Start Now to Revitalize a Healthy Lifestyle

How many times have you gone to sleep at night, vowing that you will go to the gym in the morning,
and then change your mind just a few hours later because when you get up, you find that you simply
cannot get in the mood to exercise?

While this can happen to the best of us, it does not mean you should drop the effort to exercise
altogether when it comes to staying fit. What people need to realize is that staying active and eating
right are critical for long-term health and wellness. Remember the old adage that an ounce of
prevention is worth a pound of cure.

The more you know about how your body responds to your lifestyle choices, the better you can tailor
a nutrition and exercise plan that is right for you. When you eat well, increase your level of physical
activity, and exercise at the proper intensity, you are telling your body that you want to burn a
considerable amount of fuel. This translates to burning fat more efficiently for energy.

In other words, proper eating habits plus exercise equals fast metabolism, which, in turn gives you
more energy throughout the day and allows you to do more physical work with less effort. 

The true purpose of exercise is to send a repetitive message to the body asking for enhancement
in digestion, strength, aerobic capacity and overall fitness and health. Each time you exercise, your
body responds by upgrading its capabilities to burn fat throughout the day and night, Exercise does
not have to be intense to work for you, but it does need to be consistent.

I recommend engaging in regular cardiovascular exercise four times per week for 20 to 30 minutes
per session, and resistance training four times per week for 20 to 25 minutes per session. This
balanced approach provides a one-two punch, incorporating aerobic exercise to burn fat and deliver
more oxygen, and resistance training to increase lean body mass and burn more calories around
the block.

Following here is a sample of an exercise program that may work for you: (Keep in mind before
beginning any exercise regimen to first consult your doctor to be sure you are healthy enough to
participate in any exercise program).

* Warm Up -- seven to eight minutes of light aerobic activity intended to increase blood flow and
lubricate and warm-up your tendons and joints.

* Resistance Training -- Train all major muscle groups. One to two sets of each exercise. Rest 45
seconds between sets.

* Aerobic Exercise -- Pick two favorite activities, they could be jogging, rowing, biking or cross-country
skiing, whatever fits your lifestyle. Perform 12 to 15 minutes of the first activity and continue with 10
minutes of the second activity. Cool down during the last five minutes.

* Stretching -- Wrap up your exercise session by stretching, breathing deeply, relaxing and meditating.

When starting an exercise program, it is important to have realistic expectations. Depending on your
initial fitness level, you should expect the following changes early on.

* From one to eight weeks -- Feel better and have more energy.

* From two to six months -- Lose size and inches while becoming leaner. Clothes begin to fit more
loosely. You are gaining muscle and losing fat.

* After six months -- Start losing weight quite rapidly.

Once you make the commitment to exercise several times a week, do not stop there. You should also
change your diet and/or eating habits. Counting calories or calculating grams and percentages for
certain nutrients is impractical. Instead, I suggest these easy-to-follow guidelines:

* Eat several small meals (optimally four) and a couple of small snacks throughout the day.

* Make sure every meal is balanced -- incorporate palm-sized proteins like lean meats, fish, egg
whites and dairy products, fist-sized portions of complex carbohydrates like whole-wheat bread and
pasta, wild rice, multi-grain cereal and potatoes, and fist-sized portions of vegetables and fruits.

* Limit your fat intake to only what's necessary for adequate flavor.

* Drink at least eight 8-oz. glasses of water throughout the day.

* I also recommend that you take a multivitamin each day to ensure you are getting all the vitamins
and minerals your body needs.

Well I suppose that is all I can think of for now; so enjoy life, for we all deserve it.

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Doyle invites you to find out more useful information and articles at Raw Health Facts

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