MinerAlert
MinerAlert
January 2025
By Alfredo Garcia, UTEP Undergraduate and Student Intern
Q. What is a good warm-up to start off a workout?
A. Kinesiology research has shown that an active, easier, and lighter warm-up of whatever exercise or workout you plan on doing is the best type of warm-up.
Q. What can I do to lose weight?
A. The main thing is you need to have a calorie deficit. You’re either going to do it with heavy exercise to burn more than you eat or simply just eat less. Just as long as you have a deficit, you’ll lose weight.
Q. Is cardio important? If so why?
A. Cardio is important mainly for heart health, especially as you get older. Its significance can vary depending on your specific goals and what you’re training for. For example, if you’re looking to train for a run or weight loss, cardio becomes particularly crucial.
Q. About how many times should I work out every week?
A. It depends on your goals, but if your goal is to be a regularly active person, around 3-5 days out of the week is ideal.
Q. What food groups should I prioritize for a fitness journey?
A. If your goal is weight loss, then you need to minimize fat and only do "good" carbs. If you’re already at the weight you want to be, then you’d want to increase the amount of carbs you consume since you’ll be burning through a lot of it with increased exercise. Mostly, just avoid the bad stuff like fried food, sugars, and processed food.
Q. Any tips on the recovery phase after a workout?
A. Sleep—make sure you get plenty of it. Also, you need to eat when you’re hungry; don’t starve yourself, but don’t gorge yourself either. Good sleep and good eating are more than enough for a full recovery.
Q. Should I take rest days after working out?
A. If you’re new to working out, then yes. When you start, your body feels devastated (extremely sore, tired, and physically drained), which is normal. Give your body a bit of rest. Once you get in better shape, you can minimize resting to one or two days out of the week.
Q. Are there facilities for UTEP students and alumni to work out in?
A. Yes, here at the Recreation Center, we are one of the top 3 gyms in the city. We’ve got pretty much everything you need, along with great instructors. I’m one of the martial arts teachers who works here at the center.
For alumni—you'll need your digital alumni card to purchase a Recreation Center membership. Please reach out to alumni@utep.edu if you need a copy of your card. For information about Rec Center membership rates, click here.