After much debate with your inner-self and getting enough motivation you finally decided to start an exercise program. But where do you start? You can join a gym, join an exercise group, hire a personal trainer or do it yourself at home. Whatever the method you choose you need to make sure you are able to take on an exercise program. The very first thing you need to do is fill out a very simple questionnaire PAR-Q (Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire). PAR-Q will help you determine if you’re ready for an exercise program, or if you need further medical clearance. It will also screen for know diseases and sign and symptoms. If you answered YES to one of the seven questions you should consult with your doctor before beginning an exercise program. In addition to Medical Referral, a health screening and lifestyle assessment may be required in order to help develop the most suitable exercise program for you. If you answered to NO to all questions you are ready to get started.
Whenever I hear someone say, ‘I’m going on a diet’ I can’t help but think to myself ”Good luck with that.” I think that because I know that the actual dieting doesn’t last long and results are short-lived afterwards. Diet implies a quick fix and extreme measures will be taken to achieve fast results. Yes, it will work, in the beginning. What about a week, month or a year later? Are you still going to be doing the same diet just to keep the weight off? Do you think you’ll be enjoying life on a diet? I highly doubt it. It has been well researched and documented that dieting doesn’t work for many reasons and there are health risks associated with going on extreme diets. Participants typically gain the weight back as fast as they dropped it. If you want to drop the weight and keep it off you need to make positive changes to your lifestyle and nutrition. But don’t try to do it all at once. Making one positive change a week will set you in the right direction towards a healthier body and lifestyle.
No matter what the media sells in magazines, television, radio or online, there is no magic bullet, special formula or a secret to weight-loss. None whatsoever. Period. It’s all about simple math. Weight-loss occurs when calorie expenditure is greater than intake. No matter how many crunches one does or how many laps they run, it will always boil down whether calorie intake was lower than expenditure. However, not all calories are created equal. It takes longer to burn off fat than it does carbohydrates. The right balance of nutrition and fitness must come into play in order to achieve desired fitness goals.
