Q&A: Less (and different) can be more

Q. Is it OK to do a moderate step-aerobic workout when my muscles are sore from weight training the previous day? Also, could I be risking injury?

A. "You're probably not going to injure yourself with a moderate workout when you're sore, but you're probably not going to help yourself, either," says exercise physiologist Tom Thomas. Sore muscles are 20-30 percent weaker than recovered muscles, Thomas says. "Athletes know they can't push themselves under those conditions." If you feel sore, do a very light aerobic workout so that you don't interfere with your recovery.

However, you might also want to consider why you're sore. Soreness is natural during the first few weeks of a strength-training program. But if you lift regularly, even pushing to fatigue, you shouldn't feel sore the next day -- except if you do an extra-hard workout (or you've just introduced new exercises or a more rigorous training technique such as drop-setting). It's possible that you're increasing your load in the weight room too often; or maybe you're not getting enough sleep

Q. I run six miles every day at 5:30 p.m., but I often feel lethargic. What should I eat for a pre-workout snack to give me an energy boost?

A. A light carbohydrate snack, such as a banana or a bagel, may boost your energy for your six-mile run, but your afternoon fatigue may be related more to your workout schedule than it is to your eating habits. "You may be overtraining," suggests trainer and nutritionist Dale Huff.

You need at least one full day to recover, with little or no activity, Huff says. You may even want to cut back to four or five days of running and build in a day or two of cross training. "A lot of runners just love running, and that's all they want to do," Huff says. "But if you get out on a bike or go play volleyball, you'll decrease the wear and tear on your joints."