5 Ingredients of Health and Fitness

“The human body is meant to be exercised regularly throughout your life.”

– Brian Tracy

Keeping healthy is more than just exercise every day. You have to eat right, sleep right, think right, and know-how to relax. Here are the 5 ingredients of health and fitness:

1. A balanced diet: A balanced diet consists of carbohydrate (bread, beans, potatoes, bran, rice, and cereals), protein (fish, poultry, beans, and nuts), fat (olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, and salmon), vitamins (fruits and vegetables), minerals (milk, cheese, and yogurt), and fiber (whole fruits and vegetables) in the right proportion. Drink plenty of water daily to keep your body hydrated. Sit down and eat your food slowly. Chew each mouthful. Eating less but more frequently at regular intervals is the best way to burn calories. You train your body to expect the food to burn every few hours. You are eating more frequently but you do not put on weight. Take a dietary supplement such as a multimineral-multivitamin to cover the deficiency.

2. Sleep: When you are deprived of sleep, it may cause weight gain, irritable mood and lower your immune functions. To have a good night’s sleep, clear your mind of clutter, be calm, and write down things you need to do the next day. Free your mind from anxiety and worries.

3. Relaxation: When you are able to unwind, you relax not only your body; you relax your mind as well. Tai Chi and Yoga are beneficial forms of meditation. They give you mental and spiritual well-being. Listen to classical music to soothe your tired mind. Play a musical instrument or enjoy reading a motivational book. Do what you are interested to relax.

4. Exercise: The three S’s for total physical fitness are stamina, strength, and suppleness. Total fitness allows you to go further, work harder, and more flexible. You can jog to build up your stamina. You do weight training to improve your strength and you do stretching to make yourself more flexible.

5. Positive emotions: Be happy, be confident, be enthusiastic, be calm, be focused, be cheerful, and fill your heart with love. Just think of how negative emotions such as fear, hatred, vengeance, and jealousy impact your health, your mood, and your behavior. Your mind is restless, your heart is racing and you are disturbed.

Total health and fitness will allow you to work harder, play harder, and enjoy life more fully.

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Three S’s of Total Physical Fitness

Three S’s of Total Physical Fitness

Total physical fitness consists of Stamina, Strength, and Suppleness.

Stamina

The best way to develop your stamina is by doing aerobic exercise. The word aerobic means “with oxygen”. You can perform aerobic exercise indoor such as using a stationary bicycle or a treadmill and stair climbing or outdoor like cycling, jogging, and walking. Aerobic exercise improves oxygen consumption by the body and it is done at a moderate level of intensity over a relatively long period of time. Regular aerobic exercise will improve the efficiency of the heart, promote better mental health, increase life expectancy, and reduce stress and depression.

Strength

The commonest type of strength training is weight training. It is different from weightlifting, which is a kind of sport. Weight training is primarily aimed to develop the strength and the size of skeletal muscles and also flexibility. I have a home gym and it is very ideal for me to do weight training on a regular basis. It allows 20 different movements for a total body workout. I have found that weight training on my legs has improved my jogging efficiency.

Suppleness

Regular stretching is the best way to develop and maintain the suppleness and flexibility that you need for everyday activities. A regular program of stretching will lengthen and loosen your muscles, helping them to relax. You will notice that your cat at home is always performing stretching especially after waking up. It is natural for many animals. Stretching improves (ROM) range of motion in athletes, especially runners. It reduces the risk of injury during activity and prevents post-exercise muscle soreness.

Total physical fitness means physically you are stronger, more flexible, and able to be active for a longer period. It is beneficial for your well-being and happiness.

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