Health tips for the summer
Summer is right around the corner and just about everyone is heading to the gym, doing squats and cutting down their food intake to achieve that well sought after ‘summer body’. What most people don’t realize however, is that a bit of exercise here and there and cutting down on the amount of meals you eat per day isn’t going to make you achieve the body you want and it sure isn’t healthy. To get in shape at a fast healthy rate these three bits of your life need to be in tip top order: your food proportions, your exercise and your sleep. What does one have to do with the other you ask? Follow us on down where we explain just that.
1) Food
Whether its fast food, junk food or fruits and vegetables, if food isn’t eaten in the right proportions then those results you’re looking for are probably never going to be found. Don’t fret too much though because portion control isn’t that hard to do. Look at it this way, if you normally buy a box food for lunch, try asking for less rice, more vegetables and one piece of chicken, preferably breast. You’re still getting a delicious meal just with a more healthy set up. Same with breakfast, half the meal should consist of fruits and the other half can be proteins like eggs or starchy foods like bread or oatmeal. Apply this healthy set up to every meal you eat and you’re good to go! Exercising while not eating correctly makes absolutely no sense, you’re just giving your body more calories to burn off, making it harder for the weight to come off and stay off.
2) Exercise
Pushups and squats alone are definitely not going to give you the results you need when it comes to exercise. Getting your heart rate up, your oxygen flowing and sweat pouring is the aim of exercise. In this respect, literally doing anything that results in those three things happening for an extended period of time (about half an hour, five days a week) is considered exercise. Running, jumping rope and swimming are only a few examples. All you have to do is ensure that you do different exercises to work out all areas of your body. One very popular full body exercise that people often overlook is dancing. Yup dancing. Put on some tunes and try learning a dance routine, your heart rate will be up and you’ll be drenched in sweat in no time. Ensure to warm up and cool down with a few stretches before and after and you’re good to go.
3) Sleep
Who would have thought that basically doing nothing is one of the most important aspects of getting in shape. A less than awake brain has been proven by scientists to crave junk food. This is due to the high sugar content that is undeniably present in those go to snacks. Less sleep means less energy and one way for our bodies to get energy is through consuming sugar, ie junk food. We all know the consequences of eating too much of that. Studies have also proven that you are more likely to hang on to fat if you aren’t getting enough sleep. Yikes! It’s a good thing that one full proof way to ensure that you get to sleep at night is to tire yourself out. An easy way to do that would be to exercise…..See where I’m going with this?
BONUS TIP: Drink lots of water. That eight glasses a day thing is no joke. Dehydration is not your friend. Your body needs water to function and you will undoubtedly be losing a whole lot of water if you plan to exercise regularly. So DRINK UP!
Real talk, we all know getting in shape isn’t the easiest thing to do, but following these steps will definitely make it a whole lot easier. Keep at it you’ll be in tip top shape in no time.
NB: These are tips from personal experience and aren’t meant to be medical advice.