By
Mark Warrington
Some people are intimidated by the idea of starting a fitness program. Ironically, this is especially true of people who most need a
fitness program. Those who are least fit or who have the most weight to
lose or gain are also those who fear that they will not be able to cope
with the seemingly overwhelming demands of a fitness plan. There is no
need to plunge into anything
drastic, though. You can start by just gradually altering your lifestyle in small ways. The first step is in your mind. Resolving to make those little changes will already set you up toward living a fitter lifestyle.
You should definitely not starve yourself to get fit, even if your goal is weight loss. You should also not binge to gain weight, even if you think yourself too skinny and your goal is to gain muscle mass. Either way, there is only one way to eat healthy. Cut down on unhealthy fats and replace these with healthy fats like Omega 3 oils from deep sea fish and unsaturated fats like olive oil. Cut down on simple carbohydrates like sugar and starchy food and replace these with high fiber complex carbohydrates like whole grains, vegetables and fruits. You should also have ample intakes of whole proteins like lean meat, poultry and fish. Finally, make sure you drink a lot of water to facilitate the distribution of nutrients throughout your body and the elimination of waste.
Sleep is also crucial to your overall fitness. When you lack sleep, your body produces too much of the hormone ghrelin, which makes you feel hungry, and too little of the hormone leptin, which makes you feel full.
Lack of sleep therefore leads to cumulative weight gain. Sleep deprivation is not a solution for those who need to gain muscle mass, though. It is actually during periods of deep sleep that the body repairs and builds muscles. Lack of sleep adds to fat stores and not muscle mass. With enough sleep, the body is energized to meet each day with vigor.
If workouts still seem scary to you, there are many ways to increase your level of physical activity and to achieve the benefits of cardio and strength training workouts. You can mimic the effects of a cardio workout by taking long walks. An hour long walk without stops can bring your heart rate up to its maximum level and keep it there long enough for your body to get into its fat burning zone. Strength training can be started with exercises that use your own body weight as resistance. This can be as simple as wall push ups for beginners.
If you are not in a position to hire a trainer for advice, you can do your research online for activities that are within your present capabilities. It is actually safer to start well within your comfort zone.
These are three easy changes you can immediately fit into your current lifestyle. Just eat, sleep and move your mind and body into that fitness zone.
Some people are intimidated by the idea of starting a fitness program. Ironically, this is especially true of people who most need a
fitness program. Those who are least fit or who have the most weight to
lose or gain are also those who fear that they will not be able to cope
with the seemingly overwhelming demands of a fitness plan. There is no
need to plunge into anythingdrastic, though. You can start by just gradually altering your lifestyle in small ways. The first step is in your mind. Resolving to make those little changes will already set you up toward living a fitter lifestyle.
You should definitely not starve yourself to get fit, even if your goal is weight loss. You should also not binge to gain weight, even if you think yourself too skinny and your goal is to gain muscle mass. Either way, there is only one way to eat healthy. Cut down on unhealthy fats and replace these with healthy fats like Omega 3 oils from deep sea fish and unsaturated fats like olive oil. Cut down on simple carbohydrates like sugar and starchy food and replace these with high fiber complex carbohydrates like whole grains, vegetables and fruits. You should also have ample intakes of whole proteins like lean meat, poultry and fish. Finally, make sure you drink a lot of water to facilitate the distribution of nutrients throughout your body and the elimination of waste.
Sleep is also crucial to your overall fitness. When you lack sleep, your body produces too much of the hormone ghrelin, which makes you feel hungry, and too little of the hormone leptin, which makes you feel full.
Lack of sleep therefore leads to cumulative weight gain. Sleep deprivation is not a solution for those who need to gain muscle mass, though. It is actually during periods of deep sleep that the body repairs and builds muscles. Lack of sleep adds to fat stores and not muscle mass. With enough sleep, the body is energized to meet each day with vigor.
If workouts still seem scary to you, there are many ways to increase your level of physical activity and to achieve the benefits of cardio and strength training workouts. You can mimic the effects of a cardio workout by taking long walks. An hour long walk without stops can bring your heart rate up to its maximum level and keep it there long enough for your body to get into its fat burning zone. Strength training can be started with exercises that use your own body weight as resistance. This can be as simple as wall push ups for beginners.
If you are not in a position to hire a trainer for advice, you can do your research online for activities that are within your present capabilities. It is actually safer to start well within your comfort zone.
These are three easy changes you can immediately fit into your current lifestyle. Just eat, sleep and move your mind and body into that fitness zone.
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