What stories do you like to tell about your life? Do you give basic accounts of past events or does your life story read like a romance novel? One thing is for certain—when it comes to our health no one wants a twisted mystery or a horror tale.{+}
Your fitness journal can be your own private story of your eating habits and your fitness level. As you write your goals each week, you are adding a very fundamental factor to your complete wellness program. The anticipation alone can boost your spirit.
There are three major components to the Fitness4Her Diet and Exercise Program. Diet, everything you eat; the Exercise, including strength training and cardio exercises; and the Journal to record your results. Each of these parts is equally important for the success of the whole fitness plan.
So how does this translate into a tale of wellness? Because healthy eating combined with regular exercise and activity provides a multitude of health benefits. As a matter of fact, I’ve dug up some really great reasons why both exercise and a balanced diet should be part of your life story.
Your Diet
You have examined your present way of eating and have decided to make healthy changes in your food choices. But do you know that diet is more than just about the food you eat? It’s also about your eating habits, as we talked about earlier in Part 1 of the Fitness4Her Diet.
You are the one in control of your life. Everything that you eat, results from a decision that you have made. It is up to you to make the necessary changes that you want to live with and that will help you live better.
You can make healthy choices about what you eat and still take pleasure in your food. Eating should be a celebratory time and never laden with guilt. Feelings of guilt will only make you feel disappointed in yourself. Keep in mind that food is not the problem; food is the answer. Your diet is your way of life; it is what sustains you and makes you whole.
Obesity can be avoided, or overcome, by an understanding of simple principles. These principles are the basis of the Fitness4Her Diet.
1. Eat often, but eat in small portions.
2. Don’t skip meals.
3. Don’t forget your fiber.
4. Eat plenty of protein, but get it from lean sources.
5. Within reason, eat as many servings of fresh fruits and vegetables as possible.
6. Reduce your intake of refined carbohydrates.
7. Reduce dietary fat generally, and particularly reduce unhealthy saturated fat.
8. Reduce your intake of salt.
9. Avoid alcohol.
10. Drink plenty of water.
11. Take a good multi-vitamin.
12. Counting calories … for those who must.
Be sure to read Explaining the Diet Principles for an in-depth look into how these principles can work to end your diet woes. Logical and sensible, they are easy enough for anyone to follow.
Your Exercise
So now we take a look at why exercise is so important. We know that exercise plays a significant role in weight loss but there are many other benefits that regular physical activity provides.
1. Exercise improves your mood. Ever notice how great a walk or a bike ride feels after a stressful day? That’s because exercise releases endorphins into your bloodstream, which helps to lift your spirits and get rid of the blues. You’ll also look better and feel better when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem. Regular physical activity can even help prevent depression.
2. Exercise fights chronic diseases. If you’re worried about heart disease, cholesterol, osteoporosis, or high-blood pressure, exercise might be the solution. Regular physical activity can also help you prevent type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.
3. Exercise helps you burn calories and manage your weight. When you engage in physical activity, you burn calories. The more intense the activity, the more calories you burn and the easier it is to keep your weight under control. Although Fitness4Her is not based on calorie counting, exercise is a crucial component to my diet and fitness plan.
4. Exercise energizes you. Physical activity delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and regular physical activity helps your entire cardiovascular system. When your heart and lungs are working efficiently, you have more energy to work and play.
5. Exercise helps you sleep better. Regular exercise and physical activity help many women to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
Regular physical activity can help protect you from the following health problems.
• Heart Disease
• Stroke
• High Blood Pressure
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Obesity
• Osteoporosis
• Depression
• Poor Self Esteem
• Disability
Your Journal
It has been proven time and again, that people who keep a journal of everything they eat and drink and record all of their physical activity have a far greater chance at a successful fitness program than those who do not.
Hopefully, I’ve convinced you about the health benefits that a balanced diet of nutrient-rich food and regular exercise offer. If you are interested in a wellness program that will help to protect you from disease, obesity, and depression, while providing health, weight control and confidence take the 90-Day Challenge to Empower Beauty®.
Participate in my diet and exercise plan and keep a journal of your results for at least 90 days. Write down your goals each week, and use that as a guide to keep you focused. Record everything you eat and drink and all of your activities and monitor how well these practices are working for you. If you keep track daily, and reexamine your results each week, you’ll be able to determine what works for you and what doesn’t.
Maintaining your fitness journal really is the key to success. Because I care about you, I hope your journal becomes a true tale of wellness. Happy Journaling.
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