Fitness Farm
Please note that I am not a doctor and it is your responsibility how you use answers to your fitness/nutrition questions. Remember that if you have any kind of health problem, you must always ask your doctor before changing your diet or starting a new exercise routine.
Remember to always put on sunscreen! Protect yourself from things you can avoid while you can. :) Sports and exercise are fun, but not when you get burned or sick!
If you submitted questions in June or early July, don't worry if your questions haven't been answered yet. They will probably be answered in the next update or the one after it, so be sure to check back!
For this update, I was going to talk about Danica Patrick, but I believe she has already been featured here before, so I chose another sports person instead. I thought I'd talk about her because what she did was interesting: she wore bloomers while doing it! Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading about her, I sure learned a lot from this update! If you'd like to read about more women who were firsts in sports, here's a link to Women in Sports: 750 B.C. until 1899. So many women, too unknown! I'll be trying to feature women mostly, and from different parts of the world. Not because I prefer women over men, but because there are so many brave first women out there, and many of them are left unknown.
I sincerely apologize to all of you Fitness Farm readers for the missed update. I had promised to have an update with a biography on a sports player and also answer some questions, but I was unable to prepare updates in the past couple of weeks, so the biography is for this update and I will keep answering your questions. Thank you for your patience!
First Woman to Climb Pike's Peak... Wearing Bloomers and a Dress
Julia Archibad Holmes was twenty-years-old when she decided to take on a challenge no one has ever completed. She and her husband, along with two others, began to climb Pike's Peak on August 1, 1858; a mountain 14,110 feet high! For the challenge, she wore bloomers, a dress, moccasins, and a hat. Many people had told Julia that she would not be able to make it, but four days later, on August 5,1858, she was on Pike's Peak. She wasn't just the first woman to do so, she was the first person to do so! No one had ever managed to climb to the top of Pike's Peak before her, especially with an outfit like hers.
Julia is another not so well known woman who inspires every woman or man to take on any challenge no matter what anyone says, so why not do it?
[Sources: Today in History: Aug. 5, Julia Archibad Holmes Reaches Pike's Peak, Pioneer Women on the Santa Fe Trail]
Disappearing Appetite
Too Young for the Gym?
Emily's comment: Perhaps they are unaware that most gyms allow anyone aged 16 or over to use their equipment? If that is not the problem, then you can ask them to join you the first few times to make sure that you will be fine. You can also have them talk to a trainer at the gym who could possibly reassure them that you are old enough to be working out at the gym without injuring yourself and that it will also be beneficial for you to work out. You just have to be honest with them and speak maturely; soon enough, they'll realize that you are old enough and that it will help you feel better about yourself and keep you in good shape.
I have been in your situation before, and now I am able to go there most of the time. Good luck.
Showering Before Stretching... or Vice Versa?
Emily's comment: I do not think it matters as long as you are doing what you feel is best for you. You can shower and then stretch, stretch before showering, or even stretch while showering. The main thing is that you shouldn't do anything that would overwork your muscles or cause you injury. Safe stretching!
Emily's comment: Anything could be contributing to your decreasing appetite, and since this is only a brief question, I cannot tell what. It could be depression, a change in your activeness, or even a changing metabolism. Many teens go through metabolic changes, and that is one thing that could be affecting you, since your body is still changing. A decreasing appetite can be unhealthy in some instances, but it can also be normal if it's just your body adapting. In any case, it is best for you to ask your doctor about this as I cannot risk telling you an answer that could possibly put you at risk. Good luck, and what ever it may be, I hope that you will be fine.