Whether you are completely out of shape, are exercising to achieve a specific goal or simply want to increase general fitness then the gym is likely to be your first port of call.
But before dusting off your headband it’s important to realize that there are number of considerations to make before jumping straight in. Hopefully these fitness tips will help you to begin your exercise journey the right way, enhancing your chances to increase general fitness.
• First and most importantly, recognize that improving fitness isn’t just about hitting the gym every day. To increase general fitness you need to look at your entire lifestyle, how often you are performing exercise, what you are eating (and drinking!) and even how much sleep you are getting.
• It’s also important to make sure, if you haven’t done any exercise for a long time to visit the doctor before embarking on a rigorous workout regime. It’s just precautionary, but is worth seeking their professional advice all the same.
• Gym inductions are also essential if you are planning on attending the gym regularly. These sessions will not only show you how to use the equipment within the facility, but will frequently be held with personal trainers, who can give you pointers as to the types of exercise you need to be doing to achieve your goals.
• Investing in some good kit is also worthwhile. Lightweight clothes allow your body to breathe when working out and can prevent you from overheating. Similarly, good quality running shoes are a necessity, particularly if you are planning on jogging, either on the street or on the treadmill. Cheap shoes just don’t provide the support that your feet, ankles, shins and knees need when performing high impact exercises.
• Always stretch. It is amazing the amount of people that head to the gym and jump straight onto the weights or a piece of apparatus without stretching and warming up first. This is a sure fire way to injure yourself, ideally you should perform some extensive stretching, then undertake some light to medium exercise to warm up before beginning your workout in earnest.
• When you consider that the human body is constituted of around 70% water then it is clear that as you exercise, replenishing the water lost through sweating is essential. Some studies have even shown that the body loses around 2 to 3 litres of water daily, which can be recouped through the food and liquids you imbibe, naturally this will be more when you visit the gym.
• Remember that it isn’t all about the gym. If you really want to increase general fitness then it is important to incorporate exercise into your everyday routine. You may want to consider walking or cycling to work, or even taking a walk at lunchtimes to ensure that you are staying active throughout the day.
By undertaking regular exercise and eating a healthy diet it is not only possible to increase your fitness levels but it will also deliver a number of other benefits. For example, regularly exercising can increase your body’s metabolism, helping you to digest foods more efficiently, help you lose weight, improve the health of your heart and blood circulation, support your immune system and also build muscle tone and develop healthy posture. With such myriad benefits to following a healthy lifestyle, exercising and eating properly are hugely worthwhile, just make sure that you plan your new regime carefully and don’t overdo it.
Author: Jeanette Sousa, a graduate of Columbia University and a writer at Amazedfitness Venus Factor Review.
