Exercise is an important part of our physical, mental and emotional health, but being the clever human beings we are, we can come up with a plethora of reasons each day for not doing it. If only we used that energy to find the time to implement it into our schedules we'd find greater balance in life.
What people need to realize is that staying active and eating right are critical for long-term health and wellness -- or as the trite expression goes, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."
When you eat well, increase your level of physical activity, and exercise at the proper intensity, you are informing your body that you want to burn a substantial amount of fuel. This translates to burning fat more efficiently for energy. In other words, proper eating habits plus exercise equals fast metabolism, which, in turn gives you more energy throughout the day and allows you to do more physical work with less effort.
This is important for everyone no matter what their path. If we expect to perform in life at our highest level, we have to realize that success comes as a result of our physical health and strength just as much or more than our mental ability and spiritual growth.
It's important to realize that the true purpose of exercise is to send a repetitive message to the body asking for improvement in metabolism, strength, aerobic capacity and overall fitness and health. Each time you exercise, your body responds by upgrading its capabilities to burn fat throughout the day and night. It's also important to note that it doesn't have to be intense to work for you, but it does need to be consistent. This is where many of us fail.
We work out for a week or two, get busy and skip a few days and then give up. This gives us an excuse for stopping, but we need to stick with it!
As with anything important in our lives that we do on a regular basis, we can't let discouragement keep us from continuing a safe regimen of exercising for good health. It's too important! Just a little exercise can clear our minds and give us the boost we need to get through our days. We're more creative, happier and generally more ALIVE!
People eating along with exercise will also help us to keep our weight down. We should respect our bodies with good healthy foods that will give us a better appearance and ultimately more confidence. When we look better we feel better. It's just that simple.
If you need to change your eating habits, try this program:
* Eat 4 to 6 small meals daily along with a couple of small snacks spread throughout the day * Keep every meal balanced -- incorporate palm-sized proteins like lean meats, fish, egg whites and dairy products, fist-sized portions of complex carbohydrates like whole-wheat bread and pasta, wild rice, multi-grain cereal and potatoes, and fist-sized portions of vegetable and fruits * Limit fat intake to only what is necessary for adequate flavor * Drink six to eight (8-oz.) glasses of water throughout the day or an amount you can tolerate (or at least 3 8-oz. glasses) * You can take a multi-vitamin each day to ensure you get all the vitamins and minerals your body needs
That's all really. You don't have to think of yourself as being on a diet. See your new regimen as a means of bettering your life for the rest of your life.
