There is a staggering number of different products and programs regarding fitness out on the market. Books, DVD sets, personal trainer programs, even blogs! With so many different methods out there, each claiming to reveal some unknown secret to better health and fitness, it’s sometimes difficult to decipher how these products get you in better shape. However, there are a few basic principles that permeate the fitness programs with truly healthy, long-lasting results. See what these “fitness fundamentals” are after the jump…
1. Change in Body Fat = Calories Consumed – Calories Burned. This is the basic, if somewhat overly simplistic, math formula that you may have seen elsewhere. There are lots of methods and tips to addressing your body fat, but any long-term, healthy solutions for fat loss center around moderating your calorie intake and/or increasing how many calories your body uses. Ideally, you will at least be considering both factors.
2. The most effective and healthiest fitness plans address both diet and exercise. Whether you are looking to lose body fat, bulk up by adding muscle, or both, you will want to develop both proper eating habits and a good workout plan. Obviously, “proper” and “good” will be subject to your fitness goals, but you will delay or even miss out on meeting those goals if you neglect either of these two aspects.
3. Results take time. We live in a society where demand for immediate results is the norm. It’s hard to break that mentality when it comes to fitness, but that’s essentially what you have to do to maintain a positive attitude and focus. While it’s possible (even probable) to begin to see positive changes in your body and general health in just a few days, more dramatic results will normally take a few weeks or even longer, depending on your goals and personal situation.
“There are no shortcuts.” That’s probably the best way to describe the overarching idea behind these fitness fundamentals. Sure, there are ways to be more efficient about your fitness plan and reach your goals faster. That’s part of what this website is about: to help us all achieve our fitness goals more quickly so that we can still take care of all the other demands we have in our lives. But that doesn’t mean we can or should ever expect to get there without a genuine commitment of time and effort. I’m all about the “working smarter” rather than “working harder [or longer],” but either way, it’s still work!
Now that we’ve covered some very basic principles, expect to see more specific ideas and articles on incorporating fitness into your busy life. Hopefully, you’ll both find and share ideas that work for you as you peruse the rest of this site!