20 Quick Health and Fitness Tips

1. Humans are made to eat more often than 3 times per day. You will feel better eating 5 “mini” meals rather than 2 or 3 larger meal. Your blood sugar levels will remain more level throughout the day; thus eliminating those “lows” we often get after the larger meals.

2. Try to exercise in the mornings. It is too easy to “skip” it if you put it off until evening.

3. If you drink soft drinks, force yourself to drink 2 ounces of water for every ounce of soft drinks you consume. I know that sounds like a lot, but caffeinated soft drinks dehydrate you.

4. Stretch AFTER you are warmed up. Don’t stretch cold muscles! This is one of the biggest mistakes people new to working out make. Simple start out slow with whatever type of exercise you are doing. Warm up for 10 minutes or so at a slow rate and then stretch

5. Eat a mixture of carbs and protein no longer than 45 minutes after a hard workout. Your body needs refueling after strenuous exercise! If the workout was very intense, you may have to force yourself to eat something that soon. But it is important for your body to do so. Proper health and fitness requires correct nutrition.

6. If planning a hard workout on Sunday morning, be sure to eat well Saturday. It is best to eat an early supper; say 4 or 5 o’clock. Drink plenty of water Saturday afternoon so you will be well hydrated. Don’t drink too much Saturday evening so your sleep is not interrupted with bathroom trips.

7. One can be in VERY good shape by only working out 4 times a week! There is less chance of injury and/or burnout with this type of schedule too. There is simply no health or fitness need to workout every day.

8. Get PLENTY of sleep! Your body needs time to repair and renew itself

9. If you are prone to quitting, write down your goals. Post them where you and everyone in the house can see them. Tell all the friends and relatives about your workout goals. Stick you neck out…commit yourself!

10. Don’t buy your training shoes at Wal-mart! Go to an athletic shoe store for them. Even the named brand shoes at discount stores are low quality models.

11. Treat yourself to some “real” workout clothes! You’ll feel better about yourself!

12. Find a training buddy! Usually when motivation wanes, your buddy will get you up and going.

13. Get a sport watch with interval timers. These are an excellent way to build health and fitness!

14. Get a heart rate monitor. You might be surprised that your “hard” workout days really aren’t pushing your heart to where it should be!

15. Eat fruit morning, noon and night!

16. Never run or walk with headphones if you are anywhere near traffic! It is simply too dangerous!

17. Never do any sports activity if you are not used to it. For example, don’t join in a basketball game at the family reunion if you have not played basketball since last year. This is great way to REALLY hurt yourself! Just because I can run 10 miles easily doesn’t mean I can safely jump into a stop and start sport like basketball.

18. No matter what types of workouts you do, be sure to lift weights at least twice a week too. If weight loss is your goal, NOTHING will boost your fat-burning metabolism like the weights will! If your goal is simply good health and fitness, weights are a perfect way to build healthy bones and joints!

19. If you like to lift weights at the gym, don’t fool yourself into thinking a few hours of circuit training is worth any amount of aerobic exercise. Do both! Your cardiovascular system NEEDS to spend a significant amount of time working at 80% of your maximum heart rate.

20. Subscribe to (and read) several fitness magazines. You will learn many training tips and most publication have many motivational articles.

Happy Health and Fitness!