Warming up means burning more

Do you tend to skip your warm-up before exercising? If so, you may want to start setting aside time for this vital part of your workout. Not only does a proper warm-up prepare your body for the upcoming demands of the workout, but now a recent study has found that it may also help you to burn more calories by preventing you from losing steam. Lactic acid is often the culprit in cutting a workout short. It causes an uncomfortable burning sensation in the muscles, making it difficult to continue to exercise. Gray and colleagues reported in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise that participants who warmed up before exercising had less lactic acid build-up and were less likely to call it quits. Since these people were more likely to work out longer, they were able to expend more calories per session. So, instead of just jumping into your fitness routine, take the time to ease your way into the activity by starting at a low intensity and gradually building up to a higher level of exertion. You will find yourself moving longer and more easily!