Whether you are trying to lose weight, gain muscle or lose body fat while not dropping pounds, it can be a complex task. Regardless of your goals, there are some basic fundamentals that you should be aware of if you are trying to improve your wellness and physical fitness.
Adequate Sleep
Sleep is vital to your health and physical fitness. According to Harvard Women's Health Watch, chronic sleep loss, or a lack sleep for a prolonged period of time, can result in weight gain, high blood pressure and can compromise your immune system. Inadequate sleep can slow your metabolism and encourage your body to more readily store carbohydrates as fat. Sleep deprivation also increases levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which encourages your body to store fat. Your body repairs its organs and muscle when you are sleeping. The University of New Mexico reports that a lack of sleep can contribute to obesity. Most adult men and women require seven to eight hours of sleep. Anything less than seven hours of sleep on a consistent basis is considered chronic sleep deprivation.
Avoid Trans Fat and High Fructose Corn Syrup
Although hundreds of physical fitness and diet tips are available to benefit you, avoiding foods with trans fatty acids and high fructose corn syrup can greatly improve your health. According to the Mayo Clinic, trans fat may be the single worst thing for your cardiovascular health. Trans fat will raise your LDL, or bad cholesterol, and lower your HDL, or good cholesterol. Trans fat is considered so much of a public health problem that it has been banned in New York City.
Princeton University reports that high fructose corn syrup is a major contributor to obesity and can significantly decrease your level of physical fitness and wellness. Foods and drinks containing high fructose corn syrup can encourage significant amounts of fat storage on your abdomen directly over your vital organs. Fast food is one of the main sources of trans fat and high fructose corn syrup.
Drink Water
Drinking water can improve your physical fitness. Drinking water is essential before, during and after exercise to prevent dehydration. You should drink water before you are thirsty to stay properly hydrated. Water is necessary for the body's total overall well-being and fitness. For dieters, water can act as an appetite suppressant and make you feel "full" when you would otherwise keep eating. Boston College reports that two-thirds of Americans do not drink enough water every day. The recommended intake for water is 8 to 12 cups every day.
Gaining Weight and Losing Weight
The fundamentals of gaining weight or losing weight are quite simple. To gain weight, you need to consume or eat more calories than you burn. Conversely, to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume. While training and exercise will help you burn calories, the easiest way to eliminate excess calories from your diet is to not eat them in the first place. It is important that you discuss your physical fitness goals with your doctor or a registered dietitian before making drastic changes to your diet. Sustainable weight loss and maintenance often require lifestyle and dietary changes, all of which can also benefit your overall health.
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