How can you build a regular fitness routine?
See what I did there! It seems to me that there’s 3 kinds of people when it comes to fitness.
I call them – 1. ‘warrior’ types, 2. mildly healthy minded types and 3. sofa surfers.
Your typical ‘warrior’ type you’ve surely met. You know, measuring calories, counting steps, practically living in the gym. The kind of person that thinks steroids should be available to school children, muscles are beautiful and fat should be medically extracted as soon as possible. By any means whatsoever.
Sofa surfers are the exact opposite. They don’t even watch programmes about fitness or health suggestions, it makes them ill! They only count how many crisps you can get between 2 slices of white bread whilst at the same time having a fried mars bar on the side. This is washed down with at least a litre of Coca-Cola.
They’d probably want to murder you if you even hinted slightly at the mere suggestion of trying a diet version. Then again, they couldn’t be bothered to get off the sofa to find a weapon. So you’re safe! Phew!
This brings me to the middle category. Like me, they don’t want to be fanatical about keeping fit or reaching body beautiful status. It’s more a question of keeping healthy and staying alive at a reasonably comfortable level so you don’t have to get measured for a wooden box before your late 70’s.
Now, the question of today’s topic: answer = very carefully. For me it starts with diet. You are what you eat. Eat a rubbish diet, you’ll have rubbish health and get out of breath reading a SMS on your mobile phone!
After the diet, you need to remember HOW fitness is measured. I once read a book by 2 scientists who were advisors to a Tour de France cycling team.
Their conclusion about measuring fitness was simple – how long does it take to recover to your sitting heart rate?
Read it again. It’s the best advice you’ll get for nothing. Don’t forget that these cyclists are averaging 45-55 kilometres per hour for 100+ kilometres per stage. These guys have a heart bpm of 200+ when they are going full pelt! YIKES!
I’m never going to do that and neither are you (just saying). But the principle is applicable. And the good bit, that is supported by recent research, is you can walk 5km per day and get the same benefits as some nutter in a shell suit and expensive trainers running 20km a day. He/she won’t extend there life any significant amount more than someone with a healthy diet, who’s active and physically mobile on a daily basis.
So there you have it. Don’t be 1 or 3, just be busy, eat healthy and may you live a long, healthy and happy life. You’re welcome!
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