• Twitch Training – Muscle fibers come in two varieties, slow twitch and fast twitch. It's important to mix up both high intensity movements with extended, slower workouts to make sure the entire muscle is ready for whatever comes during competition.
• Clear Thinking – Exertion is not just in your muscles; it's also in your head. Before big matches make sure you feel alert and calm. If you're already mentally weary, try taking a short nap, have a cup of tea or take some deep breaths so you can focus.
• Sip Cold Water – Drinking cold water a half-hour before exercise reduces physiological strain. So have a few glasses before you hit the court or the field, and then make sure to keep swallowing chilled water throughout the workout.
  

• Nausea. If you once were a morning exerciser but that's when your pregnancy-related nausea is at its worst, rearrange your schedule to make room for exercise in the evenings.
• Backache or hip pain. Try a low-impact activity such as swimming or water walking.
  
• Frequent need to pee. Work out at home or at the gym so there is a bathroom nearby. If you prefer walking outdoors, move your workout to a downtown area where you can stop at a coffee house or other business when the urge arises.
• Swollen feet. Find an exercise that puts less stress on your ankles -- swimming and using a recumbent bike are two great options.
  
• Exhaustion. Exercise will actually help you with fatigue, so don't skip it. If you're too tired to get through a longer workout, try being active in short 10-15 minute bursts.
  
  

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Life Fit Chat with That's Fit Life Fit Expert Laura Lewis brings conversation provoking tidbits to your table, served up with a touch of spice! Byte-sized information that pack some punch, brought to you every Wednesday and Thursday!

Do you feel exhausted morning, noon and night? Do you find yourself hitting the snooze alarm until your honey literally kicks you out of bed? Maybe you require three cups of coffee before you can even begin to think about starting your day. If this sounds like you, you may have an under-active thyroid--a condition known as hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism is a very common disease in both women and men. If you have an under-active thyroid, you may feel like you are always exhausted, and you probably have a hard time managing your ideal weight.

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located in the front of the neck. The thyroid is responsible for making hormones that control the way the body uses energy. Our thyroid controls our metabolism, and has a direct impact on the functions of the heart, muscles, bones and cholesterol. If you think about the body as a car, the thyroid is the engine.

Hypothyroidism is a disease of the thyroid which occurs as a result of the underproduction of thyroid hormones. If our thyroid does not produce a sufficient amount of hormone, our bodies respond with fatigue, depression, weight gain, high cholesterol, and sometimes even heart failure.

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• Maintain a regular schedule
• Establish a relaxing bedtime routine
• Create a comfortable, sleep-conducive environment
• Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillow
• Keep televisions, work, computers, and other distractions out of your bedroom
• Don't eat 2-3 hours before going to bed
• Exercise regularly
• Avoid caffeine
• Don't drink alcohol close to bedtime.

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As far as exciting, outdoor summer events go, it doesn't get much hotter than the New Orleans Jazz Festival, both for the ultra-hip grooves as well as the soaring Louisiana temperatures. As one music-loving blogger documents, the beats were hot but so was the blazing sun, making it necessary to plan ahead when going to this and similar events in order to avoid heat-related illnesses.

While certain groups are more prone to being affected by hot and humid weather -- young children and the elderly are especially at risk -- anyone can wind up with sunstroke, heat exhaustion and painful sunburns if they're not careful. If you know that you will be attending a festival, concert, fair or other outdoor event, check out this article first as it details the symptoms to look for when diagnosing various illnesses caused by extreme heat as well as how to treat them.

A range of tips to help avoid getting sick in the sun are also given and some of the most important include wearing a sunscreen with at least SPF 15, wearing light-colored, loose-fitting clothing and, if possible, spending some time in an air-conditioned area or at least trying to find some shade from time to time. Most importantly, staying well hydrated is a necessity. This means not only drinking a lot of water, but also avoiding alcohol and sugary drinks as these will have the opposite effect and dehydrate you.

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It's a total "catch 22" -- you feel tired so you don't want to exercise, but you need to exercise in order to feel less tired. So what's a person to do? It sounds obvious, but one answer might be as simple as trying to get better sleep. This can be a tough thing for many people to do, although it's possible that some just haven't given it conscious thought before. Some suggestions on how to sleep deeper or catch up on missed hours are to take a shower/bath before bedtime or squeeze in a quick power-nap in the afternoon.

A suggestion I found interesting to feel more energized was de-stressing by taking 10 minutes to clear your head, reflect, and relax. The idea is that sometimes physical fatigue can really just be symptom of an overstimulated or stressed-out mind. Cure the head, cure the body.

Other nixes for fatigue include drinking more water, changing eating habits to include several mini-meals and snacks throughout the day, and of course getting your heart pumping in some kind of physical activity to boost endorphins and feel better.

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