Adopting a fitness program that is specific to your lifestyle and interests is essential to achieving your health goals. With a wealth of available information and advice on health and fitness, it may be challenging to know where to start. The basics of a healthier life break down to two important factors: regular exercise and nutrition. Follow a plan that provides full-body training, sound nutrition and adequate rest.
Warm Up and Cool Down
Warming up and cooling down should be included in every fitness routine. A warm up delivers oxygen to your muscles and helps remove lactic acid built up from previous workouts. Blood circulation and muscle coordination are increased during the warm-up phase, two factors that enhance performance and reduce the risk of injury. Cooling down usually involves static stretching which is important to lengthen muscles, improve chances of recovery and prevent muscle soreness. Spend 10 to 15 minutes on the treadmill or do a light set of each exercise before moving on to heavier sets.
Interval Training
This type of training involves equal bursts of speed and moderately-paced aerobic activity. Try sprinting on the treadmill for one minute and walking for a two-minute rest period; repeat this for 20 to 30 minutes. High Intensity Interval Training, also known as HITT, is one way to get your cardiovascular training and calorie burning done in half the time it would take doing strictly moderately-paced cardiovascular training.
Compound Movements
Adopt a strength-training program that incorporates compound movements in addition to isolation movements. Isolation moves target and train one muscle group at a time--a single arm biceps curl is an example. Compound movements target a host of muscles and tone them all at once. Compound moves stimulate stabilizer muscles, condition the tissue that connects muscle groups and put less stress on your body than isolation movements. Squats, chest presses and deadlifts are examples of compound exercises.
Exercise Journal
Keeping a journal of your health, fitness goals and workouts is one way to track your progress. Take notes on your repetitions and sets for each exercise, as well as how you felt before, during and after each training session. Vary your workouts every six weeks so that your body will not adapt to a specific routine. The journal will serve as a reference when you are ready to increase the intensity of your workouts.
Proper Form
To avoid injury and prevent muscle strains, use proper from when doing any physical activity. Core muscles should be tightened for stabilization, and you should be in control of hand weights when performing resistance exercises. Stay in tune with your body and make adjustments immediately upon feeling muscle pain.
Strengthen Your Core
Having a strong core--the abdominal section and middle to lower back--will help with all other exercise moves. Strong core muscles improve balance, enhance reaction time for interval training, and can also prevent poor posture and back pain.
Meal Timing
Eating before and after your workouts is essential for muscle recovery and growth. Carbohydrates are the body's chief source of energy, and protein aids in muscle growth. Simple carbohydrates--fruits and vegetables--and protein should be eaten before each workout. Complex carbohydrates like oatmeal and protein should be eaten post-workout. Eating post-workout is especially important to refuel your body's glycogen stores--your body's internal source of energy--and provide you with enough energy to get through your day.
References
- "The Complete Book of Personal Training"; Douglas S. Brooks; 2004
- Mayo Clinic: Reasons to Strengthen Your Core Muscles
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