What you eat and how you exercise is as individual and personal as your fingerprints. However, medical, nutritional and exercise experts have each developed standards or guidelines that may help give you a sense of direction as you try to navigate the wealth of information on sensible food and exercise.
A Sensible Starting Point
Because each person has a different starting point in terms of health and fitness, a good place to get started is to visit your physician or health care provider. This allows your doctor to determine whether you have any underlying medical conditions that may need to be taken into account for your diet or exercise plans. This step is essential.
Making an appointment with an experienced and certified fitness professional for a fitness assessment is another smart move. Taking this step will allow you to establish what's known as your baseline or starting points as they relate to your fitness. Knowing your baseline will help you create an exercise plan that appropriate for your current fitness level, and allow you to gauge your progress.
Sustainability
A key to both a sensible diet and exercise plan is sustainability. Consistency is the key to both your eating and exercise habits, and if you cannot sustain either over the long-haul, it will be difficult for you to see long-term results.
Balance Not Deprivation
Many experts agree that balance is the key to a sensible diet. Carbohydrates, protein and fat are all essential parts of a balanced diet. What's important is the amount of each of these that you take in. Totally removing any of these three key ingredients --- unless medically necessary, is neither smart of sustainable. In its publication "Eating Right for a Healthy Weight" the American Dietetic Association recommends visiting the federal government's MyPyramid.gov website for details on the amount of each of each food group that you need daily.
Mix It Up
When it comes to exercise, variety is the spice of life. Your body makes improvements in fitness through what's known as the overload principle. Essentially, this means safely pushing yourself through your exercise comfort zone. Having a variety of exercises will not only help you create this overload, but also helps you avoid what's known as plateauing, which means that your body stops making fitness gains.
Expert Insight
The American College of Sports Medicine endorses the benefits of moderate exercise as a way of enhancing your overall health and fitness. In its publication "Eating Right for a Health Weight," the American Dietary Association recommends eating three meals a day as a way to a balanced and sensible diet.
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