Health and wellness is an important part of our daily lives and it doesn’t matter if you’re male or female or which age group you fall into. To stay healthy and fit you must eat balanced meals and make time for an exercise regime. Unlike crazy, crash or fad diets, eating healthy needs to be a constant in your life, not an exception. Below are some common questions asked about diet and fitness.
Q. What are the best foods to eat while trying to lose weight?
A. To keep your weight down while still eating healthy, you should eat foods from the five basic food groups. While you should eat a balanced diet, concentrate on eating more fruits and vegetables and less proteins and grains. Don’t forget to add a portion of dairy such as low fat milk or cheese to your meals. Be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day and skip the sodas and sugar laden drinks. When eating proteins and grains, make sure they’ll be beneficial to your health. Whole and multi grain breads, pastas and crackers are a great alternative to plain bread—they have good calories to give you energy and they’re good for you (in moderation). Try to use more lean proteins, like fish and chicken, instead of say beef or pork which are often higher in fat. If you want to avoid meat entirely, beans and nuts are a great source of protein.
Q. What is the best way to exercise to gain the most benefit?
A. Before your workout, do some simple warm up exercises such as stretching, jogging in place or riding an exercise bike. The best type of exercising you can do to work all the areas of your body and not overdo it, is to cross train. By using this method you will do different types of exercises each day and avoid overusing one muscle group. For example you can run on the first day, lift weights on the second day and ride a bicycle on the third day.
Q. When is the best time to exercise for maximum weight loss?
A. It really doesn’t matter what time of day you exercise, but that you do it. You should choose a time that works the best with your schedule and helps you to stick with it. If you can’t fit all of your exercise routine in at one time due to time constraints, break it up into smaller time slots throughout the day. The most important thing is that you stay consistent and always make time.
Q. What can I do to help myself stick with an exercise program?
A. The easiest thing that you can do to stay on track is to make it fun. If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, you’ll quickly give up. Ask your friend, neighbor or partner to exercise with you or take up a sport that you enjoy, such as tennis or swimming. Whatever you decide to do, make it fun and you’ll stay with it.
Bio: Becky Sawyer is a blogger, nutritionist and caregiver. She’s working for her second degree in nutrition and medical history, focusing on the connections between food and disease. She’s writing a dissertation on the ties between healthy eating and mesothelioma. Becky lives in North Carolina with her cat Springer.