Guidelines to a Healthier You (Exercise Consistency)!

People continually try to complicate getting healthy, but it boils down to exercising and eating right. The key to health is to be consistent. You do not have to be a molecular biologist to understand that eating more calories than your body needs will lead to weight gain. Those extra calories are going to be stored for later which means more fat. I understand that life gets busy, but being consistent with a plan is worth your health. The purpose of this post is to give you some basic ideas that will be a roadmap to wellness.

Here are some simple rules I use. I hope they help you make better choices.

Exercise:

1. Set a goal. Pick a target to work towards. It can be to loose more weight than your coworker, run a 5K, 10K, full marathon, climb a mountain, or chase your daughter. It doesn’t matter what the goal is, but that it helps focus your exercise.
2. Do something everyday. Be active everyday, and pick 4 days per week to get a serious sweat on for at least 30 minutes. It can be mowing the lawn, vacuuming, walking the dog, or take up a sport.
3. The two day rule! You can’t miss 2 days of working out in a row. You can skip one day. But not the next!
4. Don't put off exercise. I am a pack rat. I build up piles of clutter to a point that it feels overwhelming to deal with. Then I start sorting and it goes by quickly. I feel better once it is taken care of. Exercise is the same way so follow the 2 day rule and you will stay ahead of the clutter.
5. Exercise can be done anywhere. It is ok if you can’t workout for a straight 30 minutes. Split it up through out the day by using Tabata intervals. Do something active during the commercials. Consistently making time for activity is the key.
6. Rest. Your body needs time to repair and that is primarily done while you sleep. Go to bed early. Use the DVR, I think it was invented for late night television.
7. Your quality of life will be so much better with exercise and healthy eating! Remember this is an investment in your wellbeing. The money spent now will pay off in dividends that can only be measured in the wonderful experiences shared with others. Following Nike's slogan…Just do it!

Nutrition:

1. Eat 3 meals each day. Providing your body with a consistent source of energy will keep your metabolism burning.
2. Eat 2 snacks per day. This will keep your blood sugar levels stable and avoid binging when hungry.
3. More veggies please. The goal here is 9 servings per day (variety is key)!
4. Fruit, a gift from God. Fruit is your dessert so don't go wild (remember it still is high in sugar).
5. Carbs are ok...but only when complex. Think of the grains your grandma used for her cooking. Simple and Processed carbohydrates rapidly convert to glycogen (sugar) in the body and burn too quickly leaving you craving more food. Instead, get back to the basic whole grains like oats and try some more exotic grains like kamut, amaranth, and quinoa.
6. Fiber is your friend. You will be amazed at how little fiber you eat each day. Aim for 30 grams of fiber per day if you want to help your digestive system out.
7. Choose lean proteins. Vegetarians stick with legumes, lentils, nuts. Carnivores choose fish, chicken, and eggs.
8. Drink lots of water. Aim for a glass every hour you are awake. I try to drink a gallon per day.
9. Don't eat 2 hours before bedtime.
10. Eat slowly. The Europeans make meal time a social occasion and savor their meals. Slowing down allows the body’s natural appetite control to work.
11. If you feel full, you ate too much. Focus on savoring the meal and only eat enough to be satisfied. You do not want to feel like you need a nap afterwards.
12. Don't sweat it if you fall off the wagon. Shake it off if temptation gets the best of you. Nobody eats healthy 100% of the time. Just make sure that your next meal is healthy. Your body will thank you for every step you make towards a healthy diet.
13. Why are you eating? Ask yourself if you are eating for emotional or physical hunger.
14. Quality in, Quality out. I have a sweet tooth, but when I gorge on sugar I am hurting afterwards. Be honest, you feel better when you make healthy choices.

I have found it way too tedious to write down my food consumption and track my exercise. If you are like me than you need to check out www.fitday.com. It is a free online diet and weight loss journal that takes the guess work out of calculating calories in vs. calories out. Go create an account and start logging your food and exercise. FitDay rocks, it is user friendly, and the best part is that it is free!

You will be on your journey to a healthy life when you consistently stick to the above guide!

Start today!