The Rules of Smart Fitness (Part III)
On part III of the Rules of Smart Fitness I will write about nutrition and recovery. First, lets rewind and list the first four rules:
1.Understand the components of wellness: nutrition, physical activity and recovery.
2.Understand the basics of human movement.
3.Understand the basic and advanced properties of fitness.
4.Develop a training program that fits your goals and lifestyle.
Now, let’s talked about the last two rules:
RULE NUMBER V: Nutrition is much more than weight loss and weight management.
Every food that we consume has an effect in our lives. Why must we only think of good nutrition when it comes to losing weight?. Eat badly, make poor choices until we decide to turn things around because we do not look the way we want or our physician sends us an ultimatum is not smart.
Now, I am not saying that we must neglect ourselves of all foods we enjoy because they are not good for us. I love to eat and I don’t always choose foods because they are healthy. However, I try to make the right choices most of the time. I personally aim for 90 percent and if you want to succeed in using nutrition to your advantage I suggest you do the same.
This post is not meant to cover nutrition intensively (we will do that in later posts) but rather give you a series of guidelines to adhere to. After all, it will be impossible to develop a smart fitness program while ignoring the way you are fueling your body. Here are those guidelines:
-Eat a complete breakfast to increase your metabolic rate throughout the day. A veggie omelette, a fruit bowl and some greek yogurt will do wonders for your metabolism.
-Eat vegetables as often as possible an in great variety. Some of my personal favorites are: broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, spinach, carrots, peppers, zucchini and squash.
-Eat lean protein often throughout the day. Some good sources are: dairy products, lean meats, fish, beans, eggs, soy, chlorella and spirulina.
-Eat natural foods that your body can break down and easily digest rather than chemical rich products that can harm you.
-Do not be afraid to use supplements but do not use them as a crouch for bad eating habits. If we had perfect diets and lived in unpolluted environments maybe we would not need supplements, but we know that is not the case.
-Keep alcohol and other toxins to a minimum.
-Eat a great variety of fruits. Fruits are rich in a variety of nutrients and antioxidants and the sugar in them (fructose) breaks down easily in the body and won’t make you gain weight like glucose (sodas).
-Keep yourself thinking of healthy foods. Fight the junk food advertisers by keeping yourself subscribed to news and articles that keep you thinking of healthy food choices. Everywhere we look there is an ad for something your fat deposits will love. Remember: FAST FOOD MAKES YOU SLOW.
RULE NUMBER VI: We must allow our bodies time to recover.
Some people rest too much some don’t rest enough. There is an ideal balance between activity and rest we must find for ourselves. The body makes progress because of physical activity during rest. Smart fitness practitioners find a balance between the two and live healthier lives because of it.
Here are some recovery methods that will help you get the most out your exercise program:
-Sleep: the most important of all. Sleep deprivation slows down our metabolism and can produce higher amounts of stress hormones such as cortisol. Not just quantity but also quality of sleep is necessary for our bodies to function properly and to optimize our metabolism.
-Massage: include it on regular basis. Check the Affiliates Page to browse over the different self-massage tools and use them to keep you body lose. Scheduling regular visits with a massage therapist is a great way to keep your body healthy.
-Nutrition: we already talked about nutrition but here I would like to touch upon nutrition timing. If you consume a protein-carbohydrate meal within 30 to 60 minutes of a workout you can increase protein synthesis considerably. I always make sure I have a protein supplement or chocolate milk after a workout.
-Stretching: a flexibility body is less prone to injury and moves more effecientely. Some people are more flexible than others. Those who are not so flexible should be working hard at developing flexibility, much pain can be averted with a more flexible and mobile body.
-Other Methods: hot environments (shower, sauna, whirpool,etc) to relax the muscles, cold environments (showers, tubs, ice packs,etc) to reduce inflamation and low intensity physical activity (cool down).
There you have them:the six rules of Smart Fitness. I hope this post have help you understand what it takes to be fit and live well. I look forward to your comments and questions.
From Miami with Love,
Luis
