Fitness is a lifestyle I live and breathe each and everyday. To reach a level of fitness similar to mine, there are 5 main practices that you should strive for:
- 1. Proper Nutrition
- Eating the right foods is key: this will not only give your body the fuel it needs to work, but will also supply you with the nutrients needed to help the body function better.
- 2. Weight/Resistance Training
- Adding weight or body weight to your training is important simply because muscle feeds on calories and fat. When you are done your session of resistance training you burn calories for an additional 36 hours at rest! Weights = Free calorie burn.
- 3. Cardiovascular Training
- This is the best for heart health, increased endurance, and lung capacity. Cardio can help get rid of that stubborn fat that just won’t go away!
- 4. Stress Free/Stress Reduction
- Stress puts your body into a “flight or fight” mode which will cause your body to store and hold fat. Also, your mental wellbeing can and will be affected by stress. You need to find ways to decrease this each and every day. Try journaling, vacations, letting yourself unwind after work, etc.
- 5. Rest and Relaxation
- Sleep, meditation, massage, and acupuncture are all fantastic methods to help your body survive and recover correctly. You need to recharge, let your body repair and get ready for your next task, workout, or event. To add to these 5 things, I’m a firm believer in core strength/conditioning and being balanced.
Core Strength
is extremely important and will help you with your goals, day to day activities, and over all confidence when faced with any situation that may arise. Your core is your body’s powerhouse and needs to be worked in all plains to get the best results. It stabilizes you inside and out giving you the strength and confidence to get things done!
Body Balance
A balanced body is a happy body – it will work with you instead of against you. You need to work the non-dominant side of your body first and as often as you can. This will help in strength as well as it will get your mind to function at an even keel. It will make you both mentally and physically strong and will bring your fitness to a whole new level. So when you wake up in the morning, take your first step with your “left foot” and watch how your body will pay you back!
- Q. How do I lose weight?
- A. Following my 5 steps is the best way to do it – what I find is some people set too high of a goal (lose 50 – 100 lbs in 2 months) and get discouraged when they don’t reach this goal. They end up falling off their path. Therefore, set smaller goals. Example: lose 5 Lbs in 2 weeks and then reset your goals for the next week. Losing weight is as much mental as it is physical and the scale will play tricks on your mind: remember it’s just a number – how you feel and how your clothes fit should be the only thing that you look at!
- Q. How do I get more toned?
- A. First of all, “tone” is muscle mass seeing the size and shape of each muscle as it exists on the human body. The way to get more tone is simply to add muscle. You need to lift weights and consistently push and add more each set. Remember you’re adding LEAN muscle mass to your body – you won’t get bulky unless you train to look that way.
- Q. How much time should I put in to see results?
- A. The more you do the better! Follow this rule: for at least an hour a day you should be doing something active. Example: Walking/ Skating/Resistance Training/Dancing, etc. The more you do the faster you will see results but make sure you take time off for rest and recovery. With that said here is a typical week in my life Monday to Friday: I go to the gym for 1 ½ hours, on Saturday and Sunday I do something I enjoy and is fun such as wall climbing, dancing, yoga, etc. Remember it’s a lifestyle change and only you can push yourself to achieve your goals.
