Lana GolanEvery year seems to be accompanied with new fads related to health and fitness. With crossfit and the paleo diet being at the forefront lately, it may seem difficult to find new ideas that fit your lifestyle. Here are a few new health and fitness ideas for you to accomplish.
1. Protein Intake is Crucial
People underestimate just how important protein is in someone’s diet. A lot of women are focused mainly on eating fewer calories, drinking more water, and getting more vegetables. While all of those are fantastic healthy habits, it leaves you lacking the protein you really need. Protein is involved in muscle growth, cell production, and even affects your hair and skin. Without the proper amounts of protein you see less progress in your fitness regimen, slower hair growth, and more signs of aging due to slower cell turnover. Try adding lean protein like white meats, quinoa, and chia seeds.
2. Increase Walking Distance
This may seem like an old idea that many people have heard of before, but I’m going to put a little twist on it. Yes, you should be walking more for a number of reasons. It’s great for weight loss because it keeps your heart rate elevated for a long period of time, it’s wonderful for those of you that have problems running because of your knees, and it’s beneficial for your heart as well. But walking also aids in your mental health as well. Getting out of the house and into some fresh air helps rejuvenate your body, increase your energy, and relax your mind. This is best at the beginning and end of your day. It’s wonderful to wake up, get your blood pumping, and start your day off right. It also helps you wind down and reduce stress after a long day.
3. Lift More Weights
Cardio is perfect for losing weight and keeping your heart healthy, but lifting weights is also extremely important. Many women focus too much on the cardio and fat loss and don’t think about the added benefits that weight lifting has to offer. When you lift weights you build lean muscle. Lean muscle will actually firm your body and burn more calories even when you’re not exercising. This means you can actually perform less cardio to get rid of that cupcake you ate because having more muscle will increase your metabolic rate.
4. Most Importantly, Get Regular Check-Ups
Many people think they’re perfectly healthy because they exercise and eat well, but that may not always be the case. It’s really important to see your doctor for check-ups and blood work. When they check your blood they can learn things about you that aren’t actually visible on the outside. This is important to ensure that your work-out regimen and diet are actually fitting your needs and not doing more harm than good – and yes, certain diets and exercise programs can do more harm if it’s the wrong type for you.