Physical exercise and activity alone cannot give you overall fitness. Nutrition plays a role in accentuating the positive effects of physical exercise. An active people’s diet should have 60% carbohydrates, 30% fats and 10% proteins. Meaning, it should incorporate vegetables, fruits, grains, lean meat and low-fat dairy products. Carbohydrates and fats break down to give energy. Proteins help to develop and repair the muscles. And these are just the macronutrients. The body also needs vitamins and minerals to function properly.
Before you embark on your personal odyssey of fitness, it is important to assess your fitness level and fitness goals. Different fitness goals call for specific sets of exercises and diet to achieve the desired result.
Common fitness goals:
- Losing weight (weight loss)
- Rehabilitation from injury
- Maintaining blood sugar levels (diabetes) or blood pressure
- Better mental health
- Increasing stamina
- Healthy ageing
- Gaining strength and stability
- Gaining agility
What you need to keep in mind before beginning?
- Ask a medical professional to assess your fitness level and readiness to take on physical exercise.
- Choose an activity or a training programme that keeps you engaged and excited. Make sure to switch between activities to avoid getting bored.
- If you are new to exercise or moderate physical activity, go easy on yourself.
- Start with 5-10 minutes of walking every day for five days a week Increase the intensity of your workout slowly to let your body get used to the increased heart rate.
- Do stretching exercises along with some aerobic exercises as you build your stamina and endurance.
- Listen to your body; challenge it a little bit but not so much that it leads to injuries and unnecessary pain.
- Remember to do weight-training exercises along with cardio, to lose fat and build lean muscle mass.
- Plan your nutrition according to the fitness routine.
- Each week, give your body a day or two to rest and recuperate.
- Monitor your progress after six to eight weeks, to motivate yourself and achieve your fitness goals.
