3 Tips for a Fit, Healthy Lifestyle

Survey a hundred people and most of them will tell you their goal for exercising is to lose weight. And while that is an admirable goal, it actually shouldn’t be the primary one. A goal from exercising that would serve them better overall (and one where they will lose weight in the process) should be living a healthy lifestyle!

Getting to a healthy lifestyle has three components to it: strength training, cardio and diet.

Strength Training

Strength training is not about burning calories immediately, but over the long term. Strength training builds muscle and inherently the more muscle one has, the more calories burned just at rest. Three pounds of additional muscle burns an additional 120 calories per day. But the calorie burn is only part of the results. Because of the additional muscle (we are not talking much additional mass, but more of a firming and toning) you will look leaner and with that leaner look, you will feel better about yourself.

Cardio Training

(Image courtesy of nenetus at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.)

Cardio training is where you get the most amount of calories burned. There are a number of cardio exercises that burn a respectable number of calories from a 30-minute workout. From a low of walking at 180 calories to a high of step aerobics at 400 calories, cycling, swimming, racquetball, rock climbing, skiing, running, elliptical trainer and rowing all fall somewhere in-between.

Diet

You have probably heard the old adage “You can out-exercise a bad diet.” It is true and this is why diet has to be part of a healthy lifestyle. Regardless of how much you exercise, if you eat unhealthy, you won’t lose weight.

A healthy diet should be low in unhealthy fats (e.g. processed vegetable oils), sugar and salt, yet have some healthy fat as the body needs some fat to be healthy. A good diet consists mainly of fresh vegetables and fruits, nuts and seeds, whole grains, grass-fed meats and wild fish. Many vegetables are negative in nature meaning it takes more calories to process them than they have in them in the first place.

Most of us know to lose a pound of weight per week, we have to burn 3,500 more calories than we take in. That breaks down into 500 calories per day. By adding muscle through strength training, burning calories through cardio and watching what we eat, a 500-calories-per-day reduction is easy to achieve.

Living a healthy lifestyle reduces the risk for many of the unhealthy lifestyle-related diseases including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and a shortened life span. With a combination of strength and cardio training and a healthy diet, losing weight will come naturally and doesn’t have to be your single focus.

5 Tasty Snack Ideas For Staying Healthy And Productive At Work

If you want to stay fit and healthy, it's hard to avoid talking about food once in a while when it comes to exercise. After all, they are both essential parts to the puzzle, and one can definitely affect the other. This month, we'll be sharing some healthy eating-related tips that can really improve your fitness results. We'll start off where we've been for the past few weeks: at the office.

Work days can seem long and tiring, and everyone needs a little pick-me-up during the working hours. Sure, you may eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner according to schedule, but sometimes in between energy levels can crash and leave you wanting to go to dreamland. This is where snacks can come in very handy.

However, a majority of people tend to make the mistake of opting for sugary and carb-heavy snacks like doughnuts, bread, pastries, and sugar-laden coffee to increase their energy levels. These types of snacks may pick you up for a while, but eventually your energy levels will crash even lower than before - and you'll end up gaining an extra 10 lbs before you know it!

Instead of reaching for the quick-fix carbs, stock your desk and office fridge with these healthy alternatives. Not only will they replenish your energy for a longer period of time, but they'll also help you keep the weight off instead of derailing your fitness goals.

1. Apple slices and peanut butter: Low in carbs and all-natural, this snack will please your sweet tooth while giving you some good nutrition as well. Just be sure to use natural peanut butter with no added sugars or unhealthy added hydrogenated oils.

Roasted cashews make a great snack. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

2. Mixed nuts: Nuts contain healthy fats, some carbs, good amounts of proteins, and several vitamins that will keep your energy levels up without resulting in a crash later on. These make a super simple snack, and you can keep a jar containing different types of nuts mixed together (cashew nuts, almonds, pecans, and so on) on your desk. Don’t eat too much at one go though; nuts still contain a high amount of calories. Limit yourself to a handful or so.

3. Vegetables: Of course, you probably know about this healthy snack idea already, but are you eating enough of them? To make it simple, you can bring carrot sticks, radish sticks, or cherry tomatoes to work to snack on when you feel a little famished. These snacks are low in calories and high in fiber. Sprinkle on a little salt or dried herbs for extra flavor if you like.

4. Fresh fruits: The next best snack to vegetables is naturally fruits, since fruits are high in fiber, taste good, and have a high water and vitamin content as well. You can bring apples, oranges, grapes, or other such small fruits to work to eat when you need a boost.

5. Yogurt: Yogurt is a refreshing and healthy snack to have, as long as you stick with the sugar-free varieties. If you want more oomph, add in some oats, fresh or dried fruits, or flax seeds into your yogurt for a more balanced snack with more staying power.

These are just a few of the many different healthy snacks you can indulge in to give you some extra energy when you are feeling low at work. There are many others you can try; just experiment and see which natural, unprocessed foods taste good to you and make you feel energized at the same time.