How to "Get Fit"
Everyone is trying to "get fit". I see it on Pinterest, Instagram, magazines... everywhere! What does it mean to be fit, though? I might define it differently than a 50 year old. Or a high school football athlete may define it even more differently than the 50 year old. What do you define fit as? What is fit for you?
I am going to start a series called "How to Get Fit". This will also be on my YouTube channel: VitaminKeay if you are more of a visual/audio person. There are a lot of different people in the world, at different stages in life.
Disclaimer: Age can have an impact on how fit you are!
As a child, being fit is easier and quite different than being a college student. (Can I get an AMEN?) This first blog post is for everyone, but as the series goes on, it'll get more specific per population.
1. Exercise
You can't get "fit" without exercising. (Unless you are a construction worker or have another strenuous job). And I'm not just talking about cardio here. Resistance training is such an important component to getting fit.
What is resistance training? Resistance training is a form of exercise that improves muscular strength and endurance. During a resistance training workout, you move your limbs against resistance provided by your body weight, gravity, bands, weighted bars or dumbbells. Some exercise machines can also be used for resistance training.
But isn't 80% of getting fit diet? Well, yes! However, if you tried to get fit through diet alone, you would lose some muscle mass along the way. About 25% of the weight you lose will be muscle. Resistance training or weight lifting prevents this loss of muscle from occurring As you decrease body fat, and keep on or even gain muscle, you will maintain your basal metabolic rate (BMR).
What is BMR? In the simplest terms, basal metabolic rate is the amount of calories you burn at rest. BMR keeps your body functioning.
2. Drink Plenty of Water
Well, that is a known fact when trying to get fit. But why doesn't everyone do it then? I get busy at work and forget to drink water... I'm not feeling thirsty.... These are just a couple of the reasons I hear all the time. We all need to drink plenty of water, especially before, during and after exercise. Why the heck is water so important? It's a mediator for many bodily processes. When we are well hydrated, our body works better.
Drinking water can prevent dehydration, a condition that can cause unclear thinking, result in mood change, cause your body to overheat, constipation, and kidney stones.
So how much should I drink? You should be drinking so much water that you can't think about drinking anything else. There are different guidelines for different groups of people (young, old, pregnant, athlete). Based on the DRI, 91 ounces of water is good enough! That is 11 cups of water!! So instead of counting... just drink, drink, and drink all day.
3. Eat nutritious food!
I avoided using the word "good" here because all food is good... except for celery. I don't know why God created celery!
Nutritious food is gives your body the fuel it needs. We need the macronutrients: carbohydrates, protein and fat. (Yes we need fat too.) And the micronutrients like your vitamin and minerals are also SO important and are often overlooked. You can try to calculate the perfect nutritious meal plan, but life varies so here's an easy way to make sure you are getting all of your nutrients. (It's my secret )....
Eat a balanced meal. Eat your carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats. Have some fruits and vegetables throughout your day. Eat some nuts as a snack. The government creates these nice nutrition guidelines for us... MyPlate is the perfect visual for how a healthful meal should be arranged. To be fit, you need to eat like it.
Imagine your body is a car.... I'll imagine I'm a Jeep. You can't put cheap gas in a nice car! You also can't overfill your car with gas, there is a limit. Eat when you need the "fuel".
So to get fit, exercise, drink plenty of water and eat nutritious food! These are three simple things you can think about. Go and get fit!!
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