Active lifestyle, Fitness, Goals, Health & wellness, Healthy aging, Longevity, Nutrition, Personal development, Sleep, Weight loss

Is Your Lifestyle Active Enough?

Have you heard enough about the importance of an active lifestyle?

active_lifestyle

I know, I sound like a broken record. And for good reason. Because activity is IMPORTANT! But there’s a common misunderstanding I would like to put to rest. Improving your health & wellness doesn’t consist of a lot of things [you need to do]. It only comes down to a few things.

So whether you’re trying to lose weight, get into better shape, or improve upon your existing healthy habits, here’s what you should focus on:

  1. Great nutrition
  2. Regular exercise
  3. Adequate rest

When you figure these out and get consistent by making them part of your routine, great things begin to happen. Results begin to show up. And you WILL eventually accomplish your goal.

But there’s something else. In addition to getting consistent, you’ve gotta give yourself time.

zen_rocks

This doesn’t mean you procrastinate. Or ignore these 3 fundamentals. We are all unique individuals. And whatever your story, it’s taken you some time to get to the place where you’re at now. So that means if you want to improve or fix your situation, it’s going to take some time.

That is of course, only if you’re serious about it and want to really make it happen.

Perhaps it’s been 10 months. Or maybe it’s been 10 years.

It doesn’t matter.

It’s time to learn the fundamentals. And start living them. To begin to make better choices. Choices that will help you build new habits. New habits that will set you up to succeed… By developing the healthy disciplines you need in order to you achieve your goal.

So this week I promised to discuss where and how to add exercise to your day.

Let’s start w/the “where” to exercise.

cardio_gym

The 2 obvious places are at home or at the gym. But it can be anywhere you can increase your heart rate with at least 20 to 30 minutes of sustained activity.

You may be thinking cardio. However, let’s not overlook strength training, which is a very important part of an exercise program. Unfortunately though, strength training is sometimes ignored or dismissed as unnecessary. Especially as we get older.

And there’s no need to worry about bulking up. After 50 it’s a lot harder to build lean muscle than you think. So be sure to make strength training part of your workouts.

So we’ve discovered that the “where” doesn’t have to be in a gym or at home. It can be outdoors, in a park. Maybe biking is your thing. Or you’re into water sports. Hey, it can even be a brisk walk at the mall.

My friend Kathy Robb has been running a successful bootcamp for the past 5 years. If you’re in the Westfield, NJ area, check them out at http://bootcampwf.com/.

The point is to use your imagination. Get creative and make it fun!

Otherwise, you may find yourself doing the same routine for too long, which kills motivation and intensity. And leads to boredom.

And you know what they say…

all_work_and_no_play_jack

So we’ve covered the “where” to exercise.

Now let’s look at the “how”, which includes the “what”.

If home is where you get your exercise, you have many options which may include:

  • Instructor-led DVD’s
  • A set of dumbbells
  • A bench with a set of free weights
  • Resistance bands
  • A jump rope
  • A heavy bag for punching and kicking
  • A treadmill or elliptical
  • A bike
  • A yoga mat
  • Body weight exercises (like push-ups, pull-ups, squats, lunges, chair dips, and mountain climbers)…
  • Use Google to search on phrases like “home workout options”, “dumbbell workouts”, or “body weight workouts” and you’ll find plenty of ideas
  • The neighborhood or a nearby park for a brisk walk

A gym sounds self-explanatory, but it doesn’t only have to be for traditional strength training and cardio sessions. Other types of exercise may include:

  • Group classes
  • Martial arts
  • Yoga
  • A dance studio
  • Pilates or Tai Chi
  • Kickboxing

Outdoor training may include:

  • A bootcamp (with my friend Kathy) http://bootcampwf.com/
  • Cycling
  • Walking or running
  • Swimming
  • Kayaking with my friend Jack
  • CrossFit with my friend Victor
  • Sorry, but I don’t think we can include golf here as exercise

If you’re new to exercise, the first thing you need to do is consult your doctor. Then you may want to stick to the basics, and focus on more traditional exercise options in the beginning.

Consider hiring a certified personal trainer. Or purchase a DVD series for an intense, instructor-led workout you can do in the convenience of your own home.

Beachbody is one of the most respected companies in this space. Contact my friend Laura at www.beachbody.com for products and recommendations.

I’ll end with this quote:

“It’s not about having time. It’s about making time.” ~ Chris Freytag

I hope you found value in this post.

Thank you for sharing your time with me. I’d love for you to let me know what you think by leaving a comment. Is the content valuable and helpful? Did anything resonate? Will you take action? What else would you like to see in future posts? I welcome your feedback.

What’s your Win to be Thin?

If you know someone that can benefit from this content, please share it with them. And if you like what you see, you can SUBSCRIBE for automatic updates, LIKE US on Facebook, and spread the word about www.thin2win.net with your friends, family and social circles.