Have A Plan!

With busy schedules consisting of career, family, and extra curricular activities many individuals feel they do not have time to plan their workouts or eat healthy.  The bigger issue is that those two things have not become a habit and so prioritizing them seems challenging.  Exercise and eating programs need to be tailored toward a specific goal whether it is weight loss, gain, increased muscle, endurance, etc.  Here are some suggestions of how to approach a healthy lifestyle and eliminate the excuses.

Include Cardiovascular Exercise And Strength Training

Any exercise routine needs to combine cardio vascular exercise and strength training.  Exercise is not only a benefit to your physical health and appearance, but also mental and emotional health.  Cardio vascular exercise consists of walking, running, stationary bicycles, stair climbers, rowing machines, elliptical trainers and ladder climbers.   Walking or running outside does not require any equipment.  Running in place, jumping jacks, and burpees are examples of exercises that can be done inside or outside.  There are several forms of cardio vascular exercise that include low intensity, long duration, medium intensity, medium duration, high intensity, and short duration.  All of these combinations are effective methods of cardio vascular exercise.

There are numerous benefits to strength training regularly, particularly during the aging process. It can be instrumental in reducing the signs and symptoms of numerous diseases and chronic conditions including:

•                arthritis

•                diabetes

•                osteoporosis

•                obesity

•                back pain

•                depression

Strength training is crucial to weight control, because individuals who have more muscle mass have a higher metabolic rate. Muscle is active tissue that consumes calories while stored fat uses very little energy. Strength training can provide up to a 15% increase in metabolic rate, which is very helpful for weight loss and long-term weight control.  Aerobic exercise has many benefits.  It maintains the heart and lungs and increases cardiovascular fitness and endurance, but it does not make your muscles strong.  That is why it is important to incorporate both in your exercise regiment.

Plan Your Meals

Eating the right foods at the right times is important.   For example, avoiding carbohydrates at dinner.  Instead of being used for fuel the carbs will be stored as fat because it is closer to bedtime.  Setting yourself up for success is essential.  Plan your meals like everything else is planned in your daily routine.   This may require packing your food for the day.  Being a spontaneous eater will lead to a poor choice. Meal preparation at home and being knowledgeable about the nutritional value of foods at restaurants will have you prepared.  Eating a balanced diet means choosing a wide variety of foods and drinks from all the food groups. Foods such as saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, refined sugar, salt and alcohol should be consumed in moderation. 

Find A Convenient Exercise Location

There are many places including your home to exercise.  If you plan to join a fitness center or a group that meets at a location it should be convenient to your home or job.  This will make the location convenient to the two places you spend the most time.   Time is important to all of us.  The less commute time you have to and from your place of exercising the likelihood of you being consistent will increase.