Everybody knows that we need to focus on getting and staying fit and healthy, but very few of us seem to actually be able to do it. The reality is that it is difficult. We live unhealthy lifestyles that are based on convenience and speed. If we want to become fit and healthy again, that means that we have to make some significant lifestyle changes, and that is hard to do. But the desire is clearly there. Kimberly Dey, for instance, has noticed that between $40 and $50 billion is spent on losing weight alone each and every year. The problem is that much of that money is spent on scams and products that promise the world but deliver nothing.
Kimberly Dey on Realistic Health and Fitness
Diet and lifestyle are the two key things that will determine how fit and healthy you are. It is said that there is an 80/20 rule, meaning that how you look is 80% down to what you eat and 20% down to what you do in the gym. This shows just how hugely important what you eat every day actually is. And one of the things we all seem to get way too much of as of late, is red meat. Red meat isn’t just steak (steak can be very healthy, actually). Rather, it is found in burgers and various other snack foods. It is high in fat and high in purine, leading not just to weight gain but also to gout. Your meats should be white, and they should be boiled, broiled, grilled, or baked. Additionally, the focus should be mainly on fruits and vegetables, leaving the high calorie dressings away.
Other types of lifestyle changes also have to be implemented, however. That 20% exercise is still an important 20%. Once you have reached your target weight, the percentage actually shifts a little bit, because you then start to work out to modify your shape. Either way, exercise is vital to a healthy, fit body. The great thing about exercise is that there are so man different options out there. For instance, you can go to a gym and lift weights, you can take an aerobics class and dance about for an hour, you can go swimming or cycling, and so on. Whatever you decide to do, however, you must start by warming up and finish by cooling down. Without it, you will produce excessive lactic acid, which causes pain the muscles and will make you give up. Similarly, doing the same thing over and over again gets very boring.
Last but not least, you have to be willing and ready to give up on your vices. Smoking is an absolute no-no, as it can lead to heart disease, arteriosclerosis, various other vascular conditions, and, of course, cancer. Similarly, you need to curb your alcohol consumption and never drink to excess. That said, some alcohol consumption is good, because it can lead to vasodilation, which helps to protect your heart. A healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to be completely boring, in other words.
