Fitness is a never-ending journey, with many lessons to be learned. Whether you’re a new fitness enthusiast or a vet with years of experience, there’s always something new to learn and develop. Below are a few tips to remind (or teach) you how to improve your fitness.
Find the Best Time to Exercise
Some people find it easier to exercise at night; some find it best to exercise immediately after waking up. What’s important is you find that sweet moment where you feel the most active and energized- that’s the best time for you to exercise. You want to take advantage of feeling lively to make the most of your routine. While it might take a while to pinpoint when exactly is the best time for you to work out, it will be worth it in the end.
Change It Up Now and Then
The human body is amazing. It learns to adapt under constant duress and puts your body into homeostasis. Unfortunately, in fitness, this means your body begins to adjust to your current workout routine resulting in lower results. This is also often attributed as the cause of the ‘fitness plateau,’ where you begin to stop seeing progress even if you exercise consistently. Change up your exercises now and then; you’ll be surprised by the results.
Don’t Train with a Toothache
You need to be focused during training. Not only to execute the proper form to stimulate your muscles but also safely make the moves. However, random body pain can break your concentration and end up making your training day a bad day. While you can theoretically workout through body fatigue (especially work fatigue) and feel better after, working out with a toothache might spell danger for you. Strenuous physical activity often has you physically gritting your teeth, which might exacerbate your situation. Visit a dentist or an orthodontist so you can make the most out of your exercise.
Drink More Water
We often assume we’re drinking enough. The question here is, are we drinking water, or are we drinking fluids? Thinking that soda or coffee can substitute for water is wrong. Nothing hydrates you better than water, and it’s cheap and accessible too. Make it a point to drink around twelve to sixteen cups of water daily, and if you don’t want to always go to the water dispenser, bring a tumbler with you.
Strength Train Even if You’re Older
Many people assume that you need to be more careful with your body as you age. While this is somehow correct, many interpret this as needing to avoid the weight rack when exercising. This could not be further from the truth, as studies have shown that strength training actually helps the elderly. It promotes bone density and muscle strength and keeps the mind active. So even if you’re older, don’t be afraid to lift some barbells!
Eat Right, Prep Your Meals
It’s easy to promise that you’ll be eating right and following your diet. It’s another to pull through and finish it. While your intentions may be 100% true, the reality is that it’s difficult to find healthy food. We’re surrounded by fast and unhealthy food. Restaurants that serve healthy food are often too expensive for daily eating, so what’s the best solution? Meal prep. Prepare your meals in advance- this will not only help you during moments when you can’t find a healthy restaurant, but you’ll also feel more inclined to eat healthy since you’ve prepared your meal beforehand.
Get Good Quality Sleep
Ever slept for a full eight hours but still wake up feeling sluggish and lethargic? Perhaps it’s because you need better quality sleep than a longer one. Uninterrupted sleep helps you recover the energy spent throughout the day and counts as restorative sleep. However, there are other factors to this as well. If you find that you can’t get good quality sleep, look at your bed or sleeping position. Perhaps your mattress is too soft and doesn’t support your back. Or you need higher (or lower) pillows so that your spine is better aligned. Sleeping posture matters a lot as well.
Don’t Forget Your Cardio or Strength
Often, the people who go to the gym focus on one aspect of fitness: commonly, either cardio or strength. Weekend runners spend thirty minutes to an hour on the treadmill and call it a day. On the other hand, there are also those who exclusively strength train and never do a minute of cardio. You might think you have no use for either, but the truth is our body needs both. Cardiovascular endurance and muscular strength complement each other, and you’ll find that you feel more fit and healthy after training both.
