Summer is coming in less than three months, and if you’re like the rest of us, you’ve developed what some like to call a little “pouch”. By “pouch”, I mean that your trouble zones (stomach, thighs, etc.) get an extra layer of insulation. Some like to blame it on our evolutionary desire to put on fat for winter. For any other animal, it would be a good thing, but we humans are masochistic and have decided that it’s better to be thin.
If you want to get fit, fad diets don’t work – you may lose weight at first, but you’ll gain it back later on. The best way to do it is in a holistic way: by eating right and exercising, so that you’ll keep off any weight that you lost. Really, you need to change your lifestyle before you can truly get healthy. Here are a few ways to get fit, and stay fit.
1) Eat food from all the food groups. Unless your personal beliefs prevent you from doing so, do your best to eat meat, dairy, grains, and fruits and vegetables. Approximately half of each meal should consist of fruits and vegetables. We all know that fruits and vegetables are great, but protein is useful too! Protein actually keeps you full for longer, so you’ll eat less. Meat is also full of vitamins and minerals essential to all bodily processes, including weight loss and metabolism. Carbs are vital too: when they’re whole grain, their fiber helps keep you full as well (among other health benefits). As for dairy, not only does it contain vast amounts of vitamins and minerals, but studies have shown that women that drink milk actually lose weight faster than those who don’t. It’s just a study, but there’s no harm in trying.
2) Drink lots of water. Studies have actually shown that more often than not, when you think you’re hungry, it’s actually thirst. This is especially common in women. Besides preventing overeating, water cleanses your body, which is great for clearing up your skin (who doesn’t hate pimples?).
3) Start an exercise regimen. The ideal is to exercise for 3 to 5 sessions a week – but make sure you understand which type of exercise does what. For instance, a lot of people do crunches to get rid of stomach fat; crunches (when done properly) are great, but mostly it’ll just reinforce the muscle beneath your layer of fat, rather than getting rid of the layer itself. This is why the best exercise regimens contain a combination of cardio, strength training, and flexibility. Cardiovascular exercise, as the name suggests, increases your heart rate; it works your whole body, burning calories, strengthening your heart, and increasing your lung capacity. Cardio exercise is (arguably) one of the best ways to burn calories. Strength training specifically targets muscles – weight-lifting, Pilates, etc. This is great, because not only does it burn calories during your workout, but also increases your metabolism. This means that you’ll burn more calories at rest, without even lifting a finger. Stretching is also essential to longer muscles, and should be done before and after cardio and strength training, after warming up the muscles. A combination of all three of these is your best bet to getting fit.
4) Exercise… again. Physicians also recommend incorporating at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day – “moderate” meaning something that warms you up, and makes you a little out of breath. It’s pretty easy to integrate this into your day: walking to school, work, or other locations; cleaning the house; and gardening are all great sources of moderate exercise.
5) Motivate yourself. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, the best way to get motivated to exercise and eat well is to understand all the benefits associated with it. Exercise, for instance, stimulates insane amounts of endorphins, which is why everyone is super happy right after a workout. It also helps you concentrate. In the long run, it benefits your body in countless ways (other than how it looks!): your organs begin to work optimally, your skin glows, your hair is much shinier and healthier, and you have an overall feeling of well-being. Who doesn’t want that?
Although it’s great to get in shape, make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons. Also, remember that everyone has a different natural body shape. So don’t be upset if you don’t look exactly like some other girl – every body shape is beautiful. By all means, get fit – I encourage it! But as long as you’re living a healthy lifestyle, even if you don’t look like what you see on television, it doesn’t matter. Hopefully, you’ll see soon enough how gorgeous a healthy body really is.
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