Staying in shape

           Hey guys and welcome to my fifth blog post. This post officially marks the halfway point of my blog. This one will be all about how to get in good shape. Now before we start I need to make something very clear: you should not be trying to get in shape for anybody other than yourself. Your mentality should not be based on other people's opinion.

Staying fit tends to be a big cause of stress in the daily life of a teenager. Whether it be they want to lose weight to look good and fit into a certain bathing suit during the summer, they want to improve in physical education classes or they simply want to see physical improvement in their body. Now I'm going to talk about the two big components that affect your health and shape:

1. Exercise
2. Healthy eating habits

So first things first: exercise. Many people think this  to be a hard and daunting task but I personally things it's the better component of the two. Staying physically active will result in quicker building and toning of muscles in the body. Also it helps improve the mood and energy levels in teens due to the fact that it stimulates the body to release more endorphins into the bloodstream. So basically, exercise improves not only physical health, but also mental health.

Now there are many different types of exercise such as strength training with weights or aerobic exercise seen while playing a sport like basketball or hockey. I personally have participated and continue to participate on a daily basis with both of these types of exercise due to the fact that I play on a competitive soccer team and as a team we do crossfit training at a gym. Also taking part in a school gym class is a great way to stay motivated on the daily to do physical exercise.

Alright so you're probably thinking "get on with it and just tell me what exercises I can do", well that's what I'll do right now. There's so many possible workouts to fit everybody's specific requirements but my personal workout is the following:

1. Stretch: This step is very often forgotten about but it's the most important. Take 10 to 15 minutes before your workout to stretch everything out properly and try and avoid injuries.
2. 10 to 15 minute run: Ok so I know most who just read this step will want to quit right away (and believe me I would too) but cardio is super important and necessary. It builds endurance and is the easiest way to lose fat allowing your muscles to look much more defined.
3. 45 minutes to an hour of workout: There are many different approaches you could take for your workouts. You could work a different part of your body depending on the day of the week or you could just stick to full body workout session. My favourite way to make sure I'm getting an effective workout is to follow video like Insanity Asylum or following workout circuit that can be found only.
4. Stretch: Once again stretching is the best way to prevent injuries. I take a post workout stretch very seriously due to the fact that less than a year ago I got a small tear in my ACL and messed up my meniscus. My doctor told me that if I want to prevent it from getting worse or from doing it again, I need to make sure I stretch out properly and pan attention to how my muscles are feeling before and after a workout session.               

Now I need to talk about the second component of getting into shape: healthy eating habits. I'm not going to tell you that you need to go on a diet and purchase some protein powder for before and after your workouts because that would be idiotic. Teenagers do not need to spend all their money on expensive shakes and eating plans just to get into better shape. Their are much simpler, less expensive and ideal ways to eat healthier.

1. Get the nutrients your body needs: Many think that if they just don't eat or eat very little substance they will lose weight. Of course they're right because you aren't feeding your body but it is one of the most unhealthy things you could possibly do. Not eating I'll make you look more sickly then it will toned and fit. To ensure you get all the nutrients you need, I personally believe you should follow a health guide or talk to your doctor.
2. Drink water: Staying hydrated by drinking water is super important. Water allows detoxification in the body which means it get all the toxins out allowing more space for good nutriments. In general, you should aim to drink around 2 liters of water a day.
3. Listen to your body: It's great to have a daily routine eating schedule but some days you might be more or less hungry than others. It's really important to listen to the signs your body will show you.

                                   

On that note I would like to conclude this post. I hope these little tip have help you out. If you have any ideas for future topics or questions you would like advice for, please don't be shy and leave a comment containing what you would like me to discuss. If you would rather stay anonymous feel free to email me at allib.blogs@gmail.com and I'll answer your question while keeping your identity unknown to the rest of the readers.

The websites I used as inspiration for this post are:

• http://www.livestrong.com/article/476879-why-is-exercise-important-to-teenagers/
• http://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Healthy-Teen-Girl
• https://www.healthykids.nsw.gov.au/kids-teens/choose-water-as-a-drink-kids.aspx
• Family doctor, Family members and PE Teacher

Until next time...