The Connection between Exercise and Sleep

Do you often use the excuse that you are too tired to exercise? If so, chances are you need to improve your sleeping habits. Most of us already know exercise can improve our cardiovascular health, strengthen our bones and muscles, and relive muscle tension. However, the time of day we choose to exercise and the activity, can also have a major effect on the amount of Z's you catch per night.

Exercising Before Bed – Is the worst time you could perform your workout routine. It is actually a common misunderstanding that working out 2-3 hours before you hit the sack will make you sleepy. The truth is when you put in a vigorous workout you get your heart pumping that will cause your body temperature to rise and make it more difficult for you to fall asleep at night.

Exercising in the Morning –Working out in the early morning will help start your body for the day and reinforce your sleep/wake cycle. Exercising and staying fit are known to improve our mood, and so is natural light. Getting outside during your morning routine when the air is crisp and the sun is new, will boost those mood lifting benefits!

Exercising in the late afternoon/early evening – This is the time of day when we have the opportunity to maximize our sleep the most by performing our exercise routine. Late afternoon/early evening is the ideal time to exercise, because it is raises your body temperature for a few hours pre-bedtime, so that when you are ready to fall asleep your body temperature should start to drop, which will allow you to ease into a deep sleep.

Consult your personal trainer at our exclusive fitness gym for more tips and information on how getting the proper amount of sleep every night can affect your workout routine and results!

Sitaras Fitness named one of the most Elite Fitness Clubs!

Stratos magazine has honored our exclusive fitness gym by naming it one of the most elite fitness clubs in the U.S. and the U.K.! Stratos is a luxury monthly magazine only distributed on high-class private jets. Everyone here at Sitaras Fitness is excited that our hard work put towards creating a quality exercise environment and developing unique workout programs for our clients is being recognized.

In the article Carolyn Scarborough, the author, discusses how we develop our unique exercise programs for each individual customer and quotes our founder John Sitaras on our entire assessment process.

Scarborough quotes Sitaras saying, "We zero in on the unique musculature of each client, isolating differences between right and left sides of the body, different parts of each muscle, the two major muscle fiber types — Type 1 and Type 2 for strength and endurance — in order to design a workout tailored to each member’s genetic aptitude, level of fitness, health conditions and goals."

Scarborough then continues to go on to discuss our exclusive member selection process and how interested individuals may apply to be one of our 120 elite fitness club members. She also mentions our many amenities.

"Members have access to amenities like Velotron bicycle ergometers and custom built shoulder fly machines, and while exercising, they overlook the 3,000 square foot terrace garden overflowing with exotic plants." says Scarborough.

At Sitaras Fitness we take pride in the exclusive fitness services we offer our clients and again are thrilled to have our efforts honored by an elite magazine like Stratos.

Maximize your Workout when Eating

Maintaining proper nutrition and exercise is the only way for anyone to achieve their optimum fitness potential. Ignoring good nutrition habits before, during, and after a workout can leave you feeling fatigued and lazy, which may have an effect on your fitness results and prevent you from reaching your goals faster.

You should start every morning with breakfast. We have been hearing this rule since we were young, yet still people ignore their growling stomach and try to stick it out until their work lunch hour. Forgetting to eat something before your morning workout will only fatigue you more. Great breakfast options to eat before a workout include low fat milk, whole grains, juice, and fresh fruit.

Controlling the amount of food you eat before you exercise is another good habit to begin enhancing the results of your workout routine. For example, if you eat a large meal right before your workout you risk suffering from stomach cramps and fatigue. You must give your body time to digest your meal and soak up the nutrients, so you may benefit from the added energy. After a large meal you should wait at least 3-4 hours before hitting the gym. After small meals you should wait 2-3 hours, and if you just grab a snack then there is no need to wait more than an hour.

If you prefer to wait to eat a meal after you work out then consider consuming a small snack to boost your energy before your workout. Snacking smart is a great way to keep your blood sugar levels up and your hunger pains suppressed. The best snack for a workout includes yogurt, whole grains, and fresh fruit. Eating a healthy snack is especially important if you make it a habit to exercise several hours after eating a meal.

Eating after you exercise helps repair, and recover your muscles. Consuming a balanced meal of carbohydrates and protein about two hours after you exercise will help replenish the carbs in your body, and help rebuild your torn muscle tissues.

Keep in mind when practicing a healthy balanced routine of diet and exercise that everyone is different and the only way to find the right balance for your body is to pay attention to how you feel during your workout. Consult your personal trainer at your exclusive fitness gym for more information on nutrition and exercise.