Active Lifestyling?

Active lifestyling is the art of living a healthy life and the way in which you do it. We are all different so it is important for us to find a strat which works best with our circumstance. Fortunately, we live in a world where we have access to a wealth of information from people from all over the world. So really it is about trying different things and working out which way obtains the best results for what we want to achieve.

Some of us want to feel more confident at work, while others want to have more energy to play with the little ones. Whatever the reason, our health is important. It enables us to do the things we want to do and need to do in life. Despite all the fancy diets and work out techniques and styles that have evolved throughout the centuries.... there are some notions which remain consistent throughout.

1- To maintain weight you must burn the energy that you consume. To lose weight you must consume less then you burn. This means if you want to have pizza & drinks with your mates on the weekend... make sure you plan an extra work out session or two during the week. Remember putting one 1kilo on a month equates to 1-2 dress sizes in a year.

2- Drink more water. Unfortunately, the brain can't tell the difference between thirst and hunger. So most of the time, we might think we are hungry but it could just be that we are thirsty. Moreover, it takes the brain 20 minutes to relay the message that we are full. So dieticians and doctors have suggested that it is good to eat slowly, and to make sure you chew every mouthful and not to drink water while you are eating because it expands the stomach making you eat more to feel full. It is a good idea to drink water 15-20 minutes before a meal.

3- Exercise at least 20 minutes a day. This doesn't always have to mean signing up for a gym membership or purchasing the latest fitness machine out there... you can simply take the dog for a walk around the block, go up and down a staircase several times, clean the house, skip rope, or put on some loud music and bust out a dance, getting off two stops before your usual bus stop and walking home. Even on days you dont feel like it.. doing something is better then doing nothing at all. Cardio is good.. because energy breeds energy... Don't forget to lift some weights or do some muscle strengthening exercises because muscles consume energy while you are not exercising.

Research has suggested that exercising first thing in the morning is the best for weight loss because your body has had that long fast ... so it is forced to work off body fat rather then what you have consumed in the day.

4. Cut down on sugar & salt. Replace sugary fruit and energy drinks with water. This will cut down your sugar intake daily.If you have a sweet tooth consider reducing the number of sugars you put in your tea or coffee. Research has shown that it is hard to cut down sugars initially but your taste does adjust to it after a few weeks. Similarly to many addictions... if you have a lot of it , your body will seek for more. So think about what types of ingredients you are consuming and aim to reduce the bad. For example- sauces, and spreads have hidden extra colories because they contain a lot of sugar, salt & preservatives. You are best going without or switching to using real fruit and vegetables. The sugar in natural fruits and vegetables is better for you then processed. For example- instead of jam maybe slice half a bannana on some rye bread for breakfast. Instead of using tomato sauce, slice some real tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste.

5. Sleep more.. Research has revealed that your body tends to crave junk food at night. If you are asleep you are less likely to cave into temptations.