Fitness & U, A Beginners Guide 2 Awesome Health

The term ‘FITNESS’ means different to different people. Fitness is not just about a perfect physique but also involves maintaining Mental and Emotional health.

Walking, Jogging, Swimming, Biking are excellent outdoor exercises for fitness. Heavy lifting, Weight Training exert a lot of Strength and builds Endurance.

A shocking Stat I read a few days back in a premier newspaper which said,

‘Nearly 64 percent Indians don’t exercise: Study’.

It’s a big number, isn’t it…

Reason

People say they understand the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle but lack the motivation and time to do anything about it.

Initiate healthy living by waking up early, exercising, eat the right food but as soon as they reach a goal, they lose motivation to keep going any further.

This is because the majority choose fitness/physical activity as a Focus/Direction and not as a Daily Habit which can also be interesting and enjoyable.

Daily workout & Proper Nutrition are the key ingredients to maintaining peak Fitness and optimal Health.

What is Fitness

Its about sustaining a good physical shape & well-being suitable to perform specific activities or tasks. It involves maintaining a proper diet, optimal training, and sufficient rest.

“The one thing that will help prevent almost any type of disease is fitness,”  – Michael Jordan

We live in fast paced times where maintaining fitness is not just a Choice but an Absolute Necessity.

Being healthy & Active will give your body the necessary strength and energy, to fight the ailments we have around us.

As a Beginner, you need to make sure that you build and follow an initial routine as maintaining the right balance between the daily activities and your Pump & grind sessions becomes a bit overwhelming.

A basic mantra, I myself follow – MEASURE- MONITOR- SCALE.

It works.

Measure your initial state and give yourself a routine. Monitor the progress. Scale up if you achieve a positive or maintain the same, is up to you.

Why Fitness is important

A healthy lifestyle helps prevent various common health problems, minimizes the risk of several diseases affecting people like Blood Pressure, Diabetes, Cancer, and improves Bone and Muscle Quality.

Physical Training/Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients which helps the body work efficiently.

In short, Boosts Health, Well-Being, and a Better Quality of Life.

How to improve Fitness

Maintaining a peak health routine can at times become monotonous. Maintaining a proper physical timescale and a regular upgrade of workouts will help keep it interesting.

Its a riveting journey of hard work, dedication, and discipline which leads to a flourishing and prosperous life.

Finding a right balance between a healthy body, mind and spirit is the route to improving your well being.

Here are some ways which will help in your fitness journey

• Pick a reason to become more active.
• Choose the activity that gives you enjoyment
• Set yourself reasonable goals and record your progress.
• Don’t overdo efforts in the name of fitness
• Reward yourself for the targets achieved
• Keep yourself busy with activities throughout the week
• There is no shame to ask for support in your fitness journey
• Make fitness a habit.

Fitness/ Workout plans

We all make undying health Resolutions, but how many of us actually follow them diligently.

Every New Year begins with a definitive thought for optimal health and then subsequently subsides to an absolute nothing.

To achieve your desired goals you cannot depend on mere planning.

Success depends entirely on how efficiently you can implement those plans and make it a daily discipline .

Here I attempt to give you some ideas as to how you can build and implement your plans. Remember this mantra works well for both a Beginner or a Pro.

• Understand your goals/Aims.
• Formulate a Balanced Routine.
• Always start slow and then progress. Its not a one day process but something to be pursued daily, monthly, yearly.
• Build an activity into your daily disciplined routine.
• Further elevate different activities in your routine to make it interesting .
• Escalate/Scale your workouts to a High Interval Intensity training. For Eg. Increase your weights to increase resistance. Consult a professional, if required.
• Give yourself ample time for recovery. Recovery period is very important for the body growth. It’s the time when the muscles relax and tension is released.
• Record your progress visually or write it on a paper. This progress will motivate you to build/formulate further goals.
• Choose you and grow.

Types of fitness Exercises

Workouts are focused training objectives or a physical challenge you set for yourself to target a specific goal or aim.

Sometimes you see failures in your efforts but it’s the persistence that will help you achieve your ultimate goal.

Don’t be scared of failures, it teaches you the value of success.

Start small and then gradually increase your objectives, that will give the results you want.

It is said that there are Four important criteria’s to determine peak health.

Endurance

It refers to your body’s capability to support an exercise/workout for longer periods without extended intervals. The capacity of your heart and lungs to nourish your body with oxygen is called ‘Cardiovascular endurance’ whereas the capacity of your muscles to work relentlessly without getting fatigued is called ‘Muscular endurance’.

Beginners should always take their time with Endurance as it remains for the long term.

Activities excellent for building Endurance

• Brisk walking or jogging.
• Biking
• Dancing
• Swimming.
• Playing sports
• Climbing stairs

Strength   

 It is the maximum effort/power you can apply against a resistance. You can increase your muscle strength by lifting weights or by working your core muscles which helps the increase in overall strength.

The more efforts you put, the more strength you will gain and eventually will make your body stronger to perform tough and strenuous activities.

MAXIMUM EFFORT FOR MAXIMMUM RESULTS

Top 4 Strength Exercises

• Squats – They are excellent exercises to strengthening your bones, ligaments, tendons and leg muscles. Squats are also very useful to burn calories and lose weight.
• Deadlifts – It works to increase core strength and stability and also improves your posture. Stronger the muscles, the more strength it can exert.
• Bench press – Bench Press is an excellent exercise to increase the Upper Body Strength. All it requires is a bench and a desired weight dumbbell. Pushing weights parallel to your chest will give you Perfect results. Bench Press exercises can be focused on the Upper, Middle, and Lower Chest.
• Barbell rows – The barbell row exercise works to strengthen your Back, Shoulder and Elbow muscles. These muscles primarily are the heavy lifters of the body.

 Balance   

Balance in fitness terms means “Postural Stability”. The ability to maintain a proper posture while performing light or intense workouts will determine an individual’s proper Balance.

Easy word for a layman is Form. Every piece/area of body training like chest, arms, shoulders, back, legs etc. requires the right form to achieve optimal results.

Please consult a professional if you are new or perceive ignorance in training. It can result to short term or worse long term injuries.

Top 5 Balance Exercises

• Balance on one foot.
• Single leg lift.
• Single leg side lift.
• Leg lift with dumbbells
• Balance on a stability ball
• Balance walk.

Flexibility

It is the capability of muscles or joints in your body to move unrestricted or pain-free to perform the desired activities. Flexibility is a very important element and has to be practiced regularly. Its levels vary from person to person.

Top Flexibility Exercises

• Cross-Over 
• Standing Quad Stretch
• Side Lunges
• Forward Lunges
• Seat Stretch
• Seat Straddle Lotus
• Seat Side Straddle
• Knees to Chest

Best Workout Equipment’s in India

Health Equipment’s are a personal choice. Some prefer Light training while others choose Heavy Intense training. There are many equipment’s available in the market that can give you an effective workout in a Gym or at Home.

It allows you to perform aerobic and anaerobic exercises that play a crucial role in improving your overall sweat sessions.

In India, we are lucky to find quality equipment’s focused for both a Beginner and an Experienced

Choosing the right Equipment is very important in physical training, misuse of it can lead injuries which can be permanent.

Best Gym Equipment’s

There are Gyms available for workouts in any city you live in. Gym training can be light or heavy intensive depending on your workout plan.

Easy accessibility to machines and equipment’s makes your workout interesting and enjoyable.

It is always advisable to take the support of a Trainer or a Guide while working out, especially if you have just started training.

Start slow, understand your limits and then after having built the necessary resistance and comfortability, Elevate. See positive results. Guaranteed.

Gym training can feel fulfilling when exercises are done in the right technique which will give the best results.

Here are some easily available Best Gym Equipment for Your Basic Workout

• Horizontal seated leg press
• Cable biceps bar
• Triceps pushdown
• Leg raise
• Lat’s pulldown
• Chest/Bench press

Best Home Workouts

Home Workouts are also a great way to maintain peak health.

Not everyone likes to go to Gyms and lift heavyweights.

In Covid Times, where we had a complete shutdown, people found a new way, by doing Household chores to remain fit

Calisthenics which require no equipment’s has become a definite craze today.

The idea of doing high intensity exercises without the use of any conventional equipment’s and still achieving great results appeals to many.

Here are some exercises that can be done from Home/Outdoors with minimal equipment requirements.

• Indoor Cycle Bike/ Treadmill
• Jump Rope
• Resistance Bands.
• Dumbbells
• Kettlebells
• Stretching

Diet for a Healthy You

It is said that you can pump as many weights as you want, jog, run, play sports to your heart’s desire but if you don’t maintain a proper diet and nutrition, the effects are minimal.

GOOD DIET = GOOD HEALTH

Fitness depends on your daily nutrition intake. Your Nutrition gives you the energy to perform various activities and without it, you can grow weak, fall sick, or the worst-case scenario, even die.

Nutrition is getting the food and nourishment that your body needs for growth and development.

Here is a common Diet chart you can follow for Daily Nutrition

•     Fat-free and low-fat dairy products, such as low-fat yogurt, cheese, and skimmed milk.
•     Protein foods, such as lean meat, fish, poultry without skin, beans, and peas.
•     Whole-grain foods, such as whole-wheat bread, oatmeal, and brown rice. …
•     Fresh fruits, canned, frozen, or dried.

Conclusion

Physical activities/Training helps improve your health and reduces the risk of developing diseases like Diabetes, Cardiovascular, Lung/Breathing issues, Cancer which have become common Mortality causes today.

 Increased training Capacity can build Immediate or Long Term Health Benefits in your body.

This guide does not claim to be the ultimate advise on fitness but an idea of how you can remain toned and energetic in different ways.

So give fitness the respect it deserves and work your way to a healthy and better life.

What are your views on this topic.

Love to know your views.

Lets Discuss.