Everyday Fitness - A Guide
Personal fitness is an elusive goal that everyone tries to attain at some point. The plethora of health books, diets and a new exercise regime coming out every week, each one 'guaranteeing results', substantiate this.
But do any of these methods actually work?
'Too many cooks spoil the broth', and this goes for most things in life, physical wellbeing included. In an effort to simplify the neverending everchanging web of information on this subject, I have assembled a catalogue of quick tips from local experts, organisations and websites, that provide you the basics needed to get fit - no bells or whistles required.
1. Diet
5:2, SIRT, New Atkins, there are more diets than people who need them at this point, and while one might recommend kale and the other quinoa, they (almost) always have the basics required for a healthy lifestyle.
Don't go overboard on red meat and anything of the fried variety - fish, eggs and white meat are all great suppliers of the good stuff needed to build some serious muscle. Yes, this is more expensive than oven chips or frozen pizza, so do it in segments. First, make one day of the week your 'healthy' day, then ad another, and another until it fills your whole week (but don't worry, you're allowed a treat every now and then).
2. Exercise
Ah, the feared e-word. Believe it or not, you don't have to be pumping iron 24/7 to stay healthy. In fact, if you want to get slimmer, have more energy and not break the bank, cardio is the way to go.
Running - I know, if you're searching for a way to get in shape you've heard this a hundred times before, so I'll only cover it briefly. Running is great, but you don't have to sprint 10 miles every day to get the results you crave. The key is to set yourself manageable goals - try running for 10 minutes after work, next time up it to 15, or switch up the route. Tedium is the bane of runners everywhere, so do whatever you can to avoid it. No matter where you are, from a remote village in the Yorkshire Dales to the centre of London, there will be a running clun near you, so once you feel confident enough join up, you'll meet loads of likeminded people, and even get some tips on the way!
Cycling - A bit more tricky given that not everyone has a bike, and urban settings aren't exactly stress-free areas where you can dip your toe into the world of bike riding. There are two options here:
Either you can dedicate one part of your week, it could be a Tuesday morning or a whole Saturday, where you go somewhere and just ride. The countryside, a local park or even a quiet neighbourhood is perfect. And once you start to enjoy it, kick it up a notch - time youself going from one place to the other, and try and beat it the next time your there, make a deal with yourself to go up that massive hill and reward yourself afterwards. The benefit of cycling over running is that you can actually enjoy your surroundings, so make sure you choose a nice spot.
3. Lifestyle
We've already covered the big ticket items above, but there are still ways to get fit and healthy just by slightly adjusting the little things you do.
For example, there have been many studies linking sleep to a healthy lifestyle. The longer you nod off, the more weight slips off! While this won't make a big impact compared to changing your diet or exercising more, every little counts, and the less tired you are the more likely you'll be to stick with your work out or diet, and as consistency is everything when keeping fit this goes miles.
Have fun. As simple as it may sound, if you don't give yourself time to enjoy youself than you're not going to put yourself through the hoops required to get fit. So splurge every now and then, eat that piece of cake that's got your name on it, go out for drinks even if it's not the healthiest option. Have fun, but as with everything don't go overboard. A good tip is to keep it as a reward after acheiving a goal, then you'll be much more motivated to achieve the next.
And just to get you really inspired, remember this:
Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.
- Ghandi
Positive parts of my article:
Provides information equally across all 3 topics
Uses a peer to peer mode of address to appear friendly and trustworthy
Provides an introduction which introduces the article well
Negative parts of my article:
Some language isn't suitable for the tone of the article - too serious/jargon
Ending (Ghandi quote) doesn't fit tone or audience of article
Some spelling errors
