Ok. We had another week to eat a bunch of junk. We're downright bloated and seriously ready to eat well and work out. Last week, we talked about the mental side of working out, mainly that exercise has to be seen as a permanent part of our lives, not just a way to fit into our favorite clothes for a single special event. The other critical point made was that we absolutely can't dive into exercising with so much gusto that we hurt ourselves or flame out. We have to take it slow at the beginning and build up strength and endurance as we get fitter.
On the diet front, I don't use any specific diet. I try to eat well from the four basic food groups and keep junk food out of my kitchen. I'm at my worst when there's potato chips, ice cream and anything chocolate in the house, so I keep them out of the house. I'm not sure what to call this diet, but you're welcome to submit a title.
My basic workout regimen -- when I'm not doing the P90X Extreme Home Fitness regimen is to run for 40 minutes three days a week and weight train for fitness another three days. Running is excellent for my cardio-vascular system. It also helps me to control my allergies by keeping the gunk moving, and it provides a mental catharsis that helps me to keep my head clear. All that, and it just plain feels good to get out and actually interact with the world instead of seeing it from car and office windows.
If you take up running, be sure to buy the right running shoes. Living in Florida's typically hot environment, I like a shoe that has lots of ventilation, like the Salomon Techamphibian line. I also like to use a Garmin GPS/heart rate monitor watch, Ipod Shuffle headphones, and Sweat Gutr headband. None of this equipment is absolutely essential, but it makes running more enjoyable, which means I will do it more. This point needs to be repeated, too. You have to find forms of exercise you truly enjoy, or, sooner or later, you will quit. After a few months, running became such a positive force in my life, I crave it.
As for weight training, I have to stress again that I do it for fitness. That means I'm not out to bulk up or get model ripped. I'm happy residing in a body that's strong enough for any activities, as diverse as hiking up steep mountains to kayaking long distances, that also appears healthy. I purposely avoid working with weights that are so heavy they might cause injury -- especially to my back. We all know a lot of former weight trainers whose activities are restricted because they hefted too much and caused permanent injury. I also listen to my body. If a joint or tendon is hurting, I lighten the load or find a new exercise that provides the same benefit.
I also constantly check to make sure that I am performing exercises with good form. Good form is more important than the amount of weight lifted or the number of reps completed. With good form, you get maximum benefit per movement. Without good form, you will actually damage your body, which is counterproductive.
I work with weight that's certainly a challenge but mostly focus on getting in as many reps as possible. A typical workout features three sets each of pushups, pullups, chinups, curls, lawnmowers, tricep dips, dumbbell bench presses, and overhead tricep extensions. You might want to mix up a bunch of different exercises. As long as your workout touches all muscle groups and builds core strength, you're on the right track.
Two excellent resources for weight training are The Special Ops Workout book, which will provide you with a firm understanding of beneficial exercises and how to perform them correctly. Once you get fit, you might want to take on Tony Horton's P90X Extreme Fitness Regimen. I can't say enough about how much this 13 DVD set did to bring me to my maximum fitness level. I like it so much, I take on the 90 day regimen twice a year. It's so tough, any more than that and I'd flame out.
The bottom line to all of this is that to be healthy for a lifetime, you have to commit time six days a week to maintaining a healthy body. Fortunately, there are so many exercises that can help you achieve that end you should be able to find several that you enjoy.
