Living in such a fast pace society, we have so many things to do in a day that we cannot afford to take time off to focus on our physique and health. Whether it being having a 9 to 5 job or spending 8 hours a day studying for an examination, it seems impossible to stay in shape or get the dream body you have always wanted.
What if I told you that ALL you needed to do was follow these 3 simple tips and you will see results in no time?
Well the secret is no secret, as it is 3 things that some of us may already do on a daily basis. Following the 3 rules may seem easy enough but it definitely takes a conscious effort. You cannot do 1 without the other, but I assure you that if you follow this 3 rules, you will see results in no time.
Yes, it is as simple as that. It is not rocket science, the amount of effort you put in working out, the more results you will see. You have to plant the field if you want to reap the harvest. However, do not worry as even a little bit of exercise goes a long way. All you really need is maybe an hour of your time about 3 times a week to set aside for exercise. Trust me as long as you are working out right (depending on your body type, there are different methods to achieve your perfect physique which I will cover in future posts), the 3 hours a week will make so much difference, especially if you are just a casual gym go-er.
Remember, little is better than none. If you can’t commit 1 hour a day, start with 30 mins. It does not matter the amount of time you put in as long as you make an effort and set aside time to make a difference.
They always say “30% of your body is made in gym, 70% of it is made in the kitchen.” What you put in your body will determine what your body will look like. I mean, you are what you eat. Therefore, it is important to understand your body type (ectomorph, mesomorph and endomorph) before you can go about starting your diet. In fact, you may not even need to diet if you are an ectomorph. Even if you are not one, it doesn’t matter as there are plenty of diets out there to choose from (keto, paleo, intermittent fasting etc.) Find one that works best for you.
The dieting method I use that works best for me is called intuitive eating (consuming food based on intuition). In fact, it is not really a diet as I pretty much eat anything I want, because I am a natural ectomorph, thus having a slightly higher metabolism rate. Ultimately, find what diet works for you and stick to it.
This is where exercise and consumption come into play, it is all about calorie input and output. If you want to lose weight, make sure your calorie output is more than your input. You can do this by either decreasing the amount of food you eat (decrease calorie input), or simply exercising more (increase calorie output).
I cannot stress the importance of sleep enough. Some of you may find that sleep isn’t important but it is the only time when your body gets a chance to rest, recuperate and grow. Growth hormones are released during the non-REM phase of the sleep cycle (deep sleep) and is essential for muscle recovery. Therefore, having at least 7 hours of sleep a night would ensure that you fall into a deep sleep which will aid in protein synthesis and muscle repair, getting your body ready for the next training day.
I know that it is tough to find the tradeoff between sleep, work and play. You have to forgo one for the other. At the end of the day, sleep takes precedence over the other two. A little exercise is better than none, but little sleep is going to eat away at your health slowly but surely. Thus remember to get sufficient sleep every night before thinking of burning the midnight oil.
Fitness and training may seem to be the least of your priorities now and many might think “why do I even need a nice body? My life is perfect right now and I do not care how people view me!” Well the saying goes, if you look good, you feel good. When you feel good, you perform better, it is as simple as that.
