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A Step Toward A Healthier Lifestyle

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Recognition is the first step toward a healthier lifestyle The hardest part of starting a workout and nutrition program is taking the first step. Recognizing that you are in need of a healthier lifestyle means you have to admit that you are heading down the wrong path. You have to then admit that you have made mistakes along the way and no one likes to admit they have made mistakes. It is not so bad. These mistakes are reversible. You can make changes right away a little mental drive, support from you friends and family and a sound game plan. Let’s start with the first day of your recognition. This may be the worst day of them all, but it only gets better from there. You will never look in the mirror again and see the same person you …show more content…

After this first time, the scale is not your best indicator. It is better to measure your progress by body fat testing or by your measurements. Many people do not lose weight on the scale at first, but will lose inches. That is the most important part. Our goal is to change our body composition so that our lean mass (muscle and bones, etc.) goes up and our fat mass (body fat percentage) goes down. The more lean mass your body has the quicker your metabolism will be. The quicker your metabolism is, the more calories your body will burn and ultimately the more calories you can eat to maintain your desired goal. The next step is to figure out how much time you have to devote to exercise. A sedentary person could begin with a 15 minute routine three times a week until they begin building up their endurance and strength. Each week add five minutes to each workout. For an oversized person (35 percent body fat or more) that has never worked out before, it would be alright to start with your nutritional program for a few weeks. Once you feel more energetic, start with a walking program. Get outside and start moving. The more you move the better. Each calorie counts whether it goes in or out. If you are already an active individual, then it is time to get serious about exercise. Start with 25 to 30 minutes of ‘cardio” and do a full body workout two to three times per week. 70 percent of your healthy lifestyle is comprised of your daily nutritional program. This

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