A side stitch is a sharp pain on right or left side just under the diaphragm that usually occurs during exercise.  Most people experience side stitches when they are new to exercise.  As you get in better shape and your body adapts to the stress of running, lifting, jumping, etc. you will stop getting these annoying pains when working out.  Side stitches are not dangerous, however they can be pretty painful and interrupt your workout.  The best thing to do if you experience a side stitch is to stand-up tall, pull your arms over your head, and keep walking around.  Most importantly, focus on taking slow deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth.   Most people hunch over or sit down when they have a stitch which only makes the pain last longer.  To prevent stitches from every occurring, focus on keeping a rhythmic breathing pattern.  Stitches can be linked to erratic and uncontrolled breathing.    

Many people have asked me if there is a correlation between sweating a lot and being out of shape. When you’re moving your body, you generate heat.  The body produces sweat which then evaporates on the skin to help you cool off.  The rate at which we sweat depends on a number of factors.  The biggest determinant of sweating is humidity.  If there is a lot of humidity in the air, then your sweat cannot evaporate quickly which causes you to sweat more.  You can think of humidity working like a wet suit holding your body heat in.  Also, the more you work out, the more efficient your body becomes at cooling itself down.  This means that you sweat more when you’re in better shape.  Most professional athletes have a very high sweat rate because they are highly trained. It is good to sweat but it’s also important to replace the water lost during exercise by rehydrating.  If you’re working out in the summer months or in a hot climate, try weighing yourself before and after your workout.  If you lose any weight during the workout, you must rehydrate until you replace the water lost. 

Have you ever had a strong craving for junk food and it just wouldn’t go away? Believe it or not, the best way to fight a craving is to get moving.  Exercise will get your heart pumping and will divert blood away from the digestive track.  This is why we don’t feel hungry during a workout.  Another amazing benefit from exercise is that it causes a release of endorphins (our feel good brain chemicals) which will help increase your mood and motivation making it easier to stick to your dietary plan.  Many people have food cravings when they are depressed or stressed out.  If you can develop an awareness of what triggers your cravings, you can alleviate your mental and emotional struggles by working out. Next time you are daydreaming about chocolate cake, try going for a jog.  If your cravings strike late at night when it’s not feasible to go to the gym, try doing some bodyweight moves like crunches, push-ups, and squats. 

If you haven’t tried yoga yet, you probably should.  There are many health benefits of becoming a yogi.   Doing yoga three times a week helps banish and prevent body aches and lower back pain by strengthening and balancing out muscle groups.  Also extremely important, you can improve the quality of your sleep by doing yoga poses before bed.  Research shows that doing yoga on a regular basis will help you achieve deeper sleep.  Some mental benefits of yoga include increasing body awareness, improving self esteem, and relieving stress.   This great exercise tones every part of your body and especially strengthens core muscles making it a very effective way to strength train.  Try taking a few different yoga classes to see which ones you like best, then incorporate yoga into your weekly routine.