To be physically fit is not enough to do a lot of exercise, it is also important how you do it. Nutrition and lifestyle also play a key role. This article contains numerous tips to help you be physically on top.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Exercise
Step 1. Stretch before and after your workout
Your muscles will become more flexible, so you will be less likely to get hurt. Stretching also helps the body warm up before exercise and cool down immediately afterwards.
For example, try doing a few push-ups before you start exercising to get your muscles moving. You can also lean your torso forward and touch your toes with your hands. Another option is to raise your arms above your head and bring your palms together. Finally lean sideways, first on one side and then on the other, extending your arms as much as possible
Step 2. Do aerobic exercise regularly
To be physically fit, you should do at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week, or 75 minutes if you train at a very intense pace. Thanks to this type of training your body will be able to absorb more oxygen and your heart and lungs will work better. You will also likely feel more energetic and be able to resolve any high blood pressure problems. You should do aerobic exercise whether you are trying to lose weight or if you want to get more muscular or even if you want to get both results.
Examples of aerobic disciplines include running, swimming, dancing, and cycling
Step 3. Also trains muscle strength and endurance
You should include at least two weekly exercise sessions that serve to increase muscle mass and strength. This rule also applies if you don't want to gain weight. To lose weight, it is necessary to replace part of the unnecessary kilos with toned-looking muscles. Remember that patience and persistence are required to have a perfect body.
- Train your pecs. Lie on your back on a flat surface, then bend your knees and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Start by holding them at chest height, with your elbows bent, then lift them straight up. Bring them back to your torso and repeat the exercise 6-8 times, then pause before starting over.
- Train your biceps. While standing, hold a dumbbell in one hand with the palm facing up. The elbow must be bent. Lift the weight up to shoulder height by bending your arm up, then slowly bring it back to the starting position. Repeat again. Do a set of 6-8 reps, then take a break. Do the exercise with the other arm.
- Train your knees. Sit on a solid bench or table that allows you not to touch the floor with your feet. Wear ankle weights. Lift the lower leg up until it is fully extended, then bend the knee again. Repeat 6-8 times, then take a break. Increase the number of repetitions as your muscles grow stronger. Repeat the exercise with the other leg.
- Train your calves. In a standing position, spread your legs by aligning your feet with your shoulders. Slowly lift your heels and step on your toes. Return to the starting position. Repeat 6-8 times, then take a break. Increase the number of repetitions as your muscles grow stronger. This exercise is for training the calves.
Step 4. Incorporate exercises to improve balance
The aim is clear: to have greater stability. Try to practice several times a week. A simple way to improve balance is to try standing on one leg. After a while repeat with the other leg.
Exercises for balance and core strength are generally the most neglected. Remember that everything originates from the muscles of the central fascia of the body, even the posture you keep in everyday life. Your core must be strong, as well as your balance
Step 5. Become more flexible
Having elastic muscles prevents you from hurting yourself, very often it is the stiff muscles that get damaged. As the muscles stretch, they also become more voluminous.
- To improve muscle flexibility, try disciplines like yoga or pilates. Both involve slow movements that over time make the muscles more flexible, in addition they also improve balance. Sign up for one of these courses at your gym.
- Stretch every day or at least several times a week. Your muscles will progressively become more and more flexible and elastic. You can repeat some of the movements you use to warm up before training. Try other exercises too, such as lying on your stomach, lifting your upper torso and holding the position for about ten seconds. Another stretching exercise involves sitting on the floor with both legs extended forward, then lifting one of them up, using both hands, while simultaneously bending the foot backwards. Hold the position for a few seconds, then repeat with the other leg.
Step 6. Don't try to overdo it
If you've followed a sedentary lifestyle so far, don't throw yourself headlong into a busy schedule. You should increase the duration and pace of your workouts slowly and gradually. By overstepping the limits, you will end up hurting yourself.
As when starting any new activity, the body needs time to shift and gradually increase the gear. Listen to the messages he sends you, by training too hard in a short time you will risk getting sick or injured
Part 2 of 4: Follow a Healthy Diet
Step 1. Protein must play an important role in the diet
Your body needs it to regenerate many of its parts, from muscles to blood. They also provide the essential nutrients the body needs to survive. For example, many protein sources are also rich in iron, which is used to transport oxygen in the blood.
Health professionals recommend that women between the ages of 19 and 30 eat the equivalent of 155g of protein per day, while those over the age of about 140g, following a moderate lifestyle. Men who are 19-30 should have the equivalent of 185g of protein daily, those who are 30-50 should consume 170g, and older men should not exceed 155g per day
Step 2. Choose lean proteins
This is an important distinction because, in the long run, those high in saturated fats can be bad for your health.
- Some good options include chicken, fish, and turkey. However, you can also eat beef, especially if you choose the leaner cuts. For example, high-grade ground beef generally contains less than 10% fat.
- Legumes, nuts, and seeds can give you the protein you need if you're a vegetarian. Eggs are also a good source of protein.
- One way to make protein leaner is to remove visible fat before cooking, for example from pork chops.
Step 3. Eat enough vegetables
Vegetables help you meet your daily need for minerals and vitamins, and they also provide a good amount of fiber that helps keep the digestive system healthy. Vegetables should make up a large portion of your diet, especially as they allow you to feel full for a long time while still consuming fewer calories than other foods.
- Women who are 19-50 years old should have 500g of vegetables per day. After the age of 50, the requirement drops to 400 g, following a moderate lifestyle.
- Men between the ages of 19 and 50 should eat 600 of vegetables a day. After this age, following a moderate lifestyle, the daily requirement drops to 450 g.
Step 4. Eat fruit
Like vegetables, it should be an important part of the daily diet, as it provides the body with both a number of important nutrients and a good amount of fiber. Some fruit varieties also help keep the body hydrated.
- Experts recommend that both men and women between the ages of 19 and 30 consume 400g of fruit per day. After the age of 30, the daily requirement for men remains the same while for women it drops to 300 g, doing physical activity at a light or medium level.
- Basically half of your dishes should always consist of fruit and vegetables.
Step 5. Go for whole grains
When you want to eat bread or pasta, it is best to choose products made with whole wheat flour. You should also include other raw grains in your diet, such as oats, quinoa, and brown rice. Experts recommend that at least 50% of the grains you eat are unrefined.
- Adult women should consume 180g of cereals per day up to age 50, after which the requirement drops to 150g per day. Adult men should take 240g until the age of 30, 210g until the age of 50, and 180g during the following years.
- A single portion of cereal is equivalent to about 30 g in the case of, for example, a slice of bread or those for breakfast. Otherwise a portion of cooked pasta or rice is equivalent to 100 g.
Step 6. Eat dairy products
Although health professionals have not commented on the recommended amounts, dairy products are known to provide the body with calcium and other important nutrients. Choose the "light" version of your favorite dairy products to keep fit.
- If for some reason you have chosen not to eat dairy products, canned fish, such as salmon, are a great alternative to meet your daily calcium needs.
- If you are a vegetarian, try fortified foods, which are foods that have been artificially added with nutrients (mainly minerals and vitamins). For example, there are breakfast cereals and fortified juices. You can get calcium from alternative milk varieties to animal milk, such as rice or almond, but also by eating certain types of beans, such as soybeans, and some dark green vegetables, such as kale and broccoli.
Step 7. Limit your oil consumption
They are an important element in a healthy diet because they contain vital nutrients for the health of the body, but at the same time they are rich in calories, so they should be taken in moderation. Women between the ages of 19 and 30 should use a maximum of 6 tablespoons, after this age the limit drops to 5 tablespoons per day. Men should use 7 tablespoons until the age of 30 and no more than 6 thereafter.
Although oils may be necessary, it is best to limit other types of fats, such as solid ones, which are generally not useful and also tend to raise cholesterol because they contain more saturated and trans fats
Part 3 of 4: Keeping the Body Hydrated
Step 1. Drink lots of water to be physically fit
The human body is made up of about 60% water, so it won't be able to function properly if you don't drink enough of it every day.
- Although the generally recommended daily dose is 8 glasses a day, the US Institute of Medicine recommends drinking an even larger dose: 9 glasses of water a day for women and 13 for men.
- When you exercise, your body sweats more, so you need to drink more water to replenish your reserves.
Step 2. Drink when you lose fluids
If you exercise, your water requirement increases. The same goes for times when you do any other activity that forces you to sweat. For a small amount of exercise, an additional couple of glasses of water should suffice, while if you do strenuous activity for over an hour, you will need to drink even more.
There are other circumstances in which you need to drink even more water, for example when the weather is particularly hot. The need also increases in case of illness or if you are breastfeeding, since in both cases the loss of fluids is greater
Step 3. Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables
By meeting your daily fruit and vegetable requirement, you help keep your body properly hydrated, especially if you choose water-rich varieties. Fruits and vegetables that have the highest water content include watermelon, cucumber, and leafy greens.
Step 4. Choose the drinks that hydrate you the most
To meet your daily fluid needs, you don't have to drink just plain water. There are other drinks that you can count towards the total amount. However, you must be careful to avoid those that dehydrate the body rather than hydrate it.
- For example, fruit juices are moisturizing, but they provide extra calories. In order not to exceed your calorie needs, you can dilute them with water. Milk also falls into this category of drinks.
- Drinks that contain caffeine can provide hydration to the body, but at the same time they tend to make you go to the bathroom more frequently. For this reason, although you can count them in the amount of fluids you consume daily, it is best to drink them in moderation.
- In general, alcoholic beverages are not very useful for keeping the body hydrated.
Step 5. Add flavor to the water
If you find it hard to drink plain water in these quantities, you can flavor it to your taste. For example, you can add 1-2 slices of lemon or another citrus fruit. You can also use aromatic herbs, such as mint leaves, or other varieties of fruit and even vegetables. One of the many options is to crush some cucumber slices and berries on the bottom of the glass.
Part 4 of 4: Adopt Healthy Habits
Step 1. Get enough sleep
As tempting as it is to stay up late to find out how the book you are reading ends, making sure you get enough sleep is essential if you want to be physically fit. Getting enough sleep also helps you feel happier and more energetic, so make sure you're coping with the number of hours of sleep your body requires.
- In order to get enough sleep, it's important to set schedules and stick to them. Go to bed at the same time every day. If you're having a hard time sticking to set times, try setting an alarm that reminds you it's time to go to sleep. Your body loves the routine and when it gets used to the daily schedule it will know it's time to make you feel sleepy as soon as bedtime approaches.
- You should start relaxing when it's 30-60 minutes before bedtime. Turn off your TV, computer and mobile phone and start preparing for sleep. Giving your body and mind a chance to relax before bed ensures that you can fall asleep quickly when it's time.
- Interestingly, when you don't get enough sleep you naturally tend to feel the need to eat more and in particular you have a greater craving for carbohydrates. This happens because the body tries to meet its energy needs through food, since it has not been able to recharge itself while sleeping.
Step 2. Get routine medical checkups
To be physically fit it is important to go to the doctor at least once a year. In this way you will be able to notice any conditions that may develop, such as hypertension or high cholesterol, and start the necessary treatments in time.
Don't forget to ask your doctor about what level of physical activity is right for you. Surely he will also be able to provide you with useful advice regarding nutrition
Step 3. Drink alcohol in moderation
Recent studies have found that alcoholic beverages can be beneficial in light doses, especially wine. Specifically, the latter can help reduce the risk of stroke and developing heart disease. However, in excessive quantities, alcohol can cause a wide range of health ailments, from hypertension, to cancer, to liver disease.
For women, drinking alcohol in moderation means having a maximum of one drink per day. Men can drink two until the age of 65, after which they have to switch to one
Step 4. Don't smoke
Smoking damages all parts of the body. For example, it reduces lung capacity, which makes exercise more strenuous, and increases blood pressure, putting you at risk of developing heart disease. In addition, it makes it more difficult to gain muscle mass because the muscles receive insufficient oxygen.
- Involve the people you love. If you are a smoker, your friends and family can help you quit, as long as they know what kind of cooperation you need. For example, you could ask them not to smoke in your presence for 1-2 months.
- Keep busy. The more commitments you have, the less you will think about smoking. Try to organize activities that will distract you from the urge to smoke, like walking in the mountains or going to the movies, instead of doing something that makes you want to, like going to a pub.
- Avoid situations that make you want to smoke. If you have a habit of smoking while engaging in certain activities, try to avoid them temporarily so as not to feel tempted.
Step 5. Try to stay active throughout the day
Incorporate different types of movement into your daily routine. Increasing the amount of total physical activity, even if not an aerobic one, will make you physically fitter. For example, every time you go somewhere, park your car a few blocks away and walk to your destination. Use the stairs instead of the elevator whenever possible. Instead of sitting down when talking on the phone, walk around the room. All these little things added up will make you a healthier and fitter person.
