All You Need To Know About Creatine Benefits For Women

 Creatine is an important amino acid that’s popular in the fitness world due to its muscle-strengthening benefits. While creatine is a popular supplement for male bodybuilders, it has many benefits for females who are not looking to bulk up. 

 Creatine is a supplement that most athletic people never consider taking. Most people think creatine is a supplement that bodybuilders use to bulk up and is a dangerous supplement. People think that creatine supplementation is just for weightlifters and think that this supplement is like taking steroids. Most females avoid consuming creatine as they think that they will get huge muscles.

 The myths surrounding creatine are many and many of them are untrue, especially when it comes to female athletes. Creatine is a safe supplement for ladies and it has many benefits for your muscles. If you are doing any type of weightlifting or strength training, you should be taking a creatine supplement. 

What is Creatine?

Creatine is an important amino acid that helps support muscle strength, short energy bursts, the power output of muscle, recovery, and increases in lean body mass. It is best known for its muscle-building and energy-promoting benefits.

Creatine is made in the body primarily in the kidneys by three amino acids: glycine, arginine, and methionine. Although the body produces creatine naturally, it is excreted daily. While you can find creatine in many foods, the dose in these foods is very small. Due to the consistent excretion and the lack of creatine in most foods, many people choose to supplement creatine.

6 Supplements For Female Athletes Looking To Build Muscle

The Benefits of Taking Creatine

Creatine has many benefits for females. The main benefit of creatine is being able to support muscle function with a steady supply of energy. Creatine is stored in your muscles and when your muscles need energy, they turn to their creatine stores to help support muscle function.

Typically, the people who choose to supplement creatine are people who are looking to build muscle but creatine has many other benefits.

Creatine has other benefits for females

+ Creatine improves exercise performance with toleration of heavy training loads for athletes

+ Creatine promotes muscle recovery

+ Creatine enhances post-exercise recovery and prevents injuries

+ Creatine increases muscle mass and strength

+ Creatine improves mood and cognitive function

+ Creatine boosts cellular hydration

+  Creatine counteracts menopausal muscle, bone, and strength loss

Who should take creatine?

Creatine is for all types of athletes, including females. People who could benefit from creatine supplementation include:

+ Anyone practicing strength and resistance training for sports

+ Anyone looking to increase lean muscle mass and reduce fat mass

+ Anyone recovering from injury where immobilization leads to muscle atrophy

+ Anyone doing interval-type training such as HITT

+ Anyone who follows a vegetarian or vegan diet

Common Myths about Creatine

~ Does creatine make you gain weight or bulk up?

One myth about creatine is that it can make you gain weight. Creatine does not make you gain weight. One of the most common reasons for weight gain associated with creatine supplementation is increased water weight. While you may gain anywhere from two to five pounds during your first week of creatine supplementation, this is due to water retention. 

 Creatine helps increase muscle mass by drawing extra water into the muscle cells, causing you to retain fluid but this is not weight gain. Water retention will become less noticeable when your muscles grow in size

 Creatine supplementation is proven to be safe for women, and when used in correct doses it won’t make them “bulk up.” Creatine is for any woman looking for increased lean muscle mass 

~ Does creatine harm your kidneys?

While there have been reports of kidney problems with creatine supplements, that is a reported side effect of taking large doses of creatine. The International Society of Sports Nutrition reports that both short and long-term supplementation of up to 30 grams per day for 5 years is safe in healthy individuals.

How Much Creatine Should I Take?

When you first start supplementing with creatine you need to build up your creatine stores. This can be done in 2 different ways. One is by quick 7-day creatine loading phase and the other way is a gradual 28-day routine. 

~ During the quick creatine loading phase, you’ll take 20 to 25 grams of creatine, split into four or five doses for five to seven days.

~ The amount for the gradual 28-day routine is 3-5 grams per day. 

Ultimately, you will reach the same goal regardless of your chosen method. Then you will move on to the maintenance dose of creatine which is 3-5 grams of creatine per day. The supplement quiz at Gainful will help you determine the correct dose for your body weight.

The Bottom Line

Creatine is a safe and effective nutritional supplement for females and is commonly used to increase strength, build muscle, improve endurance during high-intensity exercise, and boost exercise performance. For more information about creatine and to get personalized information about the best supplements for your needs, check out this supplement quiz at Gainful.

6 Supplements For Female Athletes Looking To Build Muscle

So you want to get stronger and build muscle. The question is what supplements are best for female athletes who want stronger muscles. Keep reading to discover the supplement routine that has helped me get stronger.

 I have been an athlete for a long time. My favorite sport has always been running. I loved the thrill of running fast. While I was good at running, I ignored the need to build strong muscles and I never felt the need for lifting weights. I had strong muscles in my legs and that was good enough for me.

  I thought that all I needed to be healthy was to run several times a week. That all changed when I entered my 50s. My body started to change for the worse. My toned body became a saggy mess. My once nice-looking arms started to sag and my muscles became weak. My older son called them BINGO wings. My core section started to look like the Pillsbury Dough Boy. I could not ignore strength training anymore.

Nine years later ~ I am in the best shape thanks to weightlifting

 Now at age 59, I am amazed at my before and after photos of my body after 6 months of lifting weights. It was this body change that made me realize the importance of lifting weights and maintaining muscle tone. I now include strength training in my workout routine 3 days a week. I also have my favorite supplements for building strong muscles.

 These are supplements that I take every day as they help me with my fitness routine with building strong muscles. These supplements give my body the nutrients and superfoods it needs to be a strong female athlete. I discovered the best supplements for my body's needs by taking a supplement quiz at Gainful.

It was this quiz for supplements that helped me select the best supplements for my needs. Gainful has personalized nutritional supplements that give me the nutrients I need to build and maintain strong muscles. Supplements can be pricey and I did not want to spend money on supplements that I did not need. 

After taking this unique quiz, it helped me to realize which supplements, I was already using, to keep in my supplement routine and it gave me some suggestions for new supplements that would benefit my muscle-building program.

1. Pre-workout ~ To build stronger muscles, one needs to have energy to perform the workout. So consuming a pre-workout supplement before your exercise will help you have the energy to lift the weights that are needed to build strong muscles. 

The type of  pre-workout formula that I use has these nutrients in it:

~ Energy - Natural caffeine that is equal to 1.5 cups of coffee, 150 mg. This gives me the energy I need to get my strength-training workout done. I like the caffeine as I exercise in the morning. If you work out in the evening, Gainful has a caffeine-free pre-workout formula.

~ Endurance - The hardest part of a weight-lifting workout can be the fatigue that comes with lifting heavy weights. So having a pre-workout formula with L-Citrulline and Beta Alanine helps to fuel my workout. 

~ Muscle Recovery - BCAA's and Creatine to help repair my muscles so I recover faster.

2. Hydration ~ A strength-building workout will make you sweat, so consuming a hydration supplement is important. This hydration drink is formulated with 4 key electrolytes to hydrate faster than water alone. I like that it has only 2 grams of sugar and no artificial flavors, sweeteners, or dyes. This formula is available in caffeinated or non-caffeinated versions.

Hydration:

- Hydrates faster than water

3. Plant-Based Protein ~ Protein is important for building muscle. Consuming protein helps to repair and build muscles. I like to consume 20-25 grams of plant-based protein after my workout. I select plant protein as I have a dairy allergy. To keep my protein shake routine exciting to my taste buds, I add different flavor boosts to my protein powder. Gainful has 8 delicious flavors to choose from, my favorite is sea salt caramel.

Plant-Based Protein: 

- Supports muscle growth and recovery

4. Creatine Monohydrate ~ I used to think that creatine was only for bodybuilders with bulky muscles but that all changed after I had a conversation with a fitness expert at a health conference. I was afraid that creatine would give me massive muscles but he told me that creatine supports muscle strength, not make them massive. So I gave a creatine supplement a chance and I added it to my protein shake. After taking it for two months, my muscles are more defined but I do not look like a bodybuilder. 

Creatine Monohydrate:

- Supports muscle strength and aids in recovery

- Proven to enhance cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and reasoning

5. Collagen ~ As we age, our joints and tissues lose collagen and they are prone to injury. Many years ago, I had an ankle injury that would not heal and I had to stop running. After several months of medical treatments, someone suggested a collagen supplement and that helped my ankle heal. I continue to supplement with collagen as I don't want to suffer from another joint injury.

Collagen:

- Supports healthy skin, joints, and connective tissues

6. Fiber ~ There is nothing worse than having to go number 2 when you are out running. So I use a daily fiber supplement to help with regularity. I find that adding a fiber supplement to my morning protein shake helps me go #2 in the morning around the same time. So I get my bathroom duties done before I exercise.

Fiber:

- supports regularity, gut health, satiety, and nutrient absorption

These are the supplements that I use on a daily basis. While I explained my reasons for taking these supplements, your muscle-building supplement routine may look different from mine. It is important to use supplements that meet your needs, so make sure to take the supplement quiz at Gainful to discover the best supplements for your strength training needs.

Chlorella ~ This is a new supplement that I am trying and I am still discovering the benefits of my supplement program. 

Chlorella is a single-celled, freshwater green algae often referred to as ‘The King of Superfoods!’ Bursting with nutrients, chlorella contains vitamins, minerals, and more chlorophyll than most plant foods. One serving of chlorella contains an equivalent amount of chlorophyll to about 2-2.5 cups of spinach or kale.

Sun Chlorella Benefits - information from https://www.sunchlorellausa.com/

- Supports your body’s immune system

- Aids in your body’s natural purification process

- Supports your digestive system

- Helps support your energy levels

- Contains an impressive nutritional profile with Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Iron, and more.

- Acts as a natural antioxidant

- May enhance your aerobic endurance

- Chlorella is also one of the only known plant sources of bioavailable vitamin B12 — great for those who follow a vegan or vegetarian diet! 

 These are supplements that I take every day as they help me with my fitness routine with building strong muscles. These supplements give my body the nutrients and superfoods it needs to be a strong female athlete.

I love using resistance bands to build strong muscles.

My Favorite Fitness Products For Energy

 If you only exercise when you have energy, you may never exercise. Keep reading to discover my favorite fitness products for amazing energy.

 Any type of exercise requires energy and some forms of exercise require intense energy. If a lack of energy is keeping you from working out, then taking some form of an energy supplement may help with your exercise routine. There is nothing wrong with giving your body additional energy. 

 If energy drinks help you to exercise or get your body to the gym, then drink that energy drink. Don't try to exercise on empty, as it will affect your performance, or worse yet, you may cut your workout session short. A pre-workout drink will help you exercise longer and stronger.

My motivation behind energy products for fitness

Three years ago, I switched my exercise routine from afternoon to morning. I wanted to see the benefits of morning exercise. Since I decided to exercise first thing in the morning, I needed some form of energy to get my body going. So I decided to try energy drinks. 

 Energy drinks sometimes get a bad rep as people have heard about someone dying from drinking an energy drink. That can make someone scared to try any type of energy drink. There may be bad energy drinks on the market but most energy drinks are safe to consume if you use them in the right way. Energy drinks can be bad if you drink too many of them or drink ones with a high caffeine count.

When I decided to drink an energy drink before my workout, I wanted an energy drink that was made with natural ingredients. I also wanted an energy drink that had about the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee - 80 -100 mgs. Too much caffeine at one time can be bad for your heart. Since my body was used to drinking coffee, I knew that 100 milligrams of caffeine would be safe for my body.

NOW Sports Nutrition, Effervescent Effer-Energy

 I tried many different energy drinks from ready-to-drink energy drinks to powder energy drinks that you add water to. Then I discovered an energy drink tablet from Now Foods and that is now my favorite energy drink for fitness. 

NOW Sports Nutrition, Effervescent Effer-Energy

~ Contains 100 mg of caffeine

~ Provides energy and recovery support as it also has electrolytes

~ Tropical Fruit Punch Flavor

~ Does not contain wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, tree nut or sesame ingredients

~ Is easy to take on the go as you add a tablet to water when you are ready to drink it

~ Is very well priced at less than .50 a serving

~ Contains no artificial colors or flavors

~ Easy to store 

Verb Caffeinated Bar

 I discovered Verb Caffeinated Energy Bars last March at Expo West but I did not try them until several months ago. I was "a drink an energy drink before the gym person" and "enjoy my cup of coffee after the gym person." So I really did not require more caffeine. The Verb Bars just stayed in my pantry in my snack box. 

 Then a fitness influencer told me the facts about exercising without eating breakfast and how it could be hurting my fitness goals. So I ditched the energy drinks and decided to try the Verb Caffeinated Bars for three weeks to see if it made a difference in my gym routine. I was amazed at my increase in energy from the Verb Bars and that helped me to lose 2 pounds! I was hooked on the delicious bars for my before-the-gym caffeine boost.

 The Verb Bars have the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee and it comes from green tea. I had only tried the smores flavor of the Verb Caffeinate bars so I was glad that the Verb booth had different flavors of their energy bars. The delicious bars are available in 13 flavors. These bars are the delicious solution to the 2 p.m. slump. Say goodbye to overpriced lattes, sugar cravings & post-coffee jitters.

Verb Caffeinated Snack Bars

~ Caffeinated with Organic Green Tea (1 bar = 1 espresso) for jitter-free energy that lasts all-day

~ Way less expensive than energy drinks - just over $1 per bar

~ Convenient pocket-sized, so you can stash them

~ Under 110 calories

~ Plant-based, gluten-free & made with all-natural ingredients

~ Get 16 free bars and save 40% with code TARA77427

How I use my two favorite energy products

 These above energy products are what I am using for my workouts. Since they have big differences, I use the different products in different ways.

Most days I will start my mornings, before I head to the gym, with a Verb Bar. I am hooked on Verb Bars for the caffeine and it provides me some calories in the form of carbs and protein. Since I usually work out for an hour, my body needs caffeinated energy plus healthy calories.

Get 16 free bars and save 40% with code TARA77427

I will use the NOW Sports Nutrition, Effervescent Effer-Energy on days that I am doing shorter workouts in the morning or when I am exercising in the afternoon. These tablets are also good for my shorter, less intense strength workouts. I also like using the Now Energy tablets for when I travel.

How To Help Your Body Recover After Exercise With Resync

 Think that all your body needs for recovery after exercise is protein and fluids? Think again. Discover the power of beets for fitness recovery.

 Exercise is beneficial for the body but it can also have some disadvantages. Some disadvantages of exercise can be sore muscles, dehydration, and more. These disadvantages of physical fitness can lead to people giving up on exercise or suffering from a sports injury. Sometimes the bad parts of exercise can be from excessive exercise or from starting a new exercise program. Other bad side effects of fitness can be simply from daily exercise but can be avoided with the right supplements and nutrition.

 So that leads one to question ~ why exercise if I am going to experience sore muscles, hunger or feeling tired. The answer is your body needs regular exercise to function properly and the benefits outweigh the negative exercise side effects. When you exercise on a regular basis and focus on proper exercise recovery, you can avoid the disadvantages of working out.

How to help your body recover after exercise

Most people only think of consuming plant-based protein for muscle recovery after exercise but then wonder why their muscles are still sore after an intense workout. Helping your body recover after exercise is so much more than just eating protein. Our bodies need other nutrients to feel good after exercise. Nutrition and exercise go together to form a healthy body that feels good. As Jack LaLanne would say "Fitness is king. Nutrition is queen. Put them together and you have a kingdom."

 You can't expect your body to recover from fitness if your diet is unhealthy. The effects of bad nutrition on a body can do plenty of harm by itself that even awesome exercise can not help. If you want to see positive results from that sweat time in the gym make sure to include good nutrition in your exercise plan for the best recovery support.

An under-recovered body becomes an injured body

Resync’s entire line is founded on recovery support

 In addition to good nutrition for exercise recovery, give your body additional recovery support with supplements that are made for fitness recovery. Look for exercise supplements that support healthy circulation, inflammation, muscle recovery, and joint support. Resync Nutritional products offer supplemental products that are backed by science to give your body results for the best exercise recovery.

2 products from Resync to help your body recover from exercise

 I know the benefits of nutrition for fitness recoveryand always drink a plant-based protein smoothie after I work out. When I make my smoothie, I add plenty of protein, fruit, superfoods, and supplements to the blender jar. The superfoods that I like to add to my smooth are beet powder, collagen, turmeric, flax seed, and matcha. It can be a production to make my after-exercise protein drink but I do it as I want the amazing nutritional benefits for exercise recovery. I know that my superfood drink keeps me from experiencing sore muscles, hunger, and body fatigue. 

 I was excited to discover 2 products from Resync that could help my body recover from exercise with more benefits than my morning smoothie. These two supplements contained red spinach, red beets & Aronia berry. These 3 red superfoods support nitric oxide. Red nitrates may enhance blood flow, which permits nutrient delivery during and after exercise.

A perfect plant-based recovery solution to support circulation, and nutrient delivery throughout the body and help conveniently address inflammation post-activity.

 In addition to the red nitrates, the two Resync supplements ~ Resync Recovery Blend and Resync Collagen Peptides have other recovery ingredients that you need to try.

+ Red nitrates may enhance blood flow, which permits nutrient delivery during and after exercise. 

+ Collagen protein supplies the unique amino acids your connective tissues need more of after demanding work. 

+ Polyphenols provide the anti-inflammatory stimulus to keep post-exercise inflammation in check.

+ Prebiotic fiber gives your gut long-lasting energy with the ability to shore up your immune resilience.

Every layer of your body, between the skin and bones, needs collagen protein to stay strong, pliable, and healthy.

 I liked that I could gain additional exercise recovery benefits from a Level 2 gym instructor. That meant that I could do more intense exercise sessions without having any negative side effects. That was just what I did. I loved that I could take my gym time to another level of intensity. I have a need for speed and I love seeing how fast I can go on the treadmill.

 I am working on strengthing my lungs as my allergy shots are affecting my asthma big time. Exercise helps with asthma. The intense exercise helps me to clear my lungs so I can breathe better. Those with asthma just have to exercise differently. Check out Ten Tips For Exercising With Asthma. 

As I am working on strengthening my lungs to help with my allergy shot treatment, the Resync supplements will give me the energy and circulation support that I need while exercising. Then the recovery products from Resync will help my muscles and tendons recover so I don't have any body pain or muscle soreness.

Save $5.00 on all Resync Recovery products with code MOMKNOWSBEST at https://resyncproducts.com

Why Beets for recovery? ~ Information provided by Resync

+  Beets are highly regarded for supporting nitric oxide, improving blood flow, and heart health. They are touted for these benefits primarily due to their nitrate content.

 + Nitrates you eat are turned into nitrite and then into nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide is a powerful signaling molecule that tells your blood veins and arteries to open up in order to allow for greater blood flow.

 + The benefits of nitrates go far beyond just heart health, though. Healthy nitrates support healthy immune function, improve exercise capability, foster more productive mitochondria, and so much more. 

What Are Aronia Berries?

+ Aronia berries have been known for centuries in Eastern Europe for their traditional use in supporting the immune system.

+ In one tiny tart package, Aronia delivers one of the highest antioxidant scores of any food, more blood-flow-boosting nitrates than beets, and unique anti-inflammatory and immune-supporting polyphenols.

+ Aronia’s potential benefits have been studied by multiple research groups across the globe. It has been studied to:

   - Increase nitric oxide levels in the body, with potential effects on blood flow, smooth muscle function (like your gut), and performance during endurance activities

  - Help regulate the inflammatory processes associated with exercise

  - Support heart, blood, and metabolic health

  - Support a healthy immune response, for example decreasing UTI rates in older adults

Red Spinach benefits

+ Red spinach contains essential amino acids, nitrates, iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, vitamins C and E, phytoecdysteroids, folate, and potassium. So far, it is shown to regulate blood sugar levels, improve kidney function, and make exercise easier by lowering the amount of air you have to breathe to make work happen. All in all, red spinach is one of the most concentrated sources of nutrients in the plant kingdom.

Exercise Recovery with a delicious taste

To get the best benefits of a supplement has to taste good. I don't care how well a supplement works, if it has a bad taste, I am not going to use it. Sure I can take my supplements in pill form but swallowing a handful of pills can get old and tedious. So I prefer to add my supplements to my morning protein smoothie and powder supplements are best. The Resync supplements have a delicious taste and are so easy to mix into my smoothie. The passion fruit flavor mixes well with all my favorite fruits and my favorite vegan vanilla protein powder. 

Save $5.00 on all Resync Recovery products with code MOMKNOWSBEST at https://resyncproducts.com

Morning Exercise Is Good For The Body And The Mind

Getting up early in the morning can be tough but it can have many benefits for your health. Discover how exercising in the morning can improve your cognition and memory.

I received a pair of earbuds from Tranya.

  Last winter I decided to challenge myself and started running first thing in the morning. This was not an easy thing for me to do as I am not a morning person. I would rather stay up late and sleep in. I was also the person who enjoyed running in the afternoon. 

 It was a fitness challenge that made me decide to exercise first thing in the day. My goal was to start running outside in the morning, Having a gym membership made this challenge easier if it was too cold outside. After a week of having to force myself out the door to start my day with exercise, I noticed that not only was my seasonal depression getting better but I was more productive with my work. 

 It was tough at first to run first thing in the morning as my asthma lungs did not like the cold but taking a natural lung supplement helped me with my breathing. So I continued to go running every morning after my boys left for school. After three weeks, exercising in the morning became my new routine. They say that to make something a habit it takes 3 weeks.

The benefits of morning exercise

+ Sleep Benefits ~  After three weeks of forcing myself to get out of bed in the morning to exercise, I discovered that morning exercise helped with my sleep. I no longer needed to rely on the many sleep tips to get a good night's sleep. I guess waking up earlier made my body ready for bed. 

+ Mood Enhancing ~  I was enjoying my morning exercise and the bright sunshine. It is amazing how the sun can lift one's mood. Exercising on a sunny day can also give your body some vitamin D which is also good for your mind.

+ Improved Memory ~ I also noticed that my memory was improving and I was able to be more productive at work.

Ten Tips For Women To Stay Fit Over 50 

 Exercise in itself is good for your body and mind

 Exercise keeps your body healthy along with healthy food. When the body runs properly, the mind and memory tend to also run properly. Exercise helps the blood flow through your body and that enhances blood flow to the brain. So my morning exercise was helping my brain. 

Don't worry if you don't have time to exercise in the morning, you will still get the mental benefits of exercise if you exercise later in the day. When I exercise in the evening, I think better when I do my writing or answer emails. I feel more productive when my brain has the energy from exercise.

Music helps with morning exercise

 One thing that always helps me to get motivated to exercise in the morning, is listening to my favorite song. It is amazing when my favorite song comes on and I seem to feel more energized. Music is a powerful tool for exercise. When I have music to listen to, it helps make exercise more fun. 

Some people like to exercise with friends as they love the companionship and having someone to talk to. I find that exercising with people slows me down and I am not able to get the mental exercise that I need. I just don't like talking when I am running.

 I like using my fitness time to think and clear my mind. So if I don't accept your invitation to exercise with you, don't be offended. I just need some mind stimulation that I can only get from music.

 My exercise sessions are more powerful when I have uplifting music in my ears. So my playlist for fitness, which is on my phone, is usually Show Tunes or contemporary Christian songs that have a fast beat. I do have some slower-beat songs on my playlist as those can help me with my breathing when my asthma is flaring up. 

 Exercise has been shown to benefit those with asthma and listening to slow music is one of ten tips for exercising with asthma. Having passive noise-cancellation wireless earbuds is also something that helps with outdoor exercise. That way I can shut out all the noise, like cars, when I exercise and that helps me clear my mind for the day. Sometimes when I run, my mind wakes up right away and I can write a whole fitness article when I am running.

Running or any exercise can help with anxiety

 I am glad that I can exercise outdoors and that the weather is warm right now. I have also discovered that I am less anxious about the c virus of 2020 when I exercise with my music. The music keeps my mind off of things that make me worry. I need to remember to listen to music before I go to bed and using Bluetooth earbuds is safer than using wired headphones as I don't have to worry about cords.

 I just got a new pair of earbuds or wireless headphones that have 8-hours of playtime. I love that these made-for-sports earbuds are water and sweat-resistant. So when I run through sprinklers on a hot summer day, my Tranya will keep working. Now that the gyms are closed, I will be running in hot weather and sweating more. Running through sprinklers is one of my favorite summer hydration tips for runners. These earbuds are amazingly lightweight and charge fast. If I forget to charge my earbuds, 10 minutes of charge time will give me 90 minutes of playtime.

The Best Fitness Tips For Enjoying Running

Are you a morning, afternoon, or evening exercise person?

 What matters most about exercise is just doing it. If you can work out first thing in the day, then that is awesome. If your schedule is busy and you have a hard time getting any exercise in, you need to check out these 13 simple ways to sneak in some exercise. 

Just like people have a preference about to eat or not eat before exercise, people have different ways to exercise. Everyone needs to get some form of exercise for a healthy heart. Even busy moms can find ways to exercise with these best workout tips for stay-at-home moms. 

There is really no one way to exercise and while I enjoy running, you may not. Exercise is about feeling good both mind and body. If you need some ideas for exercise check out these best exercises to stay in shape. Some people may call me skinny but I don't look at my body that way. I look at my body as a strong machine. For now, exercising in the morning is my preferred time, and I love the benefits.

Twelve Things Your Skinny Friend Wants You To Know

Natural Ways to Treat Muscle Pain From Exercise

Is your new gym routine causing muscle pain? Skip the pain medicine and check out these ways to get some natural relief from muscle aches and pains. 

This page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I received aPowerDot to facilitate this post.

  Do you suffer from occasional aches and pains from working out? No matter how careful you are when you are running on the treadmill or lifting weights, sometimes you overwork those muscles. At times these muscle pains or soreness are minor and go away quickly without the help of any medicines. Then there are the pains in your body that linger for many hours or several days. These body aches or muscle pains can discourage you from working out the next day. I have many things that I do to first prevent muscle pain but when I do get the pain in my leg muscles from running extra miles, I reach for many different muscle remedies to help soothe my sore muscle pain.

Check out these 11 Tips To Avoid Injuries While Exercising  

 Last month, I noticed that my right arm hurt when I tried to wash the back of my left shoulder. I had just finished lifting weights at the gym so I figured that I may have pulled a muscle in my upper arm. I finished my shower and thought to myself it would be better in the morning. Since it only hurt when I reached over my left shoulder, I did not apply any muscle cream to my arm. 

 A couple days later I noticed the pain in my tricep again after I was showering up after my weight lifting session at the gym. So after my shower, I reached for my CBD muscle cream and applied it to my arm. That gave me some great pain relief. I love using CBD oil for pain relief. I understand if CBD oil is not for you or if you are worried about THC on a workplace drug test. My neighbor works for the government and his security clearance won't even allow him to have CBD oil products in the house. CBD oil has such a small if no amount of THC in it that it will not show up on a drug test but the government has its rules. So I will tell you about other natural products that I use for pain relief.

  I can tell when I forget to take my turmeric capsules. The other day I went running and my legs started hurting halfway into my run. The light bulb went off in my head and I remembered that I did not take any turmeric supplementation that morning. 

  The Best Supplements For Women Over 50 

Arnica 

  Arnica is a homeopathic medicine that temporarily relieves muscle pain and stiffness. This natural supplement comes in many forms like tablets, cream, gel, and ointment. I discovered this pain reliever at a fitness conference. I like using arnica after my fitness session for those times that my muscles are sore. I also like using this cream on my kid's bruises as it offers some nice pain relief for those times when they get hurt from playing. Arnica does not make me sleepy like CBD does so arnica is great to use during the day for my muscle pain. Last year when I attended a fitness conference, I overdid it in the expo trying out all the new exercise equipment and machines. My calves were super sore and rubbing arnica gel on them took away the pain so I could sleep that night.

  My boys love arnica too! The other day my boys were having fun at the skateboard park. One landed hard on his knee and the other did something to his foot. When we got home, I gave my boys some arnica tablets and had them rub some arnica cream on their bruises. The boys then went to their church youth group and forgot about their pains. When they got home later that evening, my boys asked me where the arnica was. I said to my boys, " I love that you are asking for arnica!" and the oldest one replied, "yea, 'cause it works!"

          
CBD Oil

 CBD oil is great for muscle aches and other pains. This natural supplement comes in many forms like liquid, gummies, and creams. CBD oil is safe to use and I even give it to my kids for pain relief. I like using CBD creams as some have the added benefit of methol to give soothing pain relief. For some people, like me, it has a relaxing effect. So I like to use CBD oil creams at night for pain help. For me personally, CBD also has a healing effect. I discovered the pain relief power of CBD a couple of years ago when I had a trigger thumb. I had received some samples of CBD cream, again from a conference, and decided to try it on my painful stiff thumb. I applied the CBD cream on my thumb before I went to bed and in the morning my thumb felt better and was no longer stiff.

 CBD oil is another favorite natural home remedy that my boys will use. The other day the teen was complaining that his head hurt, so I gave him a CBD gummie. Within 20 minutes, his head felt better. My boys also like using CBD cream on the many bumps and bruises that they get from sports like skateboarding. I will always use CBD first before I give my boys over-the-counter pain relievers, especially after they visit the orthodontist.

                    Massage therapy

 Massaging a sore muscle helps with pain and stiffness. My husband sure does love back rubs and using the hydro massage at the gym. The problem is that involves me giving him a back rub, which hurts my hands or my husband having to wait a long time at the gym to use the hydro massage. I discovered a more effective tool that gives my husband a deeper massage and does not involve my hands. The PowerDot also helps with muscle recovery and more. This performance tool recently helped me with my stiff upper arm muscle after other natural pain relievers and rest did not work.

 Remember that sore stiff tricep muscle I was talking about earlier? The natural pain creams like CBD oil and arnica were only taking care of the pain temporally. After a couple days of the pain, I knew that I must have overworked my arm muscle and I took a week off from lifting weights. I also did not do any exercises that involved that arm. The pain and stiffness did not go away. I even tried hot and cold therapy. My PowerDot arrived in the mail and I decided to give the electrical stimulation a try on this annoying arm pain. I had requested this at-home performance tool to use with my training but instead, I had a perfect opportunity to see how it could help with muscle recovery and pain relief.

The PowerDot is like having an at-home physical therapist and massage therapist

  I liked how easy and cost-efficient the PowerDot is compared to physical therapy sessions. With my insurance, I have a $175 deductible and $50 co-payment for me to just see the PT person one time. The PowerDot is like having an at-home physical therapist and massage therapist. I like that I can use this pain-relieving device while doing other things. I don't even have to leave my home for my muscle therapy. I can use my PowerDot when I want when the pain strikes, no need to make an appointment! So the cost of this amazing Smart Muscle Stimulator is so worth it.

 The small Smart Muscle Stimulators™ are easy to attach and I love that I can control it through an app on my phone. It even comes with a case so I can use it at the gym or while traveling. Right now I am using the muscle massage device for pain relief but the PowerDot does so much more. This small device is a powerful fitness performance tool that can enhance your workout.

PowerDot® is the world's smartest muscle recovery & performance tool. The Smart Muscle Stimulator connects via Bluetooth® to an intuitive mobile app that controls 12+ electric muscle stimulation programs designed to help you:

• Recover faster
• Massage out knots
• Avoid training fatigue
• Relieve muscle & joint soreness
• Increase muscle strength & endurance
• Increase blood circulation
• Warm-up muscles to prevent injury
• Feel your best

Clinically proven, pain-free, and FDA cleared - It’s that simple.

 PowerDot is an FDA-approved NMES & TENS device

  I normally do not like massages but the PowerDot was gentle yet effective. I placed the stimulators on my arm muscle and selected the program on my phone. I liked that I could select the amount of intensity that felt right on my muscles. I could select the program that was best for my body part and what I wanted to achieve, like pain relief. I could see the PowerDot moving my arm muscle as it gently massaged it.  I was able to work on my computer while the PowerDot worked its magic on my sore muscles. I could feel the muscle recovery device reducing my inflammation and taking away the stiffness. This device gave my arm muscle a deep massage.

  After I used the PowerDot Smart Muscle Stimulator on my arm, my muscles felt less stiff and I had a better range of motion with my arm. My tricep did not hurt when I put pressure on it. I continued to use the PowerDot after each weightlifting session for about a week and the results were what I expected. My arm no longer had that annoying pain when I placed it over my other shoulder. I was able to wash my back without any pain.

Heat therapy

Heat therapy is one of those home remedies that may work for natural pain relief but it is also one that you have to be careful with. A heating pad is great for sore muscles but it can make an injury worse. So you have to know if your pain is from overworked muscles or an injury. My husband fell on his arm a couple of months ago. He only had a bit of pain for a day and aspirin took care of that. My husband has not realized that natural pain relievers work. So he thought nothing of his falling on his arm. About a week later, his elbow started hurting. So my husband put the heating pad on his arm as he thought that he overworked his arm at the gym. The next day his elbow was swollen and my husband was ready to head to the urgent care, thinking that he had broken his elbow.

 Since I did not want him to spend $200, I told my husband to apply compression, ice, and elevate his arm for the weekend to see if that could help. I did not think that my husband broke anything as he was able to move his arm. My husband insisted that his arm felt better with heat, even though I told him that heat could make an injury worse, so he did not use ice therapy on his arm.

  The swelling did not go down on my husband's elbow and he went to the urgent care that Monday. He came home later and told me that the doctor said he injured a tendon. I wanted to say, "I told you so" but I did not. The doctor told my husband to apply compression, ice, and elevate his arm.


  
Cold therapy

  Sometimes something as simple as placing an ice pack on the sore muscle can help relieve the pain. The cold ice pack can dull the pain and take away any swelling or inflammation. I keep several large flexible gel ice packs in my fridge so they are ready to use. These ice packs get used often as I have boys who play rough and participate in sports. Cold therapy is also great for headaches. Ice pain relief is always best to use if you think that you injured a muscle, tendon, or bone as coldness will help with the swelling.

Rest

 Rest is always a good thing when you have muscle aches. Sometimes a day of rest can do wonders for a sore muscle. I am a firm believer in taking a day off from weight lifting so your muscles can rest and repair. The arm pain that I received from lifting weights did go away with using the PowerDot and taking some time off from my weight-lifting routine. I did not want this pain to turn into an injury or a muscle tear.

If the pain gets worse or does not go away ~ see a doctor 

 I am not a doctor or a physical therapist. These are natural at-home remedies that have worked for me and my family. If you are unsure if your pain is more than a muscle ache, then seek medical advice. When I have questions I call the nurse line that my insurance offers. I may also use a video doctor before I head to the doctor or the urgent care. There have been times when I knew that an injury needed medical attention, like when I tore my hamstring, and I made an appointment to see a doctor. Tearing a hamstring was not fun and I experienced burning pain in my leg that made me question if I broke a bone. My hamstring tear made me take a break from running and several weeks of physical therapy.