your top 5 tips for staying fit and healthy... (muscles, yoga, treadmill)

[emeraldsky]

Just thought it'd be cool if everyone shared their top 5. So we could all benefit from the ideas...

Here are my five:

1. When you exercise, exercise with strength. Make every movement count. I love aerobics and I give it all I've got, even first thing in the morning. I've been in aerobics classes before where some people look half asleep. It's better to be there than not though, and we all have those off days. But overall, really make it count, and have fun too...

2. Have the good food in sight. I try to market the good stuff to myself by keeping appealing stuff (like shiny red gala apples already washed for me to grab) on the counter, or those bright orange baby carrots and yummy yogurt (without high fructose corn syrup mind you) smiling at me when I open the fridge.

3. Stop eating 2-3 hours before bedtime. You really burn up calories this way, especially combined with exercise.

Okay, I'll have to think of two more later... I'm sure I have more ideas...

[nicolem]

I will add-deal with stress in a proper matter. DO not let it get out of control. Stress that is not dealt with properly can do a real number on your health.

[LaoTzuMindFu]

I like this thread. This is what works for me:

1. Vary your exercise routine - Keep things interesting by doing different types of exercises. Strength train with free weights, smith machines, body weight, isometrics. Wear weighted vests. Vary cardio by running outside in the park, beach, mountains, use the elliptical, treadmill, recumbent bike, jump rope. I think strength/weight training is the most important part of any exercise routine and should be done at a minimum of 3 days per week. More is better, but at least 3 days.

2. Cultivate the internal with mind/body exercise - Do yoga (I prefer vinyasa) and/or tai chi along with chi gung. This not only stretches your muscles and strengthens your bones, joints and sinews, it also allows you to mentally just relax and let go. This is the "Yang" to weight trainings "Yin".

3. Eat well - Never ever "diet". I rather use the term "nutrition plan" than "diet plan". Eat good foods and stay away from the processed junk (white rice, white noodles, sugar, fast food, fried food). Eat plenty of green veggies (broccoli, spinich) and whole grain breads. Have an occasional glass of really good cabernet wine. Drink plenty of water.

4. Have at least one hobby - Find something that you just flat out enjoy and could do for hours and hours. Something that you can spend hours in a bookstore reading about. I have two hobbies: Martial Arts and Macro Photography. Teaching and practicing martial arts is my greatest joy. Trying to take that "perfect" macro photo (the hunt) is a great joy as well.

5. Love - Have someone/something in your life that you love (and loves you back). A wife, husband, kids, dog. Anyone/anything that brings you love. Everyone needs this.

There you go. This works for me. Hope I didnt go too off base from what the OP was wanting. But I really think that to "Stay Fit and Healthy" one needs to have his/her bases covered Physically (#1, #2 #3), Mentally (#2 and #4) and Emotionally (#5).

[KRaZy]

1.eating healthy fresh fruits and veggies. If possible organic. No cigarettes, less alk and instead of coffee green tea. Also less meat-more fish.

2.At least one hour exercise like walkin, joggin and stretching. Doesnt mean you have to join the gym.

3.at least 8 hours of sleep people who have less than 8 hours have more craving for carbs. Also they are less happy.

4.sex sex is the hardest work out what makes you lose some calories and sweat out toxins. And best thing: it keeps you happy.

5.Avoid stress If you under a lot of pressure your body cant relax and you developing a hunger feeling.

[TwiloMike]

1- Drink loads of water.

2- Eat foods without preservatives, colors, etc., eat 5-7 smaller meals in a day, balanced diet, blah blah blah. It matters.

3- Sleep at least 7 hours per day.

4- Workout or stay fit through motion and resistance training at least 2-3 times per week.

5- Relax, don't take life too seriously, smile and laugh, learn to see the good in things.

[Art123]

1. Motivation. Find the thoughts that keep you motivated to make the right decisions throughout the day. When you have the choice between working out and watching TV, or cookie v fruit, what thoughts makes you make the right decision? Write those thoughts down and repeat them in your head when necessary. Some examples are Vanity (hey, looking better naked works for me!), family, disease history and prevention, stress-relief, getting a exercise "high," etc...

2. Eliminate Sugar from your diet as much as possible. This has done wonders for my energy levels. I used to ride a sugar-induced energy roller-coaster that put me in the dumps most of the time. Eliminate sugar as much as possible. Read the ingredients labels. Sugar is in SOOOO many things.

3. Eat complex carbs. Especially whole grains.

4. Do be hard on yourself for missing exercise or eating right, not because doing these things is the right thing to do, but because doing these things make you feel better. When people are hard on themselves in the negative, it causes stress. Being hard on yourself in the positive (i.e. "I want to feel better and the path to that is exercise and diet.") is a good thing, I think. Just do not let it overwhelm you, let it motivate you.

5. Just do it. OK, I stole that one. But for me, sometimes I get caught up on whether the things I am doing are exactly the ideal thing to do. "Is this the perfect workout routine for core strength?" "Have I had the exact balance of carbs today?" You don't have to be perfect all the time, you just have to be doing it well enough - most all the time. When you start preparing to do things more than actually doing the things, STOP. And just do it.

[emeraldsky]

So many good ideas... enjoy life, laugh lots, love much, watch the sugar, get good sleep... Thanks everyone.

While I was sitting in the car waiting to pick up my son from school the other day (a bit too cold to walk, though we usually do when it at least hits the upper 20s ) I thought of my 4th and 5th ones.

Nicolem said it perfectly, about the stress. That was my 4th.

4. Watch the stress. (the bad stress, not the motivating stress like art123 mentioned).

On a personal note... We were devastated this past year to lose my father-in-law. What a great guy. It was beyond a shock, he was only 59, no previous heart problems. Died of a massive heart-attack. Was not overweight, ate pretty well, but had high cholesterol and had just started medicine for it. He did have a ton of stress in his life sadly. And my husband swears that's what did it. We miss him so much.

My husband's previous job was way beyond stressful too. He was even having anxiety attacks for the 1st time in his life, when he'd have to sit too long at a stoplight. I so wanted him to leave that job. Your job isn't your life. Never. He so has a huge committment to things, which is good, but not when you give your all to a company that could really care less about its employees. Told him I was willing to move anywhere, it didn't matter if he took a cut in pay, we'd make do. But he doesn't like change. He was thinking about moving on for at least 3 years. (gotta love him)

After his father passed away, we both looked at life a lot differently, and he finally took the plunge, wasn't as nervous about it, and it's so been worth it. He tells me on a scale of 1 to 10 (his last job being off the charts) that his current is a 3 or 4. He is so much happier at work, and tons more relaxed. That makes me happy. And everything did work out.

Sorry to go on there. It's just when I think of stress, I think of that. And it sure is related to our health.

5. Watch what goes into your grocery store cart. I loved this analogy when I heard it. I remember picking up one of my mom's books when I was in high school, a Richard Simmon's book. (Yeah, he had a book.) And he used this analogy, and it's stuck with me ever since. That when you're cruising down the isle in the grocery store, really consider that what goes in that cart, is going into your body eventually, and the bodies of your loved ones. I often think of that.

[Dave_n_Tenn]

1) Use honey instead of sugar
2) A Glass of red wine in the evening
3) Stress is part of life, don't avoid... manage.
4) Good relationships, spouse,kids,family
5) Get off the machines and do something outside

extra credit

grow things
build things
read things
smile
laugh
have pets

and do not forget about your spirituallity

[Mrs. H]

I agree with all of your top 5s but I wanted to add one thing regarding food:

Eat five to six meals a day. So many people complain about their hunger and eating the first thing that's in front of them...I was that same way until a few years ago when I had so many balls in the air that I needed to figure out how to keep my weight down without going to the gym. I was in school full-time at that time in addition to working full-time and having a boyfriend. I decided to do internet research and came up with the six meal a day program...by eating so much your metabolish is always revving. It's worked for me. I pack little snacks for work, drink lots of water, stop eating by 7:00 p.m. and splurge every now and then. My weight is still the same. I admit -- I am lazy which is why I don't exercise but reading all of your journal entries has helped motivate me just a little bit. Thanks for the entries!

[LaoTzuMindFu]

Eyhossenlopp, makes a very good point. I've seen too many people skip meals because they want to lose weight and it really is a bad idea to do so. Five to six meals is exactly what is needed. Excellent post.

This is such a good thread with great ideas on staying fit I am really surprised that there arent more posts. There are more posts and more views on threads about fad diets like Adkins or South Beach which actually disappoints me. Even "staples for hands" had more views and posts. Come on people, lets here more tips.