05/09/2019
Changing with the Season
The cooler temperatures of late summer bring new opportunities and new challenges for expanding our fitness programs. The 5 to 10 mile bike ride that seemed so easy suddenly becomes an endurance trek when riding into the wind. Meanwhile, cooler weather energizes your runs, pushing you further. Soon children and many young adults will be returning to school and our professional lives shift into high gear. This period of changing seasons is a good time to let that excitement extend into our personal lives and workout regimens. Exercise and nutrition, of course, are the keys to positive health outcomes. Try these tips to get started.- Expand your aerobic regimen. Aerobic exercise reduces health risks, helps you lose or maintain weight and is great for the heart. Engage in a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of intense aerobic activity per week -- 11 or 22 minutes a day. Aerobic exercises include walking, running, cycling, swimming, aerobic classes, hiking, and stair climbing, among other things. Work up a sweat and get your heart pumping!
- Don't forget weight training! Regular resistance training will maximize fat loss while boosting bone density. It improves posture, develops muscle tone, and even slows down the aging process!
- Stay active throughout the day. Walk a few extra blocks, take the stairs instead of the elevator, try dancing through your household chores! The calories you burn will really make a difference!
- Add some interval training to your aerobic routines! Start small. Warm up by walking at a moderately brisk rate for five minutes. After warming up, alternate walking briskly for four blocks with a block of power walking; repeat 6 times. You can apply the same method to biking or running. It's a great way to challenge yourself, and you'll see the results quickly!
- Drink at least eight glasses of water every day! The weather may be cooler, but your body still needs to be hydrated!
- Eat small meals throughout the day. Your appetite increases in cooler weather; eating smaller meals or snacks every two to three hours during the day will help suppress hunger and will help control your appetite and maintain a balanced blood sugar level throughout the day. Think a hand full of nuts, a piece of fruit or a salad!
- Eat healthy! Consume five helpings of vegetables and three fruit servings every day. Fruits and vegetables are nutrient rich with high water content and low fat and calories overhead. Fill up with fruits and vegetables and you won’t have room for the junk food! Choose healthy proteins and concentrate on using only healthy monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats.
- Keep a daily fitness journal. Taking note of the food you eat and your daily fitness regimen will help you make better fitness and nutrition choices.
