide Squat
  • 20 sec Jumping Jacks

This is one set. Do 3-4 sets and rest up to 1 minute after each set.

2. Intermediate

  • 20 sec Jumping Jacks
  • 20 sec Plank
  • 20 sec Jumping Jacks
  • 20 sec Plank
  • 20 sec High knees (spot running with knees at waist height)
  • 20 sec Plank
  • 20 sec Climbers
  • 20 sec Plank
  • 20 sec Climbers

This is one set. Do 2-3 sets and rest up to 2 minutes after each set

3. Advanced

  • 20 sec Jump Squats
  • 20 sec Punching
  • 20 sec Jump Squats
  • 20 sec Burpees
  • 20 sec Plank crunches
  • 20 sec Burpees
  • 20 sec High knees (spot running with knees at waist height)
  • 20 sec Punches
  • 20 sec High knees

This is one set. Do 2-3 sets and rest up to 2 minutes after each set.

Here you go! We hope this quick indoor workout helps you make the monsoons a healthier and more active affair. Always begin a workout routine after consulting your physician or under the supervision of your fitness expert to avoid injuries.

To get proper guidance from an expert in real-time, join our live, interactive GOQii PRO classes. You can book a class directly from the GOQii App.

Was this article helpful? Let us know in the comments below!

Get Active and #BeTheForce! 

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