Ok, so I’m writing this article for those of you who are new to working out and obtaining a healthy lifestyle. Most people don’t know where to begin which can be completely frustrating, I know. With all the fad diets and workout routines available today, it is extremely easy to receive false information. So I’ll outline 4 different aspects of fitness that MUST be met to achieve your desired goals, whatever they may be. It’s time to get back to basics.
This is the single MOST IMPORTANT piece of the fitness puzzle. Without proper nutrition, your body will not build muscle, or burn fat or do anything you want it to, except try to stay alive. Our body’s number one goal is to maintain homeostasis. When something alters this balance, the body will automatically adjust to correct it. It has no interest in helping you build muscle, and it doesn’t care about what size jeans you can fit into. All it wants is to remain neutral and keep you breathing.
In order to lose weight, you must burn off more calories than you take in on a given day.
In order to gain weight, you must take in more calories than you burn off.
It can’t get much simpler than that.
Cardio will not only strengthen your heart, but when done correctly, may be one of the best ways to achieve fat loss. The act of performing “cardio” can include many types of running, sports, interval training, and basically any form of activity that increases your resting heart rate. I will always encourage my clients to continuously change their form of cardio every few weeks to keep the body guessing. At the same time however, it is always better to pick something you LIKE to do. If basketball is your favorite, then by all means play basketball! Just remember that your body must be given different options from time to time. About 2-5 times a week should do the trick, but specific amounts will depend on your goals.
Study after study has shown that the more muscle mass that the body carries, the more calories that body will burn each day; so it only makes perfect sense to incorporate weight training into your fitness regimen. Adding muscle mass is great; however it doesn’t happen all at once! The body must continuously be pushed to new ground and past previous barriers in which it is accustomed to working. Progression is the name of the game.
If you train with heavy weights, YOU WILL NOT GET BIG LIKE A MAN! I understand that this is a huge fear for women everywhere, but this myth is completely untrue. Here’s why: A woman’s testosterone levels at its extreme peak are STILL around 16 times lower than that of a man’s testosterone levels at his highest. If all you did was train with heavy weights, the MOST you would see is a toned muscle.
If you are just starting out, and your muscles get pumped up a little after a couple weeks, don’t worry! This is completely natural. Your body is just adjusting to this new change you’ve given it. Sometimes extra weight will come from water as well so keep that in mind.
One of the things I hear all the time from women is, “can we train triceps today? I want to get rid of the flab underneath my arm,” or a similar statement, but referring to the butt, thighs or midsection. You must understand that the only way to get rid of those problem areas is from dieting and cardio! Working out the muscle will only WORKOUT THE MUSCLE. It will not target the fat on TOP of the muscle. I hope that makes a little more sense…
Last we have supplementation. Supplements are exactly what their name implies; they supplement your daily needs from a nutrition standpoint. Some supplements are critical, and some aren’t. It is nearly impossible to get all of the nutrients your body needs each day from JUST food alone. This is why supplements are a great alternative when you need a quick meal replacement, or you’re lacking in your daily vitamins. Basic multi-vitamins in my opinion are a daily necessity. I’ll list other important supplements in the supplement section for your reference.
Each of these four aspects of a fitness lifestyle are great by themselves, however to achieve your desired goals, they must ALL be accounted for! Hoped this helped you guys out. Send me an email with any questions you may have.
Built from a foundation of faith and perseverance, Mitch Muller is the owner and founder of Mindset Fitness, with a dream of helping others pursue excellence in both the gym and in life. Read more about his journey here.
The Mindset Fitness Philosophy and Mission Statement: To provide Biblically-based health and fitness lifestyle education, empowerment and motivation, which gives HOPE to everyone, from the physically fit to the physically distressed.
It is our vision to positively impact the health and fitness lifestyle of one million people through motivation by the year 2025.