Get fit, feel strong! 5 tips to a healthier you!

Get Fit, Feel Strong: 5 tips  to a Healthier You!

1. Nourish your body with real food.

I’d love to say that there is just one right diet, but that’s not true. The truth is everyone’s body is different so different diets work for different people.

The constant  in any diet style would be to think about eating Whole Foods.  In  other words foods that were alive at one time and with the least processing as possible.

For me personally (im a woman in my 60’s and post menopausal) maintaining as much muscle as I possibly can and hopefully even growing muscle is super important for preventing both cognitive and physical decline.

I prioritize protein and then I focus on quality carbs and fats.  I eat lots of green leafy vegetables and berries.

Whatever your fitness and health goals are though think about how the food will nourish your body and support your goals.

1. Drink your water!

Hydration is crucial. Water plays several important functions in the human body.

Lubricating Joints and Cushioning Organs: Water helps lubricate joints, allowing them to move smoothly and reducing the risk of joint pain or discomfort. It also acts as a cushion for organs, protecting them from impact or injury.

Transporting Nutrients and Oxygen: Water serves as a medium for transporting nutrients, minerals, and oxygen to cells throughout the body. It helps deliver essential substances to cells for energy production, growth, and repair.

Removing Waste Products: Water is essential for the elimination of waste products from the body. It aids in the proper functioning of the kidneys by supporting the filtration and removal of toxins, waste, and excess substances through urine.

Regulating Body Temperature: Water plays a crucial role in regulating body temperature. It helps dissipate heat through sweating and evaporation, keeping the body within a normal temperature range and preventing overheating.

Maintaining Electrolyte Balance: Electrolytes are minerals that carry an electric charge and are crucial for various bodily functions. Water helps maintain the balance of electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium, and chloride, ensuring proper muscle function, nerve signaling, and hydration status.

Supporting Digestion and Absorption: Water aids in the digestion and absorption of food. It helps break down food particles, facilitates the movement of nutrients across the intestinal lining, and softens stools, preventing constipation.

Promoting Skin Health: Adequate hydration is essential for maintaining healthy skin. Water helps keep the skin moisturized, improves elasticity, and flushes out toxins, promoting a clear and radiant complexion.

Supporting Brain Function: The brain depends on proper hydration to function optimally. Water helps maintain cognitive function, including concentration, alertness, and memory. It also supports the production and flow of neurotransmitters, which are essential for communication between brain cells.

Enhancing Athletic Performance: Hydration is crucial for athletes and individuals engaging in physical activity. Water helps maintain muscle function, regulates body temperature during exercise, and prevents dehydration, which can negatively impact performance and recovery.

Promoting Overall Health and Well-being: Adequate hydration is essential for overall health and well-being. It helps prevent dehydration-related complications, supports cardiovascular health, aids in weight management, and promotes proper digestion and nutrient absorption.

Hydration is key!

1. Get your sleep!

Rest and Restoration: Sleep provides essential rest and restoration for the body and mind. It allows the body to repair and rejuvenate tissues, consolidate memories, and restore energy levels. During sleep, various bodily processes, such as muscle growth, tissue repair, and hormone regulation, occur.

Physical Health: A good night's sleep is crucial for maintaining physical health. It helps support a healthy immune system, reducing the risk of infections and illnesses. Sleep also plays a role in regulating blood pressure, heart health, and metabolism.

Chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to an increased risk of conditions like obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and compromised immune function.

Mental Health and Emotional Well-being: Sleep plays a significant role in mental health and emotional well-being. It is essential for regulating mood, managing stress, and promoting emotional resilience. Lack of sleep can contribute to mood swings, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and an increased risk of mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression.

Cognitive Function and Performance:

Sufficient sleep is necessary for optimal cognitive function and performance. It enhances attention, concentration, problem-solving abilities, creativity, and decision-making skills. Sleep is also crucial for memory consolidation, helping to solidify learning and improve memory recall.

Hormone Regulation: Sleep plays a vital role in regulating hormone levels in the body. It helps maintain a balance of hormones such as cortisol (the stress hormone), ghrelin (hunger hormone), leptin (satiety hormone), insulin (blood sugar regulation), and growth hormones. Disruptions in sleep patterns can lead to hormonal imbalances, which can affect appetite, metabolism, and overall health.

Immune Function: Sleep is closely linked to immune function. During sleep, the immune system releases proteins called cytokines that help fight inflammation, infection, and stress. Adequate sleep strengthens the immune system, enhancing its ability to defend against pathogens and reducing the risk of illnesses.

As a professional athlete I make sleep a priority. I know that that’s where my muscles will repair and grow.  If I am leaning out, I  know sleep is when the weight loss is going to happen..

It is recommended that adults aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night, while children and teenagers may require more. Establishing a consistent sleep schedule, creating a sleep-friendly environment, and practicing good sleep hygiene can help promote healthy sleep habits and reap the benefits of quality rest.

1. Move your body!

There are so many different ways to move your body.  Do whatever kind of movement that you love. You should enjoy it!

Maybe it’s Pickleball, maybe it’s hiking.  Maybe your thing is taking long walks. Maybe you’re like me and you like to lift weights or do CrossFit.  The point is any type of movement is important.  Here’s just a few of the things that it does.

Regular physical activity helps maintain and improve physical health. It strengthens the cardiovascular system, reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure. Physical activity also helps control weight by burning calories and increasing metabolism, which can prevent obesity and related health conditions. It improves bone density, reducing the risk of osteoporosis, and strengthens muscles, joints, and overall physical fitness.

Mental Health and Emotional Well-being: Physical activity has a significant impact on mental health and emotional well-being. It releases endorphins, known as "feel-good" hormones, which can improve mood, reduce stress, anxiety, and symptoms of depression. Regular exercise can boost self-esteem, increase confidence, and improve overall psychological well-being. It can also act as a healthy coping mechanism for managing stress and improving sleep quality.

Disease Prevention: Engaging in regular physical activity can help prevent various chronic diseases. It reduces the risk of developing conditions such as type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer (such as colon and breast cancer), and metabolic syndrome. Physical activity also plays a role in managing and improving symptoms of chronic conditions like arthritis, asthma, and chronic pain.

Energy and Stamina: Regular physical activity improves energy levels and overall stamina. It increases the efficiency of the cardiovascular system, allowing the body to deliver oxygen and nutrients to the muscles more effectively. This leads to improved endurance and reduced feelings of fatigue during daily activities.  This is true even as we age.

Cognitive Function: Physical activity has a positive impact on cognitive function and brain health. It promotes increased blood flow to the brain, which can enhance memory, attention, and concentration. Regular exercise has been linked to improved cognitive abilities and a reduced risk of age-related cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.

Sleep Quality: Physical activity can improve sleep quality and duration. Regular exercise helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle, promoting better sleep patterns and deeper, more restorative sleep.

Longevity: Research has consistently shown that regular physical activity is associated with increased longevity. People who engage in regular exercise tend to live longer and have a lower risk of premature death from various causes.

It is recommended that adults aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week, along with strength training exercises at least twice a week.   

If you’re new to movement. Set mini movement goals as you achieve them increase them.!

You’ll be a fitness rockstar before you know it!

1. Mindset matters

I can’t emphasize how important your mindset is to your overall health .  The stories we tell

ourselves become our reality.

So talk kindly to yourself!

You are worth it!

You can do it!

You can do hard things!

You can learn new things!

You can change your habits!

You can set major goals !

You can accomplish major goals!

Sometimes changing our mindset is a simple as tweaking just a little how you think or talk about things.

For instance, instead of saying, I have to work out change it to I get to work out. Then feel the gratitude for a body that’s capable of working out

Instead of saying, I can’t eat that. Change it just a little too. I don’t eat that.  You’ve chosen to eat things that are going to nourish your body instead of make you sick. Then feel  proud of yourself for keeping that promise to yourself.

Stay strong, healthy, and happy friends!