Physical exercise helps you in developing and maintaining physical fitness. It also improves alertness and overall health. It gives strength to your muscles, and helps in maintaining a healthy weight. Frequent and regular physical exercise boosts up your immune System and helps to prevent various diseases, such as, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, bone diseases, etc. Moreover, exercising prevents depression and improves mental health by relieving stress and anxiety. Doing exercise keeps you flexible and agile; it also increases your strength and stamina. You can also enjoy sound sleep by exercising regularly.
1. Eat Well
Studies have shown around 80% of any fitness goal depends on your diet, be it weight loss, muscular development or training for an event. Eating a good balance of clean carbohydrates, fresh protein and healthy fats will give you the energy to aid your fitness challenge and show results quickly.
For the most part when coaching clients through weight loss and definition, I advise eating three meals and two snacks to help keep your metabolism burning at a constant rate.
When planning meals and cooking, look at the labels for the content of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. You should aim for around:
- 45% Carbohydrates – preferably natural and non-starchy… no genetically enhanced products (e.g. pasta, bread, white rice)
- 30% Protein – preferably low fat cuts of meat and fish, nuts, soy beans and pulses are also great sources of protein
- 25% Fats – again nuts and seeds are great sources, as well as avocado and oily fish.
2. Start walking,
jogging, cycling. No matter what your speed is, walking, jogging and cycling are very important parts of a healthy lifestyle as they are activities that keep your muscles active and your blood flowing. If you need to keep your knees strong or have body aches and pains then cycling is the best solution.
Come up with a daily walking, jogging or cycling routine that fits with your schedule (i.e. go for a jog everyday at 6:00 p.m.). After a while you can increase your distance, speed and eventually time.
Go out of your way to walk more. For example, if you go to the grocery store try to park in the farthest spot from the entrance so you are forced to walk those extra steps to get there.
Walk or bike to work/school. If you live close enough to work or school a good solution would be to start walking or cycling.
If you jog you should jog at least a kilometer to keep the fat off, but it is very important to pace yourself.
3. Get rid of any junk food. It is one of the most important components of a fit lifestyle. Many people ignore it, but if you exercise and eat a lot of junk food you will not get any fitter. This is because the junk food turns to fat almost immediately. Junk foods contain little to no nutrition and are high in sodium and sugar. Because of this, your body sugar levels drop after consumption and you end up feeling fatigued with a major lack of energy. Foods to avoid are:
High in sugar: Donuts, cakes, cookies, pudding, cereals, canned and dried fruits, and sodas.
High in fat: Processed meats, butter, hydrogenated oil (coconut and palm kernel), shortening, cheese and animal fats. (Please note: although cheese is high in fat, it is also high in protein which is a great nutrient for the body. Aged and less processed cheeses are the best solution)
High in cholesterol: Egg yolk, fried foods and mayonnaise.
Avoid anything containing: High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and Monosodium glutamate (MSG).
4. Relaxing and Sleep
A lot of us have forgotten how to relax. We often find ourselves carrying stress and tension in our muscles, when sometimes all we need to do is lie down and allow ourselves to relax, clear our minds of all thoughts and just listen to your body.
When the body is relaxing it is able to repair, after efforts of exercise, it will also relax the mind enabling you to mentally focus. Being mentally focused is almost as important as the exercise itself. To achieve any life goals you must believe in yourself.
Enjoy what you are doing, if you enjoy your exercise you will work harder.
Choose activities you think you’ll enjoy, try new activities, if you don’t enjoy them at least you know you’ve tried.
Just because the food you eat is healthier, doesn’t mean it needs to be tasteless and boring, add spices and natural flavors, and be adventurous when cooking your healthy meals.
