Top Five Methods for a Successful Fitness Program

by Heather Long | More from this Blogger

13 Apr 2006 06:00 PM

Research continues into locating the best ways to enhance your fitness training goals whether they are muscle building or weight loss. The following are the top five ways they have identified as key to a successful fitness program. Also, check out the top five things to eliminate in your diet as part of any weight loss program over in the Weight Loss Blog today.

Sleep is your number one best source of fitness enhancement. No matter what fitness program you are employing for toning, muscle building or weight loss, sleep is vital to it's success. When you are sleep deprived, your body will produce a great deal more stress hormones. Those stress hormones can inhibit your body's natural functions and increase your appetite. So if you're trimming the excess from your life, sleep should not be one of them.

Work Out Like Clockwork because it helps you stay on target. There's a great many arguments for working out in the morning. More than 50% of people who exercise in the morning stay on their fitness regimens. They have less time to be distracted and less reasons to put it off. Not to mention, working out in the morning revs the body up for the entire day.

Hydrate constantly. Your body needs a lot of water, remember we are composed of 50 to 60% water and if you are dehydrated, your body begins to store water. When you store water, you gain weight and you will experience bloating and other symptoms. Water pills may help alleviate some symptoms, but it will not cure the problem. If you don't know how much water to drink, experts suggest a half-ounce of water for every pound of body weight. So if you weigh 150 pounds, you should drink about 75 ounces of water a day.

Cross-Train If you build muscle strength while also using a cardio program, you are attacking your fitness from two different directions. Improved cardiovascular fitness burns fat, but also improves the flow of oxygen to your body. Muscle training builds muscles that burn more calories. By doing both, you improve your overall fitness.

Have fun with your workout. Don't just limit yourself to grueling away at the machines. Take yourself out doors, play, walk the dog or ride a bike. If you are enjoying yourself, you are ten times more likely to keep working out and reaping the benefits of fitness than if you are punishing yourself on the machines.

Learn more about Heather Long

Heather Long is 35 years old and currently lives in Wylie, Texas. She has been a freelance writer for six years. Her husband and she met while working together at America Online over ten years ago.

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