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 Eating And Exercise

Eating and exercise are two of the most important activities involved in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. People often think it is all about diet, but this article will show you that there are many ways to maintain your shape without dieting. It is possible to improve your quality of life by following a few simple rules with regards to eating and exercise.

Try not to eat more than three times per day, and try not fill up on snacks or quick-fix foods such as chips, chocolate bars etc. Have only one main meal which should be eaten between 3pm-7pm. If you find you feel full, you will not overeat as there will be less food to eat at this time of the day. Do not skip meals, eating a meal at lunch and a snack at breakfast and another later in the evening. Your metabolism will naturally keep you satisfied throughout the day and if anything, it may decrease your appetite for other things such as alcohol or even food.

Spending more time exercising your muscles gives them time to rebuild themselves from the inside out. The same can be said for burning calories by going on a walk every day, riding your bike to work or taking up gardening as hobbies. It is important to build up the volume at least 30 minutes a day, but it is better to aim for an hour or more depending on where you are.

Try to be active whenever possible in order to burn calories. Take the stairs instead of the lift at work at lunch time, walk for ten minutes around the park or do some light gardening. Try to choose a time when you will not have anything else that needs your attention and get moving!

The more active you remain, the harder and more intense your workouts will be. Be sure not to overdo your exercise as this can cause problems such as tendinitis and osteoarthritis in your joints. Try not to exercise more frequently than twice a week. If you can, try to choose different workouts that are hard but don't hurt.

When exercising, it is important to increase the intensity of the workout as this will burn more calories than doing the same amount of work for longer at a slower pace. The harder your body is stimulated, the energy it produces which can be converted into calories and used by your body for energy. There are many forms of exercise in which you can choose from including water aerobics, yoga and pilates etc.

Drinking plenty of water throughout the day will help keep your body hydrated. Try not to drink too much so as to keep your stomach full of food which will then mean less food you will eat throughout the day. Water is vital for your body as it helps prevent dehydration, aids in digestion and flushes toxins through your system.

It is important to get plenty of sleep each night, especially if you intend on carrying out any exercise or work activity in the mornings. Sleep allows your body's metabolism to slow down and rest which releases the energy stored within your muscles and also helps repair whatever damage has been done whilst they are asleep.

Finally, try not to stress yourself out too much about what you should be doing in order to stay fit. It is best to be easy going about it and enjoy what you are doing. There is no point in torturing yourself by exercising too much or eating too little where you don't feel good about yourself. Remember, it is a balance between eating and exercise which will help you achieve your goals.

Original article by Andrew Maclean (2007), do not copy without permission from author.

ARTICLE END

Update: Hey guys, I've now updated this article for 2012 so please take a look! There's some new stuff and some of the old stuff has been updated as well. I'd love to hear any comments you might have on the article.

Andrew Maclean

BSc (Hons) Sport Science - Exercise & Nutrition specialist with over 7 years experience in the health and fitness industry as a personal trainer and nutrition coach. Andrew is a fully certified member of the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA), a qualified Zumba® instructor, has an undergraduate degree in Sports Science, specialising in Performance Nutrition . He has contributed to many online blogs including bodybuilding.com.au and wrote his own fitness website at www.the-fitness-guru.net/workouts/. Andrew is the founder of the online company "Nutrition for Athletes" which offers specialized consulting services to fitness athletes and individuals. To contact Andrew, please send an email to andrew@nutritionforathletes.com

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Conclusion

I hope that you found this article useful and that it helps you to work out the amount of calories that you should be eating in order to lose weight and stay healthy.

Please also be aware that this article does not take into account any differences in age, gender or metabolic rate of each individual person. I have tried my best to calculate it reasonably for everyone but I am sure there may be small variances here and there for some people. Feel free to comment on your own results below if you so wish.

Enjoy your exercise!

Andrew Maclean (2007), do not copy without permission from author.Updated article by Andrew Maclean 2012, do not copy without permission from author.Read full disclaimer here .