1. Eat the essentials

Common sense dictates that the best diet is one that is based on the foods from which we have been subsisting since the most ancient times on this planet. These are the foods which we have adapted. Recent studies show that a ‘basic’ diet that contains fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, as well as meat, fish and eggs, is the best alternative to control our weight and stop risks of diseases such as diabetes or heart disease. This return to basics will allow you to bypass food marketing (yes, you don’t need that instant hypocaloric microwave meal to survive, and you don’t need those calorie-free lactose-free yogurts to stay in line). Go back to basics, it’s good for your health and good for your pocket.

2. Stay hydrated

Water makes up two-thirds of your body weight and performs a myriad of functions in your body, which include everything from being a solvent, a nutrient charger, a temperature regulator and a body detoxifier. Staying hydrated can have a profound influence on vitality and energy levels, including mental alertness. Try to drink enough water so that your urine is nearly clear throughout the day. Another tactic that can help you is to always carry a bottle of water in your hand.

3. Pay attention to what you eat

Surely today you had 3 meetings in the morning, then you picked up the children, made a market and went to the gym. What did you eat? You’d be surprised to know that you don’t remember for sure, and you probably have less idea about the amount. With the speed with which the world moves today, people have fallen into the trend of absent-minded eating, many times eating more than they touch. We eat to eat, and not enjoying it. Try to eat slowly, enjoying every drop of food, so you also control the amount, being satisfied. Don’t deny that after eating an entire family packet of potato chips while watching ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’ for the thousandth time made you feel horribly guilty for a week (not counting the heartburn you endured that night). Take breaks during the day. Sit at a table.

4. Sunbathe

The sun, and the Vitamin D that it fixes in the body, is associated with a wide spectrum of benefits for the body, including reducing the risk of various types of cancer, heart disease, multiple sclerosis and osteoporosis , as well as the improvement of the immune system. Of course, be sure to use sunburn, because while you should avoid burning yourself, you also need the most exposure to the sun for good health. You can easily get variety of sunburn at affordable price with amazon discount codes

5  And in the winter

The low levels of sun in the winter (or if you live in cold cities, such as the capital cities), can put you in a low mood. Even if it’s cold, try to have a daylight exposure. Take the opportunity to wear clothes that you could not wear on a beach, such as coats (a red one with a black dress and black heels can be very chic … very Audrey Hepburn), cashmere scarves (they are adorable), leather gloves, and a fashionable hat (but get advice with your most fashionable friend).

6. Sleep Properly

Sleeping not only improves your physical energy and capacity, it also reduces the risk of chronic diseases and improves longevity. Sleep 8 hours a day. Plus, what sleep does for your skin is amazing. It regenerates it. A simple strategy that ensures you get enough sleep is to go to bed earlier. Being tucked between the covers at 10 p.m. is an incredible investment in terms of your health, in the short and long term. Take advantage of. There is nothing more pleasant than arriving exhausted, washing your face, tucking yourself into your pajamas, and going to bed!

7. Walk regularly

Aerobic exercise, including something as simple as walking (low impact), is associated with a variety of benefits for the body and brain, including a reduced risk of chronic disease, anti-anxiety and puts you in a good mood. Try to walk for at least 30 minutes a day. Studies show that the total number of short workouts adds up to one long session in a row, so don’t worry about walking the half hour in a row. Walk to work, climb stairs, walk  to the supermarket, do window-shopping in the mall, take your dog for a walk. To make it more fun, put on the ipod, cell phone radio, mp3, etc … even music will make you walk faster, without you noticing. You will be surprised that if you walk home from work (if the distance is not exaggerated), or you can also do running on a treadmill.

8. Try resistance exercise 

Resistance exercise maintain the muscle mass and strengthen your body. This is of particular relevance as we age, while reducing the risk of disabilities and falls. There are many useful exercises that you can do from home, such as squats, sit-ups, and push-ups. Invest in an elastic band and small weights to expand your exercise routine. You can do them while watching the news, or your favorite movie.

9. Do good to others from time to time

Doing good is not only good for others, the benefit is the same for you. It can be from a call to someone you love, and with whom you had lost contact, giving up your place on the bus or in the waiting room, buying something to eat for someone who needs it, or giving your mother a bouquet of flowers ( or your best friend). Try to do an act of kindness each day (although, generally speaking, the more the merrier).

10. Practice the art of appreciation

Modern life tends to be immensely aspirational, and as a result, we can easily find ourselves chasing an eternal list of things we must be and do (and have, since many are material) in order to be happy. Many of us spend more time focusing on what we don’t have, rather than what we do. Change that attitude. You can improve your mood from giving thanks in the morning for the friends you have, for the family, because you slept happily in a soft bed, because the sun exquisitely shines through the window, because you are going to start the day with your favorite breakfast. Bring out the good in the little things and take small steps towards your dream destination.

Author

Selena is a blogger and a guest contributor for a well-known brand that includes MESHEBLE. In her leisure time, she plays tennis.

#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

#1 rule of thumb before starting a workout routine = warmup FIRST. It goes with saying that if you want the best experience during your workout, take time to prepare the muscles ahead of time.

What is consider a good warm up duration?

it was preached that at least 5 minutes is a good amount of time to take to warm up. I personally find when I do an actual good warm up, it takes me 10-12 minutes and that is due to the fact I had a coach who taught me to warm up correctly before working out for my sport/event. He always preached a proper warm up is usually 10 minutes minimum. Although in all fairness, we can definitely go for a 5 minute warm up as long as you are spending time doing dynamic exercises in that 5 minutes. So duration is pending on the individual and what they need out of that particular warm up to best prepare them for the workout ahead.

What is considered a dynamic warm up / exercises?

A dynamic exercise is something that is actively done to warm up the muscles (opposite if static exercises). The reason behind dynamic exercises is because you are getting the HR up somewhat but not to the point of exhaustion or fatigue but enough where you feel like you have done something to increase HR. Some good exercises for a dynamic exercise(s) include: leg swings, butt kicks, fire hydrants, glute bridges, high knees, just to name a few (there are plenty more) and some choose to use the treadmill, elliptical or bike when warming up.

Choosing your warm up exercises wisely

When doing a proper warm up you need to consider which exercises will correspond well with the type of workout you have planned for the day. The truth is I see so many people rely on the treadmill to warm up and yet don’t go long enough or push themselves hard enough to 1) feel an increase in HR and 2) will have any correlation with the exercises they choose to do next. For example when I have a leg day where I am doing deadlifts or squats, my dynamic warm up is going to work the muscles that will help during those lifts specifically (I may or may not do some duration on the treadmill or bike) but afterwards I still want do some light sets of deadlifts and squats or do some glute bridges or something that will fire up those particular muscles. It isn’t to say that you have to do 10 minute worth of deadlifts or squats BUT do some low loaded sets that will help fire them legs up.

Basically in summary, warming up is an important aspect of fitness, it is helpful to start a workout with the best intentions by firing up those muscles and targeting the correct muscles to put forth the best effort. It doesn’t have to be long and grueling and it won’t kill you, but it definitely will get that HR up and can be any variation of fun exercises. Keep in mind that it should be dynamic in nature and spend some time thinking about what you want to get out of the workout so you can use that information to set the course for the warm up. Have fun!

Fitness WonderWoman

Shay-lon Moss

While working with the general population for over 7 years, I have come to realize how many people suffer from lower back pain (mild to more chronic cases) and unfortunately, many times it isn’t always pinpointed as to what has caused it directly or indirectly. Come to find out, lower back pain can stem from other parts of the body, bad posture, direct damage to the back, being overweight or obesity, poor form during exercises, accidents, etc. Most clients I have worked with, have no answer as to what causes the pain and sometimes I find the worst pain happens during any and all exercises — in turn hindering their progress or deterring them from trying an exercise because they are scared of anything that could possibly trigger back pain or discomfort. It isn’t always easy to work around but with patience, support and understanding of the situation, I have found ways to help clients manage their lower back pain and/or have had a client or two not experience back pain anymore.

One of the many things I like to emphasize to clients with lower back pain is stretching the back and being gentle but keeping it warmed up and following through with daily stretches that give it comfort.

Secondly, practicing good posture. Something we lack as Americans because we work at a desk job for long hours, or have made a habit of our poor posture choices, and so it will take practice, and body awareness and the willingness to change in order to form a new habit.

Thirdly, foam rolling (I will talk about this in detail in a separate post) but foam rolling is awesome and while it does “hurt”, it works wonders and again will take practice, proper learning of how to use the tool and some time out of your day or workout to actually do it.

Focusing on exercises that both strengthen the back and strengthen the core/abdominal region. Both very important in terms of everyday activities and longevity. I don’t mean for you to do crunches everyday — (all exercises need good posture, and utilize the core) but make it more intentional when doing exercises to tighten the core & use good posture– all the while maintaining strength in all other parts of your body.

Glutes! yes, strengthening your glutes will help with back pain as well and also just in general, glutes are important because weak glute muscles can cause other muscles to overcompensate (thus causing imbalances). I don’t necessarily mean doing 100 back squats, I mean try some small bodyweight movements (glute bridges, hip thrust, donkey kicks…+ more! ) stuff that can be done at home or with a trainer. strong glutes are vital — I will talk more this in the foreseeable future.

Physical therapy — I know many people complain about how sometimes it doesn’t help or they don’t feel any better from it when it comes to their lower back pain. Some have told me they felt worse after taking physical therapy for lower back pain. I personally enjoy watching physical therapist and like the rehab portion of fitness and believe in physical therapy but like many things in life, it might not be for everyone and what you do in the clinic, should be done at home to maintain that strength and functionality. I don’t say spend thousands of dollars on physical therapy but if not going is a choice you are making, that is fine, I am not judging you by any means (I am lucky I never have had to endure physical therapy yet) and I realize sometimes it can be painful — so, do some research or perhaps talk to a trainer at a gym, still find ways to stay active and manage your health, don’t give up just because physical therapy isn’t making you feel 100 percent; remember they are human and some physical therapist are better than others in their scope of training and specializations.

Those are just a few things I have had work for my clients, but remember everyone is different and lower back pain is different for each individual. What might work for one, may not work for another, I consider everything before making a huge decision. If you are someone in the profession of physical therapy or someone with a degree in exercise science or any of the sciences that revolve around health/fitness/wellness, please feel free to leave comments and share your take on lower back pain and how you have managed to help others who suffer from lower back pain. I love being able to get views from all sides of the health profession.

Fitness WonderWoman

Shay-lon Moss

I think of personal trainers the same as I think of financial advisors; good to have, but not always necessary pending the person and their lifestyle and how much research they are willing to do to take the place of someone who is already knowledgeable in the profession. Funny, because I am a personal trainer and I still feel as though I am valuable and people are usually always willing to learn, but at the same time, I want to eventually make it so that my clients feel good working out on their own time — because I feel most successful when a client can say they no longer need my services because they are confident in trying things out on their own and want to explore other avenues with their fitness but very grateful for what information I was able to share with them.

It is a good mixture of being able to say when you need help and ask for it, even if it isn’t necessarily for a long term commitment – and being able to do the research and find ways to learn on your own. Most of the time people need the accountability more than anything when they hire a personal trainer, while we teach form, technique, speak upon nutrition and other elements of fitness, we also if well trained ourselves like holding our clients accountable. I do. I always ask questions to understand why they made a poor choice in diet, or decided to skip a workout, etc. I don’t get upset but I want them to know I care and want the best for them but at the same time I need my clients and myself to know what we expect from each other and how to go about that so we can work together in conquering their goals.

The important thing to take away from hiring a personal trainer is knowing why, why are you choosing to hire me to train you? is this a long term commitment for a future goal or a short term commitment to learn a few things to make you more comfortable inside the gym or working out at home, doesn’t matter whichever it is, just know your why so the trainer can better train you and also don’t be afraid to ask us questions, we love them! we thrive off a client’s willingness to learn new things. To say that everyone needs a personal trainer, is far fetched but I would say, the majority of Americans can benefit from a proper trainer who is knowledgeable and caring and can dedicate their time helping you achieve goals. For those of you who have always been athletes, and don’t feel the need to hire a trainer or strength coach, keep in mind because we are athletes – many times that makes it all the more important to have someone looking after our form and techniques because many times as athletes and professional fitness persons we tend to hide our imbalances, lack of correct form, etc well enough that others may not notice but if seen by someone who trains others for a living and specializes in the profession was to watch our lunges or squats would be able to notice the small tweaks that need to be done and make it so we are better athletes #justsayin.

Fitness Wonderwoman

Shay-lon Moss