Fitness is not about the weight you lose. It is about the life you gain
Tony Robbins.
One of the underrated aspects of life is appreciating body health in our day to day activities. Health is not about being perfect with food or exercise but it is about nourishing our spirit as well as our body wellbeing. In this blog, I will explain healthy habits we can adopt to improve our overall lifestyle and shaping our bodies to our own desires. A journey of a thousand miles start with a good shoe; this blog will give you the limelight in your weight gain/loss journey.
Adequate quality sleep.
Sleep plays a vital role in good health lifestyle as body enters a relaxing mode and enables one to wake up full of energy to kick start your day. Benefits of good sleep include lowering your risk for serious health problems like Diabetes and also reduce stress.
Quality sleep should be 7- 8 hours of undisturbed night time to enable your mind and body to rest. Sleeping more than 7 hours can also help with weight loss as part of your health journey. You should avoid going to sleep with your phone as one can go for hours scrolling through social media for example TikTok and Twitter.
Maintaining same sleep time ensures proper sleeping habit. One of the best ways is to set alarm or reminder at a given time to motivate you to sleep. With adequate sleep, it tags along with discipline in time factor. Most people tend to procrastinate sleep time with day time with the excuse ‘ tomorrow I have nothing to do’. Some of the side effects of poor sleep include wide range of deleterious health consequences including hypertension and lower sex drive.
Food check and hydration.
The journey of weight gain or weight loss begins in the kitchen and not physical exercises. Evaluating what’s in your plate is key to healthy lifestyle.
According to the World Health Organization, proper nutrition helps fight many diseases and illnesses which can save you money going to hospitals as prevention is better than cure. Eating healthy balanced food is associated with keeping your skin and teeth healthy and boosting immunity. As the saying goes An apple a day keeps the doctor away, it is worth advised to eat fruits and vegetables atleast each day.
It is advised that you should drink 8 glasses of water each day. The first thing you should do after waking up is drinking a glass of water as it nourishes your gut and jump starts your internal organs. Water also helps in the digestion of food and keeps you hydrated in your day to day activities. A hydrated body leaves your skin with an extra glow and also act as a coolant during your body exercises.
Eating junk food like burgers and chips should be minimised as it leads to weight gain which can result to obesity. Animal products like eggs and high fat dairy like yoghurt and cheese can help you gain weight as they are full of amino acids that help build muscles. Eating wholemeal food like brown bread is of more help to your body than non organic foods as they are full of fibre which helps in digestion. If you are on a weight loss journey, worry not as you can cut back on calories and alcohol ,drinking lemon water with honey and also practicing Intermittent fasting.Consuming seeds like carom seeds and black cumin seeds play part and parcel in ensuring you maintain a healthy body with low fat. In addition to your meals, ensure you consume them at the same time everyday so as to keep your body at normal basic metabolic rate.
Time for exercise!!
Exercise can be described as a physical workout geared to achieve results and keeping our body fit. Most people find it hard to exercise due to work and studies.
A 30 minute exercise everyday can do wonders for your body if you are on a weight loss journey. These workouts can involve aerobic, yoga, weight lifting and meditation. Home workouts can be easier as you don’t need gym equipments to exercise. Yoga exercises like candle pose and triangle pose improve blood flow and helps your heart pump more efficiently and achieving balance of your body. Finding time for nature walk is vital for your body and mind as it helps relieve stress and also lower weight circumference. Walking up and down hill increases the activation of the thigh and abs muscles.
During the weekends, make your gym sessions your one stop body check. With the help of your gym trainer, you can work on your arm, chest, abs and quad muscles to achieve your desired body shape. Remember, fitness is not about being better than someone else but it is about being better than you used to be.
Taking care of yourself.
Body hygiene and self meditation tags along with your health wellbeing. Taking cold shower after a long day helps cool your muscles and helps you feel rejuvenated. Cold shower is also associated with helping in weight loss. Brushing your teeth everyday helps fight tooth related diseases like tooth decay and gingivitis.
Adopting reading habits. Reading a book keeps your mind healthy and also helps boost your communication thus building your interaction with your peers. Mindfulness can be improved also by having walk time for some fresh air and also listening to your favourite music. Visiting massage parlours during weekends can also help relieve stress. Remember mental health is one of the important factors in one’s wellbeing. Talk to your friends about issues troubling you can help solve depression and avoiding suicidal thoughts.
Conclusion.
We cannot control everything in our lives but we can control what we put on our body. Maintaining good healthy lifestyle ensures we stay fit in our day to day activities and also feel proud of our bodies. Remember, no matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you progress, you are still way ahead of everyone who is not trying.
Wishing you a healthy week ahead.
Health and Fitness 