With spring right around the corner, it is time for all guys out there to dust off their running shoes, wash their workout shirts and shorts, and get back into shape. Whether you are planning to look great at the beach in July or August, training for a 5K race in the next few weeks, or simply wanting to be a bit more energetic and healthy, now is the perfect time to start.
If you don’t know where to begin, there are plenty of options to choose from. You could join a gym near your house or place of work. You could also hire a personal coach or subscribe to a streaming fitness video service. Better yet, if you have the financial resources and a bit of space, why not build your very own fitness facility at home? If you choose to do it outdoors, all you need is to get a few requisite pieces of exercise equipment and inquire about the cost of insulated patio roofing, and you are good to go.
No matter what you decide to do, when it comes to your health, there are a couple of things to consider before embarking on your fitness journey. Here are some of the most important ones.
Stay Hydrated
According to studies, the human body is over 60 percent water. Essential organs like your brain and heart are 73 percent, while the lungs are more than 80 percent.
Water serves a variety of purposes. Among others, it allows the cells in your system to grow, reproduce, and survive, helps deliver oxygen to all areas of your body, and lubricates your joints. As you can see, to say water is vital not only to your health but also to your survival is an enormous understatement.
If water is necessary for your everyday, sedentary life, you can imagine how much more of it you will need if you are exercising. As a rule of thumb, most experts recommend at least a gallon or even a bit more daily.
Take Pictures Often
The best way to see how much progress you have made is by looking at pictures. Sure, in the beginning, this process can sometimes be a source of embarrassment or shame. Yet, as your body begins to change and you have visual evidence that those extra pounds you once had are now nowhere to be seen, it will be your greatest source of motivation. Besides, you don’t need to take photos in public or share them with anybody else. Instead, you can do this in private in the comfort of your own home.
The key when taking pictures lies in two aspects. On the one hand, you should be honest with yourself. If you have a gut or flabby arms, don’t tuck your stomach or flex your muscles. On the other, focus on those areas that you dislike the most and would like to change.
It is challenging to target specific areas in your body. Still, as the days and weeks go by, and you see more muscle and definition and less fat, those areas will turn into a source of personal fulfillment and pride.
Food as Fuel
The lowest level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs is your physiological needs. It includes food, water, breathing, shelter, and homeostasis, or the balance between your physical organs and the chemical conditions in your body systems.
Unless you find yourself starving and at the point of emaciation, you shouldn’t eat only to cope with hunger and avoid death. Instead, you should eat with a purpose. And you should choose the best possible foods to serve that purpose.
Less than 400 milliliters of Coca-Cola, Sprite, or any other of your favorite soft drinks contain around 200 calories. So do close to 600 grams of broccoli. But even if the caloric intake is the same, the effects are vastly different. A can of coke will probably make you happy but will not benefit your body in any way whatsoever. Yet, broccoli has iron, potassium, calcium, and many other nutrients that your body needs as fuel and to repair itself.
Hydration, visual evidence, and proper nutrition are three of the most important factors to consider when engaging in any fitness routine. Others include intelligent workouts, using proper form, taking the time to recover, and finding both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to get back into shape.
Remember why you are doing exercise and what you want to achieve. Keep in mind that it is about you and your well-being.
Impressing a pretty girl at the gym by lifting massive amounts of weight will only bring you temporary satisfaction. There is no point in doing this if you get injured, have to see a doctor or physical therapist, and cannot take her out on a date.
