When it comes to your fitness routine, there’s more to it than simply doing the same thing every other day. All of us have different goals. We may be trying to lose weight, improve strength and flexibility, or we may be training to perform well at a specific competition. Here are six simple things to keep in mind if you feel yourself getting into a rut and you want to achieve and maintain specific fitness goals.
1. Mix it up:
If you’ve been running nearly every day of the week, take a couple days off to do some strength training. Mix in three sets of bench pressing, overhead press, curls, pull ups or deadlifts.
2. Don’t forget to stretch:
Flexibility is so important because it gives us a larger range in which we may perform. If muscles are not adequately stretched, you’re at a much higher risk of injury.
3. Eat high-quality food:
The best advice I can give is no matter what you’re eating, make sure it is a natural food and not a processed “Franken food”. Increased your fruits and vegetable intake and continue to eat low-fat proteins. If you’re eating anything close to a typical American diet, you are most likely getting plenty of protein in your diet and will not need additional protein supplement unless you have specific bodybuilding needs.
4. Stay hydrated:
Chronic dehydration is a common problem. Your body body needs a great deal of water to optimally function. People drink less often because they don’t want to have to use the restroom so often It’s important that you drink a great deal of water however throughout the day in order to remain alert and be able to efficiently perform aerobic activities. Don’t wait until you feel thirsty. Drink water throughout the day. A General rule of thumb is 8 cups a day but this varies greatly based on your activity level and heat exposure.
5. Get plenty of sleep:
Turn off your electronics and get into a cool dark room and try to sleep at least 7-8 hours every night. This is essential for musculoskeletal as well as cognitive function. It is further a time when our bodies heal and regenerate and is critical for health and performance.
6. Don’t simply go through the motions:
Obviously, everyone is going to have a bad day at the gym once in a while. It’s important however to push ourselves each time we go. Our bodies respond and grow based on the stress and strain placed upon them. If we simply coast through our workouts, we will receive minimal benefit
Ask Dr S. 