subject: Finding The Balance In Health [print this page] Many people, if not most people, are constantly looking for new ways to keep their body looking and feeling its best. If the goal is losing weight, gaining muscle, increasing endurance or just overall improved health, everyone is on the hunt for something and few are ever satisfied.
Perhaps, the never-ending search is because the body is constantly changing and requires regular maintenance. No matter what your desire for your body, exercise must be regularly performed to reach results.
The key component to a healthy body in any specified condition is to avoid extremes. Some people may resort to many short cuts when it comes to altering the body with exercise, food and pharmaceuticals.
Tricks like steroids, over-eating or under-eating are truly tricks. The visual results may come quicker, but the internal results may not be as attractive and may be permanent.
The most important value is to exercise regularly while catering your workout to meet your fitness goals. The next component is to eat a healthy, balanced diet that will sustain your different workouts and help you get through each day.
Let's start by discussing exercise. Exercise yields its best results when it is done in a regular fashion that pushes the body to a reasonable limit.
A good goal is to perhaps push for a steady improvement- to push the body a little bit more through time. This challenge often leads to a consistent progression in health, a heightened sense of accomplishment and a willingly responsive body.
For example, if you are trying to lose weight, cardio is the first direction to head. Targeting that heart rate gets your blood pumping and metabolism increasing immediately.
However, cardio exercise must be combined with free weights or other muscle toning exercises. Most women need to lift lighter weights and do more repetition while men can focus on lifting heavier weights and fewer repetitions, or "maxing out."
For men wishing to bulk up and build muscle mass, cardio is still important. However, after running two miles, muscle mass in the arms starts to decrease.
Thus, steady cardio is required to keep the heart healthy and is a good warm-up at the beginning of each workout. Then, the focus should turn to lifting weights or strength training of any kind.
Many associate protein shakes with building muscle. While this works and results yield quickly, the body does not naturally require that much protein- about 260 mg. per serving.
If there is still a desire to continue drinking protein shakes or similar products, consider lessening the dose or powder. Especially women need to make sure that they cut down on the regularly prescribed amount, unless they also would like to bulk up quickly.
As far as sustenance for the body, I believe you get out what you put in. Moreover, if you put in fulfilling, nutritious foods, you will attain a fulfilled, nourished body.
One of the best tricks of the trade is to just listen- listen to the cravings in your body. Often, your body will call for nutrients it is lacking.
For example, if you are craving a hamburger or meat, perhaps you need to increase your current iron intake. Especially for those trying to lose weight it is quite important not to deprive yourself of anything.
This is where balance is truly attained. When you feel that you can have whatever you would like, and if you enjoy eating healthy foods, eat it.
Even if you crave a few unhealthy things occasionally, you should never deprive yourself. Sparingly, those things are acceptable and even healthy to eat.
The most important thing is to make sure you are getting enough of the good things in. Then, there is limited space for unhealthy foods if you are sure to get in all the hydration and nourishment necessary.
If you are craving unhealthy foods all too often, make sure you counteract those cravings by eating more healthy food. The more nutritious contents you eat, the more you will grow to enjoy them.
Everything is an acquired taste. People do not like some things on their first try.
Even exercise has to be built up to. Once healthy habits are in place, people fret over missing a workout or even missing a few of their reps.
From any perspective, there are no short cuts that will give you lasting results. Fads come and go as may your waist line.
The key to lasting health- looking and feeling great- lies in the balance of your activities and the healthy foods you take in. Any goal takes time; remember that applies to your health as well.
