Fit for Life: What Are Results in Fitness?
Saturday, March 15, 2014
1) Losing Fat
2) Gaining Muscle
3) Feeling Better
If these things are not being accomplished, than you are not getting results, and are wasting time money and energy. I am a firm believer in NOT wasting these valuable limited resources so I am going to give you a brief outline to help jump start you to getting results.
Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate.
We were developed on a cellular level and cells require water. We hit the gym to build muscle and muscle is compromised of millions of cells. We need enzymes to digest food to build muscle, and water aids in digestion, and the ability for enzymes to travel. In order to be able to move without cramping, our muscles need water. Get the picture? And that just deals with your needs during exercise. Being properly hydrated also prevents headaches, and free radical cell damage, caused by environmental toxins. Think: the solution for pollution is dilution!! Along with that goes aiding your kidneys and bladder in elimination. It is also responsible for shuttling water soluble vitamins to cells, so when you dehydrate yourself it is tougher for the body to absorb nutrients. I recommend ½ oz. of water for every pound of body weight, any less and you are doing yourself a disservice.
Sleep!
Eight (8) hours is not a luxury; it is a necessity for your well being. When you sleep, great things happen to your body as well as your mind and energy levels. Improving cognitive brain function, and increasing energy levels creates a huge network of positive attributes to the body. I hear the excuse all the time – “I am too busy to get that much sleep”. Do NOT confuse busy with productive, and if you are well rested you will become much more productive, than when you are tired, lethargic and miserable. The proper amount of sleep will allow you to wake happier and more energetic. Proper rest allows you to wake with clarity, and be more energetic. When you have the right mindset from the beginning of the day you accomplish many more tasks and are able to focus more efficiently. When you get the proper amount of sleep you wake up on fire and ready to go. Many people think that they are building muscle in the gym. Sorry, but that theory is wrong. When you work out you are actually breaking the body down. Training causes micro tears in the muscle, and the only way to recover from this is with proper sleep and nutrition. If this is not achieved, then you will not recover from physical activity, making positive gains or results nearly impossible.
Eat quality food frequently throughout the day
Not doing this is probably the biggest cause of not getting the results you want. When you eat efficiently you will get results faster and achieve your goals. When you consume garbage - processed food - you cause inflammation in the body. Our defense systems prioritize and fight off the most damaging invaders first. This means when you are sick you shouldn't work out because our immune systems are fighting sickness and breaking the body down, causing the immune system to work too hard, prolonging all ailments in the body. So when you eat badly the body is too busy fighting inflammation and is too drained to build and repair and do the positive things our bodies need to get results. When you eat quality food, our systems work smoothly and efficiently allowing the body to uptake nutrients effectively, thus triggering results and progress.
Let’s simplify and summarize!
1) Drink lots of clean water.
2) Get to bed on time.
3) Eat quality food throughout the day.
Follow these 3 simple steps, and I can guarantee you will start feeling better.
Related Slideshow: New England’s Healthiest States
The United Health Foundation recently released its 2013 annual reoprt: America's Health Rankings, which provides a comparative state by state analysis of several health measures to provide a comprehensive perspective of our nation's health issues. See how the New England states rank in the slides below.
Definitions
All Outcomes Rank: Outcomes represent what has already occurred, either through death, disease or missed days due to illness. In America's Health Rankings, outcomes include prevalence of diabetes, number of poor mental or physical health days in last 30 days, health disparity, infant mortality rate, cardiovascular death rate, cancer death rate and premature death. Outcomes account for 25% of the final ranking.
Determinants Rank: Determinants represent those actions that can affect the future health of the population. For clarity, determinants are divided into four groups: Behaviors, Community and Environment, Public and Health Policies, and Clinical Care. These four groups of measures influence the health outcomes of the population in a state, and improving these inputs will improve outcomes over time. Most measures are actually a combination of activities in all four groups.
Diabetes Rank: Based on percent of adults who responded yes to the question "Have you ever been told by a doctor that you have diabetes?" Does not include pre-diabetes or diabetes during pregnancy.
Smoking Rank: Based on percentage of adults who are current smokers (self-report smoking at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and currently smoke).
Obesity Rank: Based on percentage of adults who are obese, with a body mass index (BMI) of 30.0 or higher.
Source: http://www.americashealthrankings.org/
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