Hey guys, so we all know how important it is in today’s times to stay fit. Now by fit, I mean both physically and mentally. So for now, let’s concentrate on physical fitness and what it really means. My personal journey into discovering the true essence of fitness started when I decided to attain a swimsuit ready, toned body.
I educated myself regarding nutrition, body clock, the importance of sleep, the need to hydrate yourself well, regular exercise and of course, the need to be absolutely disciplined to move towards your goal. One of the most common myths that I want to bust is that ‘If you are thin, you are fit.’ This is so not true. People go jogging for hours and hours to burn those extra calories, and might even succeed in getting rid of those extra pounds, but what they don’t realize is that they are losing all their muscle mass, along with their fat. This will leave your body in a shape you definitely won’t be very proud to flaunt. One of the best ways to burn the fat as well as gain muscle at the same time is to go for weight training. Regular weight training helps one to tone up, to stay and look fit. It makes visible differences to the shape of the body and the best part is that it makes you look more attractive. And trust me, a healthy and fit body gives one a lot of confidence and helps people create a better version of them. If you are looking for losing weight along with gaining muscle, then you need to combine cardio with your gym regime. If you are looking for maintaining your weight or gaining weight through muscle, in other words, you are looking for increasing your lean mass, then you could keep your cardio to a minimum. Although it is very important to warm up before hitting those weights.
Next thing, the importance of which is highly underestimated by the human race is diet. I cannot even begin to explain how important it is to maintain a healthy and balanced diet in your quest to achieve that perfect body. They say you are what you eat, and to a great extent, it’s true. When we exercise, in any way, we break our muscles down, and the only way to repair and build muscle is to consume an adequate amount of protein. That’s when the body truly starts getting its perfect shape. Secondly, it is very important to include a good amount of fiber in the diet, as it helps clear the system. So eat enough of fibrous foods, fruits, and salads. Next important thing is hydrating you. Water helps maintain a good metabolic rate, helps regulate the fluids in the body and flush out the toxins. It also helps maintain the correct body temperature. Carbohydrates are important too, as without them one would simply faint. I personally avoid carbs at night as I want to maintain my abs, although they are a vital part of my breakfast and lunch. If you are looking for weight loss, I would suggest you cut down on them post late afternoon. But carbs are important for the body to absorb protein, so keep that in mind. A balanced diet will help you reap the real results of those hours you spend in the gym working so hard, or else it all just goes down the drain. Also, sleep well. A good sleep of 6 to 8 hours, for that's when the rate of muscle repair is the highest, and the body needs sleep to rejuvenate and be ready for the next day.
So, people, I know it all sounds pretty difficult but trust me, the start is always challenging. But once you set your mind to it, and are dedicated to becoming a different and better version of yourself, then it becomes a healthy lifestyle altogether, and then you wouldn’t want to go without it because honestly, you will enjoy it. You need that kind of drive-in you, that motivates you and pushes you, saying ‘yes, I can do it’ and trust me, all the hard work and pain is so worth it.
