Welcome summer! Well, it’s not officially summer just yet, but traditionally, Memorial Day kicks off the start of the summer travel season. That can mean many different things, like beach vacations, high school graduations or reunions, and even weddings. For some people, those options mean looking in the mirror and thinking, “I need to drop a few pounds to fit into that dress or suit.” For others, it means looking better at the beach. While I can’t assume your motivations, may it suffice that being “more fit” equals healthier. Since I have been away for a couple of months, I have put on a handful of pounds too and I will be taking my own advice.
Here are some fitness “refreshers” in case those goal setting/resolutions have fallen to the wayside.
Get Moving
It should be obvious that being more active has health advantages. Whether you decide to be into fitness or just plain walk – move your body. I have been asked what the best answer is to lose weight. There isn’t any single thing that will help you lose weight, but the choices are either to take in fewer calories or burn more calories. While talking nutrition is beyond the scope of this article, it is a combination of diet and exercise that will help you drop pounds. Remember, the real goal of losing extra/excess body fat is to get healthy. We don’t really care about weight. It’s the fat loss that counts. While vanity may start your journey, you should focus on becoming healthier in order to lead a more productive life.
Drink water
Various studies emphasize differing criteria for water intake, from consuming half of your body weight in ounces of water per day to a generic 2.5 liters of water if you are a woman to three liters if you are a man. Regardless, you probably overestimate the amount of water you’re drinking and you probably aren’t really drinking enough. A healthy body needs a lot of water to operate efficiently. Increasing your hydration has the effect of reducing blood pressure and reducing fluid retention – not to mention, it keeps your kidneys running smoothly.
Cold showers or cold soaks
Physical therapists and even world-class athletes use cold water baths or showers to not only aid in reducing inflammation and speed injury recovery, but cold baths can be used to decrease fat. Try cold showers for 14 days, by alternating between the hot shower and then 30 seconds of cold, gradually building your tolerance over the next two weeks so that you’re cold showering for 5-10 minutes. Your body will thank you! (I am not a doctor, so any advice I give here should be followed up with a medical professional.)
While no one thing is a magic pill for getting you into shape, reducing your weight or getting you healthy, it is up to you to dedicate the time and effort to be the best version of you!
If you have questions or need a guiding hand, take a moment to write your question and contact me through email. [email protected]
Come back next month when we’ll talk more fitness.
