Over the years, the health and fitness community has become inundated with self-appointed and commercially anointed experts, making it increasingly more difficult for individuals to differentiate what they need to do to become healthier and more fit. With all the information available nowadays on exercise and nutrition (and all their many facets), it’s no wonder so many people either end up paralyzing themselves and end up doing nothing or they end up engaging in something totally inappropriate for what they need. Now, I’m not claiming to be an expert or one of the personally proclaimed gurus I was referring to just a second ago, but I can offer some advice so you keep on the right track (c’mon, you knew I was going to use that phrase with the title being what it is) and give you some simple, yet effective guidelines that will hopefully ad some clarity to what is needed to improve your overall health and fitness.
- Keep things “vanilla”: The basics work so don’t be afraid to do something as simple as pushups, situps and a 2 mile run as a workout for the day.
- You don’t have to train and hour a day, 5 days a week: 10-15 minutes a day of physical activity will do wonders for your body, mind and spirit. If you don't believe me, give it a try for a week and then re-evaluate.
- Be consistent: Exercising and eating properly is not a part time gig – it’s something that warrants constant attention if you want results, but then again, doesn't anything in life require the same attention?
- Don’t get caught up in trends: Health and fitness should not be trendy. Clothes, hair styles and music can be, but not your approach to better health. Stay with the basics - THEY WORK!
- Stop listening to the experts: They are usually talking out of their glute-holes and are just trying to sell you something you don't need. Everybody has a gimmick nowadays - listen to your own body.
- Make your fitness a personal venture: Exercise should be a very private and personal journey so make it one for yourself. Don't just go through the motions and follow others like an aimless sheep. Make your training a meditative experience.
