The Dynamics of Fitness

#GymEatSleepRepeat <—- Gym rat lingo that I live by.

Perhaps you have seen this hashtag or heard a fellow gym member use it to describe his life in the simplest of ways. It seems funny to think that something as catchy as this hashtag would hold truth to modern day society when it comes to being fit and living a healthy lifestyle but to be honest, this hashtag is so true for many of us and while I know there is much more to life than the 4 words in a phrase, I want you to know it is the foundation — perhaps for some, a start to a new journey.

GYM- What does it mean to “gym”? it means to exercise. Whatever activity that keeps you moving, possibly raises the HR, strengthens you, and makes you smile.. I say thumbs up! for many Americans, sitting at a computer desk all day is the root of all evil — because it causes sedentary living and also without good posture, bad habits start to form & before you know it, we are unhappy, in pain, and complaining of wanting to lose weight or perhaps complaining about things that could have been avoided had we listened to our bodies and made time for ourselves. It isn’t easy being at a desk all day, but definitely take a 5 minute break and do some sort of moving; a healthy start and in end a good habit/ routine will form.

Eat – Food is Fuel, but like anything else in the world, it can be abused and suddenly become a humans worst enemy. You shouldn’t be scared to eat — I have a client who doesn’t eat more than some seeds and maybe a bottle of water and it is all because she doesn’t want to gain any weight. It is sad because I am constantly having to debunk the myths she hears about and the fads she follows that she believes to be true. Unfortately, in my profession it is a regular thing sometimes with the general population because they are misinformed and become desperate for results … leading to unhealthy choices and bad decisions. Our goals will vary, which means we need to align our eating habits with our goals and from there, results will be produced BUT no matter, we need to think of food as a means to keep us functional, nourished, and a means of survival (we need food) we need the nutrients (our body thrives off nutrients!). We definitely have full reign on what we eat and how much of it we pour into our systems & to be honest, my menu may differ from yours; that is okay! don’t think we all need to eat the same — but think of how certain foods make you feel afterwards, think about how much of it you consume, look at the ingredients, look at the value of each macro and macro nutrient, be open to trying different food groups or types of foods, essentially find a means to keep your body performing at its best by feeding it but feeding it using knowledge you gain from good sources (hire a dietician, or nutritionist) and also from paying attention to your body and how it responds to certain foods.

I don’t like telling people what to eat because I don’t like having people tell me what to eat. — my diet varies because my goals vary and because I love food! Truthfully, I eat cheeseburgers like most people — I am no better than anyone else but I am very conscious of how much of it I eat and pay attention to how I feel when I eat it because depending on my agenda I may not want to feel bloated that day. You see, food is good for you! but it is trial and error and experimenting with moderation and variety.

Sleep– Something I need to work on myself but also most people have trouble getting the recommended amount of rest (7-8 hours) daily. Sleep is powerful, it makes the world a difference when we wake up from a good night’s rest vs a bad night’s rest. I have to be up early for work and sometimes earlier because I like to have my workout done in the morning and so it is important I am ready for bed by a certain time each night but not always does it work in my favor and I can tell my workout will be horrible when I don’t get my rest (even when I push through it). I know for many people rest is hard because of our busy lifestyles, but making time for yourself is essential and in the beginning it may not feel like it is paying off when you get your recommended dose but in the longevity it will save your life. Literally. Think of sleep as a means of refueling the body, and it also helps with recovery — which is extremely important (I will talk about at a later time). Due to the American dream, we have learned to work more and sleep less, work more and care less about our sleeping habits and because of this — we pay for it later without realizing it. Bottom line: We need our sleep.

In the end #GymEatSleepRepeat is more than a bro term and gym slang, it is a foundation to a healthier lifestyle.

FitnessWonderWoman

Shay-lon Moss