Have you ever wondered why you’re not getting the results even after slogging hours in the gym or whichever form of exercise that you do?
Well, it’s because a fit body and a fit mind is made of exercise, what we eat & drink, and how we sleep. We skip either one and we don’t see the results. Let’s try to break this down.
Exercise
Now we keep hearing about several forms of exercises every few months. HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), Bodyweight Training, Strength Training, Pilates, Running, CrossFit, Zumba, etc; and many times, we just want to follow what the latest trend is. We say, don’t follow the trend but rather pick up the one YOU enjoy doing, because it’s very easy to start, get bored and give up. Any form of exercise is good. Something that works great is to bring in variety. We know that anything that doesn’t change pattern becomes boring over time, so as an option, try mixing a couple of forms of exercises. For example, if you enjoy cycling, mix it with gym or another form that you enjoy. If you’re a gym person, break the monotony from regular combination of body parts and sets to only focusing on abs and floor exercises. The idea is to bring in variety. It’s like music. You get bored listening to the same song over and over again!
What we eat and drink
Yes, many of you are already aware that what we eat and drink is what makes us. You can spend hours exercising and then eat food high on fat, not to forget all those drinks high on sugar and then keep hoping to lose those extra kilos and get a lean body. For most of us it’s difficult to give up this temptation, so here’s what you can do. 1) Have your dinner by 7pm. Yes, the first week will be difficult but then your body will adapt to it. Try it. Tip: If you get hunger pangs at bedtime, snack over easy to digest options such as almonds and walnuts or a bowl of curd. 2) Watch your dinner carbs by increasing the portion of vegetables on the plate. They’re much easier to digest and will make a huge difference to your body. More importantly, you’ll feel lighter and will sleep better too. 3) Eat slow. Stomach fills sooner than brain. We don’t need as much food as we generally eat.
Tip: Try Dandelion tea. It’s gaining popularity and one of its key properties is that it helps reduce water-based bloating and improves overall digestion. A Korean study suggests that Dandelion has similar effects on body as some weight loss drugs. While the benefits are immense, this is not a source of losing weight, however it can definitely complement your exercise routine. You may also want to consult your doctor prior to bringing this in your lifestyle, especially if you are pregnant.
Sleep
We ignore it more often than we should for those late-night web series, browsing, chatting, reading, etc. Several studies tell us that 7-8 hours of sleep is essential for our body to repair, restore and build up the muscles targeted during exercise. A study conducted by Fitbit in 2017 revealed that Indian sleep the least after Japan.
If you need to see results for all the hard work you put in, then sleep well, or consider it to be near impossible to see any performance. In fact, its bidirectional. Exercising helps you sleep better and sleeping better helps you achieve your physical and mental goals. We see sleep coaching to become an offering at yoga centers soon and a little proof of the impact that sleep has on our fitness is in all the new age wearable devices tracking our sleep quality. So, don’t ignore it and have a cutoff time from all the gadgets and everything that keeps you awake. Tip: Make your bedroom as dark as possible and if you had your mattress for long, consider replacing it, especially with memory foam. Lastly but very important, try natural colors for your bedding with minimalistic designs if you enjoy more than just the solids.