Most of us are conditioned to think of going to a gym staff member or personal trainer for answers to our fitness, exercise, and workout questions. If those resources don’t resonate with us, we can hunt through magazines, online resources, and libraries for information. But! There are several resources we often don’t even think of when it comes to fitness questions and getting help with improving our workouts.
Available Help For Fitness Questions
Primary Care Physician (PCP)
We all have heard the caveat “check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program” but how many of us actually do it? Most of us see the whole “check with your physician” thing as a clause lawyers insist on gyms adding to waivers, to keep the gyms out of legal trouble. PCPs, though, can help a lot when we’re setting goals. For example, should we focus on losing body fat first, then build muscle? Or, maybe, strengthen our core (abdominal and spinal erector) muscles first? Or, improve cardiovascular performance before anything else? Doctors can help us figure out priorities, minimize health risks, and keep thing realistic when our enthusiasm threatens to run away with our good sense. And, many medical insurance plans will cover a physical, so perhaps we can get this help for free.
Psychotherapist
When our workouts aren’t getting us the results we want, sometimes it’s not what we’re doing or how we’re doing it, but why we’re doing it. Or not doing it. Going to a psychotherapist, some of whom specialize in health and wellness,and asking fitness questions gives us another professional helper when we’re working to get past mental sticking points that may be keeping us from achieving our goals.
Massage Therapist
The physical part of exercise involves muscles and joints. Sometimes, aches and pains get in on the act. Make no mistake, when the first thought on encountering pain is “oh, merciful heavens” (or something stronger), and the pain is in a joint or bone, the expertise of a physician is called for. Muscle aches and soreness, however, can often be addressed through massage. Massage therapists can help loosen tight muscles, clear muscle waste more quickly, and reduce stress and anxiety.
Dietician/Nutritionist/Personal Chef/Cook
For many of us, eating programs that support our fitness goals are some of the most challenging things to get into. Someone who already knows how to shop for and prepare food that is both appealing and nutritious may be a great addition to our team and save us time, money, and frustration. Why not ask them fitness questions. They can show us how to eat in ways that help us get closer to our goals and learn how to do it for ourselves at the same time.
Of course, those of us who have a good basic knowledge of skeletal muscular anatomy, biomechanics, mindset, and nutrition need to primarily listen to our bodies. Our muscles, joints, and minds will be only too glad to let us know when they need a little help — physical, mental, emotional, or otherwise.