For many people the idea of getting fit and in shape means endless hours sweating away in a gym. Believe me, it really doesn’t have to be like that. Read on …
… As we all know, a very important factor of your plan towards living a longer and healthier life focuses on your physical health. Simply put, you have to get fit and stay fit.
Many of the points illustrated here are also related to dieting, this is because exercise and nutrition go hand in hand for reaching your goal to ultimate health. So, what’s the key?
Moderation, Moderation, Moderation
First off, being fit and in shape isn’t as difficult as you might believe. Yes, you will need dedication and willingness to reach your goals, but you’ll get there. You can be sure of that. As with most issues in life, and fitness is no exception: “If you don’t apply the rules, you don’t get the results.” It’s really that simple. So, with that said let’s take a look at what a sensible exercise plan should look like, what kind of results you can expect, and how much time it’s going to take you.
You do have some luck, as with getting fit and loosing weight we have a number of scientific tools that tell us some very important information, such as:
– How long will it take me to loose 5 pounds in body weight?
– How hard should I actually workout to get results?
– How many calories can I expect to burn each workout?
Everybody would love the magic pill or a magic piece of training equipment where you don’t have to work hard and break into a sweat, but after just 5 minutes you start to look like Mr. Universe. Sad to say, but neither of these things exist. If you want health and fitness, and see the results, then you’re going to have to work for it. Sadly to say, there are no cutting corners.
By starting today, you can become fit, AND stay fit.
It has been proven that people who take part in a regular exercise program receive benefits far beyond being just fit and in control of their weight. They have leaner muscles, stronger bones, they have lower blood pressure, they generally sleep better, their hearts pump more efficiently, they tend to suffer less from stress and it has been suggested in scientific literature that they live longer. Aren’t these good reasons for getting in shape now?
You bet your bottom dollar they are!
The vast majority of people who want to loose weight start dieting, but this is only part of the battle, and on its own you will not be particularly happy with the results.
So why is exercise import? SIMPLE! Look …
Let’s say you want to cut out 500 calories a day from your daily intake. A daily reduction of 500 calories might be too difficult for you – and that is why so many people fail in reaching their goal. They set themselves goals that are too hard to reach. Don’t fall into that trap.
We know that a 3500-calorie reduction per week is needed to produce a one pound weight loss of fat. Therefore, a daily calorie reduction of approximately 500 –1000 calories is necessary to loose 1 to 2 pounds of fat per week.
For instance, let’s say a portion of macaroni provides 250 calories per serving, and we all know how easy it is to eat a double serving of packaged foods, which would be 500 calories. Using the above example of 500 calories a day, if we don’t eat the macaroni we easily reach our daily goal, but we don’t eat!!! So, how do we manage this …
We eat one portion (250 calories), and we exercise away the remaining 250 calories.
250 + 250 = 500.
Using the diet + exercise approach, it is easy to see how much easier it is to reach your goals. You really don’t have to starve. In the case above you can still eat your macaroni. Does that seem hard to you? I don’t think so.
A one-hour walk equals approximately 420 calories. A reduction of 500 calories a day means a one pound weight loss per week. Once you’re in shape, just look at uphill walking, that goes anywhere from 480 to 900 calories!
Are you feeling motivated yet? Doesn’t it seem easier now?
Just remember diet alone won’t really get you to where you want to go. Team diet together with an intelligent exercise routine and … Whoa! You get fit AND it’s easy to stay fit!
