Whether you are a

Staying fit will enhance your life and may lead you to be a happy and healthier person. By staying fit and healthy (not necessarily strong) you will not only look and feel better but are sure to decrease your chance of medical problems such as:

a) diabetes

b) heart attacks

c) high cholesterol and 

d) hypertension

There are many helpful strategies to keep fit and stay healthy that, with dedication and ambition, can be done.

1. EXERCISING

Start walking, jogging or cycling. No matter what your speed is, walking, jogging and cycling are very important parts of a healthy lifestyle as they are activities that keep your muscles active and your blood flowing. If you need to keep your knees strong or have body aches and pains then cycling is the best solution.

Come up with a daily walking, jogging or cycling routine that fits with your schedule (i.e. go for a jog everyday at 6:00 p.m.). After a while you can increase your distance, speed and eventually time.
Go out of your way to walk more. For example, if you go to the grocery store try to park in the farthest spot from the entrance so you are forced to walk those extra steps to get there.

Walk or bike to work/school. If you live close enough to work or school a good solution would be to start walking or cycling.
If you jog you should jog at least a kilometer to keep the fat off, but it is very important to pace yourself.


2. KEEP FIT

Exercise at home. Not everyone has the time or money to go to the gym and there is no need to. Working out at home is very easy and can be very beneficial. Some at-home exercises include:

* Push-ups. Use your weight against the floor or wall to work on your upper body strength.

* Sit-ups. Sit-ups can be done by simply laying on the ground or, with a more advanced technique, with a chair or exercise ball.

* Yoga. Yoga practices such as downward facing dog or sun salutations are easily done on the carpeted ground or on a yoga mat.

3. THE GYM

If you like the gym atmosphere and can afford the membership then the gym is a great place to stay fit.

Utilize the machines for cardio and weights, but be careful and never use a weight that is too heavy. Use smaller weights and you will find that you will progress through the weights very rapidly.

Learn strength training and muscle toning techniques from an instructor or professional.


4. JOIN A LOCAL TEAM

If you are not a fan of the gym or practicing random exercises then joining a local sports team may be a great solution to get outside, move around and have some fun! Many cities have their own recreational sports teams that meet and play on certain days.

The most popular city sports are: Dodgeball, kickball, softball, basketball and ultimate frisbee.


5. MAINTAINING A BALANCED DIET

Get rid of any junk food. It is one of the most important components of a fit lifestyle. Many people ignore it, but if you exercise and eat a lot of junk food you will not get any fitter. This is because the junk food turns to fat almost immediately. Junk foods contain little to no nutrition and are high in sodium and sugar. Because of this, your body sugar levels drop after consumption and you end up feeling fatigued with a major lack of energy. Foods to avoid are:

High in sugar: Donuts, cakes, cookies, pudding, cereals, canned and dried fruits, and sodas.

High in fat: Processed meats, butter, hydrogenated oil (coconut and palm kernel), shortening, cheese and animal fats. (Note: although cheese is high in fat, it is also high in protein which is a great nutrient for the body. Aged and less processed cheeses are the best solution)

High in cholesterol: Egg yolk, fried foods and mayonnaise.

Avoid anything containing: High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and Monosodium glutamate (MSG).

6. EAT WELL

Maintaining a balanced diet can be difficult to do if you do not have the time to cook for yourself every day. But, it is easy to find healthy solutions in restaurants and take-outs as well. You will find that maintaining a healthy and balanced diet can increase energy and productivity, boost your metabolism and make you a happier person because you will be consuming the nutrients and vitamins your body needs. Foods to eat are:

Fresh fruits and vegetables: Melons, bananas, apples, oranges, carrots, onions, broccoli and corn, etc. (Please note: These fruits and veggies should be fresh, not canned. You can sauté vegetables in extra virgin olive oil for better taste). If you make a salad, the more colorful the better.

Organic meats: Fish, poultry and beef for protein. Instead of frying the meats, try to bake them with extra virgin olive oil or lemon juice with herbs.

Grains: Whole wheat toast, oatmeal and pastas.

Foods high in protein: Tofu, soy beans, egg whites, nuts, cottage cheese and quinoa.

Foods high in fiber: Cooked lentils, black beans, green peas, pears, raspberries and oat bran.

7. UNDERSTANDING SIMPLE AND COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES

Simple carbohydrates are carbohydrates made of one or two molecules of sugar that have very little nutritional value. Complex carbohydrates are made from a string of sugars but are very rich in fibers and contain healthy vitamins and minerals.

Examples of simple carbohydrates: Sugars, syrups, jams and candy.

Examples of complex carbohydrates: Whole grain foods and vegetables.


8. KNOWING WHEN TO EAT

It is really important to avoid skipping meals. A lot of people might think that you will lose weight by skipping a meal but that is very inaccurate. In fact, skipping meals decreases the speed of your metabolism and can result in losing nutrition your body needs. Here are some examples of healthy meals and snacks and when to eat them:

Light breakfast: Egg whites (you can mix egg whites with some veggies like onions or mushrooms, etc.) with a grapefruit and a piece of toast.

Mid morning snack: Yogurt with some berries.
Lunch: A salad (be careful of the dressing!) with a protein (i.e. grilled chicken or turkey).

Afternoon snack: Apple, orange or a banana with some almonds and a spoonful of peanut butter.
Dinner: Lemon baked salmon with brown rice and asparagus.


9. DRINK LOTS OF WATER

The human body is made of about 50-65% of water, and you need to keep replenishing it. Your body sweats a lot of that water so you need to put it back in.

The amount of water you should drink relies on how much you weigh. To calculate how much water you should be drinking, take your weight and multiply it by 67% (2/3). So, for instance, if you weight 130 lbs. you should be drinking about 87 ounces of water per day.

If you are exercising you will need to increase your amount of water intake to replenish what you are sweating out.

10. WILLPOWER

Stick to your plan. You know you can do it. You are the only one that can control your actions and strong willpower can make you happy!

Stick to a daily or every other day plan. If you have a routine that you follow it is much easier to stick to than just assuming you will get to exercising or you will get to eating a healthy meal.


11. DO NOT LET OTHERS PUT YOU OFF

If you are at the gym and are using small weights, don't let the person next to you using giant weights, intimidate you. Just know that you are working at your pace and that it is just perfect for you. If you continue with your regimen you can achieve whatever goal you have set.

12. TRAINING PARTNERS

Sometimes it can help if you have someone keeping healthy and fit with you. Their extra motivation can be inspiring and is a way to bond. Some people prefer to train, jog and swim to beat their own target. That is also fine. Whatever works for you.


13. WHEN YOU HAVE REACHED YOUR GOALS, TREAT YOURSELF

For example: If you have kept up with your routine and healthy eating and you accomplished your goal for the week by jogging for 30 minutes instead of 20, then that Friday night you should treat yourself to a small amount of your favorite snack.

14. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF


Do not care what other people think. If you are determined and believe that you can achieve your goal of staying fit then you can! Know that feeling when you feel great and strive to reach that goal everyday.

Motivate yourself by wanting to continue on this path of fitness and health. You want to feel good, you want to look good, you want to be healthy... and you will if you adhere to even most of the above.

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