There is no doubt that physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle are crucial parts of our lives, even if in many cases our busy schedules, and the fast pace of our daily lives, can negatively affect our fitness levels.
Sitting for long periods looking at social media or chat apps, as well as being stuck in traffic or being too tired or lazy to get engaged in physical activity, can all reduce the level of our physical fitness and affect our lifestyles.
Studies have indicated that including physical activity into your schedule can improve brain health, manage weight, reduce the risk of disease, strengthen bones and muscles, and improve your ability to do everyday activities. Adults who sit for less time and do moderate physical activity gain more health benefits compared to those who don’t.
According to fitness instructor Amani Ali, the good news is that more and more people are adapting a healthier lifestyle. Physical exercise and sports are becoming a significant part of our lives, with more people joining gyms and doing even the simplest form of physical activity, such as walking.
Furthermore, people who have injuries or are not able to do strength exercises are joining pilates and yoga classes, which are becoming more and more popular.
“Practising sports and eating healthy foods are two critical elements to enjoying a healthy lifestyle. Studies of mental health indicate that physical activity and practising sports are vital for mood and psychological health,” Ali said.
“We live our lives surrounded by stressors – tasks to do, deadlines to meet, goals to accomplish – and exercise is one of the main destressors.”
“There are three cornerstones of a healthy lifestyle: sleeping well, eating healthily, and doing physical exercise.”
“Many people disregard the importance of sleep, but we cannot lose weight, for example, if we are not sleeping properly. Good sleep helps your metabolism and gives your body a good amount of rest.”
“We also need to decrease screen time before we go to bed by at least two hours. Checking our phones or laptops before going to bed can negatively affect sleep,” Ali said.
Eating healthy food is also important for overall fitness, she said. “Protein intake is an important component of daily meals, and each kg of our weight needs two grams of protein. This means that if someone’s weight is 50 kg, he or she would need to eat 100 g of protein a day, which could be divided throughout the day into three or four meals,” Ali said.
“There isn’t really a fixed number of meals, as the number of meals is something that depends on one’s lifestyle. For example, a busy person could be eating twice a day, while someone else with a flexible schedule could be eating three. However, it is important that the meal includes the above-mentioned amount of protein, and a specific amount of carbohydrates and good fats.”
We should also be aware of the quality of the food we are consuming. For instance, a boiled egg at breakfast contains 10 g of protein. 100 g of cottage cheese contains 10 g of protein, also good for breakfast. Chicken breast contains from 20 to 24 g of protein, Greek yoghurt contains around 15 g, and spoonful of peanut butter contains four g of protein, and so on.
“If we are not able to include enough protein in our meals, we can use supplements called whey protein. Each scoop of this contains from 25 to 30 g of protein,” Ali said. “Protein is important to build our muscles, which is why it is advisable to take it after physical exercise.”
Carbohydrates are a main source of energy and must be included in daily meals. The daily amount of carbs should range between 225 and 325 g a day, according to US dietary guidelines. There is also fat consumption, with “good fat” being present in nuts, salmon, meat, dairy products, and vegetable oils. Nuts and seeds are also a source of the good fat that our body needs.
“We should aim to consume carbs prior to physical exercise. This helps us to train better because it gives us the energy we need. You could eat a small amount of carbohydrate, like a banana, an apple, or a bowl of oats, for example,” Ali said.
On physical exercise, Ali said that physical training is something relative to each person, according to his or her health condition and fitness level. However, there is always a template that can be followed.
The basic template of physical training says that exercise should include two main types of training. The first is strength exercises, which can be power lifting (lifting weights), functional training (like squats and shoulder presses) and CrossFit exercises. The second type is cardio training, which trains the muscle of the heart and regulates breathing and increases endurance levels. This can include running or cycling.
“Usually, we start with strength exercises followed by cardio training. But there is no rule because it depends on each person’s goal. It is also acceptable to start with cardio training followed by strength exercises,” Ali said.
“If my goal is to increase muscle mass, then I will start by strength training followed by a short session of cardio ranging from 10 to 20 minutes. If my goal is to increase my endurance level, like what triathletes aim for, then most of my physical exercise will be cardio.”
Each and every person can do his or her physical exercise to meet a distinct goal, whether it is to lose weight, to increase endurance, or to regulate breathing. “I would say that knowing your goal and setting out a plan to reach it is the main thing, but it is also important to get the help of a specialist, such as a personal trainer,” she said.
“Having a personal trainer means that an expert can help you through your plan. He or she has the information that can help you to reach the outcomes you desire from your exercise. He or she is also the one who can give you the push to continue and be consistent,” Ali said.
“Unfortunately, many people start their exercise on their own. They go to the gym and start to work out, but they don’t reach their desired goals. Having a plan set by an expert makes a big difference, as the trainer can put a person on the right track and help him or her to avoid injuries, which is also very important,” she concluded.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 13 July, 2023 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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