A Step Towards A Healthy Lifestyle

Nowadays, movies are an inspiration for most of the youngsters to stay fit and achieve a healthy lifestyle. For example, you see John Abraham or Shilpa Shetty and get fascinated by their physique or appearance which leaves a mark on your brain to seek a healthy lifestyle. Staying fit not only improves your beauty but also, gives you a longer lifespan. A little exercise every morning lightens up your day and helps you stay fresh and active all day long. Dull borings days like Mondays don’t seem so dull anymore and sleepless nights are no more sleepless.

Staying healthy isn’t only for youngsters but also for kids and old aged as well. One should workout not because they hate their body but because they love it. So gear up & start today. Because as it’s said, “It is never too late”.
Jotting down a few points below that will help you to accommodate yourself with proper training, proper nutrition and build a proper regime in your daily life to achieve a healthy physique and lifestyle.

Set realistic goals

In order to achieve a healthy lifestyle, you need to put in efforts and be patient for the results to come. It is a gradual process and needs firm decisions. For example, you cannot aim to be like Tiger Shroff in a weeks’ time or like Dwyane Johnson in a month. By setting realistic goals, I mean, set sensible and practical goals that can be achieved by you.
Here are a few points that will help you achieve your realistic goals.
1. Take action, you don’t need to wait until next month. Do it now.
2. Set reasonable goals which can be measured, achieved and timed.
3. Prepare your nutrition plan for every week.

Understand the power of food

Many people don’t realize that the diet alone is more powerful than training or exercise.
Suppose you have been training yourself intensively or lifting heavy weights in the gym or running like Usain Bolt (the world’s fastest runner) but along with this, if you are not taking proper nutrition and rest then there won’t be any change in your body composition.
Let’s say, that you don’t do any activity or exercise, then overeating will result in weight gain and under eating will result in weight loss. So the point is, that nutrition alone is so powerful that it can change your body composition. But remember, the magic happens when you combine both – Proper Nutrition and Proper Training. With this combination, you will be able to achieve an extraordinary physique or fitness level.

Plan your nutrition

Fitness, Health, and Body-building are a part of the lifestyle which cannot be achieved without nutrition. When it comes to nutrition it varies from person to person depending on various factors such as body weight, body height, body composition, age, activity level and hormones. Every person cannot depend on the same nutrition in order to get the same results. Below points will help you to understand Nutrition

1. Calories
   A calorie is basically a unit of energy. The food which you consume throughout the day has calories.
   To achieve the fitness goal, a person requires manipulation of calories.
   For example, if your goal is fat loss or weight loss, then you will have to undergo caloric deficit, which means you will have to consume fewer calories than your maintenance calories.
   If your goal is to gain muscles, weight or bulking, then you will have to consume more calories than your maintenance calories which means a caloric surplus.
2. Macronutrients and Fiber
   Macronutrients are basically a combination of Protein, Carbohydrates, and Fats.
   While you train, your body will break down your muscles. In this case, you need to consume Protein which repairs those muscles along with increasing the muscle size.
   Carbohydrates give you energy in the form of Glucose to do your daily activities (eg. Training, Walking etc.)
   Fat is an essential macronutrient which is responsible for your brain functioning and hormone production. If you are consuming less fat than your daily requirement, then it will affect your stress level and hormone production which will, in turn, affect your fitness goal.
   Fiber is also essential for our body in order to digest the food consumed throughout the day.
3.  Micronutrients and Water
   Micronutrients are basically Vitamins and Minerals which help to recover or repair our body.
   Normally, vitamins and minerals are found in the food which we consume, but due to a caloric deficit diet, we tend to consume fewer micronutrients. So, in order to complete the absence of such micronutrients, you can consume supplements like Multivitamins suggested by doctors.
   While you work out or do any sort of activity, your body tends to deplete the water levels through sweating or urination. So, one should always consume enough of Water to keep the body hydrated. Less water intake may lead to cramps or slow down your recovery (Muscle gain) process.
4.  Meal frequency
   Always divide your meal into 4-5 small portions as this will help your stomach to digest the food very easily.

Rest

Rest is as important as training and nutrition. It is the key to grow your muscles and optimize your strength gain. Good strength will help you perform better in the gym, which in turn will make you feel sore. If you are not sore the next day after a workout or if you don’t feel the need to rest the next day, that means, you didn’t do your training right. It is also the best indicator to know your training level.

Watch your Stress Level

Stress may lead to depression, anxiety, hypertension and many other health conditions. It is important to manage your stress.
•Exercise regularly to help release stress and anxiety
•Learn and practice relaxation techniques. Try breathing exercises, meditation, and yoga.
•Eat healthily.
•Learn time management; lack of this skill may lead to stress at the workplace.
•Learn to say “NO” to things that you feel might add stress to your life; you can do this politely.
•Spend your weekends with friends and family.
•Avoid bad habits.
Reward yourself
It is very difficult to maintain a Strict Diet and Training Discipline. Hence, sometimes you must be wondering that you live a boring life and feel like quitting on your goal. The best way to avoid such vibes is to treat your own self every once in a while. Like, once a week, you can allow yourself to skip the training session and eat anything you desire (Not junk food, Of course). This way, you will get some relief. But, Remember!! Be Disciplined and Follow your Strict Ways.

Lastly, Never compare yourself with others.

Every human body has a unique composition, so don’t ever compare yourself with the people around you or your fitness heroes. Instead, compare yourself with your previous Self. Click some pictures of yourself which will help you to check out on your progress and then you may ask yourself “Am I better now than yesterday??” This will keep you motivated and consistent towards your goal.

Nasrudin Shaikh