I’m sure you’ve experienced it before – that dreaded moment during a workout when your muscles begin to tremble and shake uncontrollably. It’s like an earthquake in your body! But why does this happen? The most common reason for this is simple and harmless: when we work out, our bodies use stored glucose and ATP (energy) to make the muscle fibers move and stretch. But as energy reserves dwindle and fatigue sets in, more muscle fibers are recruited to take over for their exhausted counterparts. Your muscle fibers oscillate between a relaxed and contracted state, resulting in quivering muscles. You probably find that shaky muscles occur mostly in large muscle…

Pretty much everyone seems to be rocking a fitness tracker these days, from marathon runners and gym rats to power walkers and sports enthusiasts. Heck, I wear two of them. But beyond the hype and trendiness, how effective are fitness trackers when it comes to actually improving our health and fitness? Do they really make you more active and change your life for the better? Or are they a ploy by the fitness industry to clean out your wallet? Worse, could fitness trackers actually be harmful?  As someone who’s faithfully worn fitness trackers for the past six years now, I thought it was high time to find out the truth.…

A few months ago, I came across a hardcore daily routine on TikTok called the 75 Hard Challenge. Reading through the rules, I immediately thought, “no freaking way!” And I’m not the kind of woman who runs from a fitness challenge. (Trust me, I’ve finished Jillian Michaels’s 90-day Body Revolution program!) But the reality is that working out every day for 1.5 isn’t just potentially dangerous; it’s not even a great fitness strategy. So it was a hard pass for me until I recently came across a new trend detailing a more sane, soft version: The 75 Soft Challenge. If you’re looking to fast-track your fitness journey without overdoing it,…

In the last decade (especially these last few pandemic-ridden years), there has been an explosion of home fitness apps as more and more people are looking to ditch the gym and get fit from the comfort of their homes. But do they provide a good workout? Are they worth the time and money? Do home workout apps work? The simple answer is that yes, home fitness apps can be extremely effective for fitness and weight loss. They offer a convenient and affordable way to get in shape, with reputable apps including professional training advice and routines.  However, the truth is that it’s a lot more complicated than that. After all, statistics show that…

Experts say that you can gain up to 1–2 lbs of muscle per month, but I wouldn’t have believed it when I first started lifting weights. It was so tough to tell if I was making any progress or not, and I wasn’t sure if the tiny changes I did notice were real or just my imagination. It certainly wasn’t obvious by looking in the mirror, and the bathroom scale left me feeling equally confused. I was starting to wonder if my workouts weren’t effective. Such doubt in your regime can be demotivating and even derail your progress. Thankfully, I stuck with it — and I’ve learned there are ways you can…

Not all that long ago, I was wrapping up a busy workday at home where I had more or less been glued to the screen for eight hours. When I stood up, I felt a sharp pain in my mid-back. Although it caught me by surprise, it shouldn’t have; I’d been sitting all day and my back was paying the price. My experience isn’t unique; sedentary lifestyles are the norm in North America. Unfortunately, the risks of sitting extend beyond the odd kink in your back. Humans were designed to get more activity in life, and sedentary behavior is not doing our health any favors. It left me wondering how…