Living a healthy lifestyle is becoming physically fit and observing proper diet. We cannot possibly become healthy just by eating healthy food alone. On the other hand, one cannot also claim living a healthy lifestyle if little or almost no time at all is spent on some physical activities. A healthy lifestyle, therefore, is a good balance of both.
Saudi Arabia, like any other places in the world, is one country in which healthy lifestyle should continuously be encouraged. With people getting busier on their daily tasks, getting physically active and fit is almost or actually forgotten.
Much as you wanted to opt for a proper, nutritious diet to become healthy, you need to be just as serious in engaging into physical activities and workouts.
Mixing Workout and Training Programs
We are all capable of harboring fats inside our body. Inactive lifestyle and improper eating habits result to accumulation of fat in various areas such as thighs, abdomen, buttocks, and arms. Apart from the fat build-up, sedentary living can also cause a number of unwanted health risks such as obesity, diabetes, and even cancer. To give your body a chance to fight these issues, exercise and healthy diet should be regularly practiced.
People might think that there is only one kind of exercise, the sweaty exercise. However, an exercise should be composed of three training programs: cardiovascular training, resistance or strength training, and flexibility. Ideally, an exercise program should include these three workout regime in order to ensure a holistic and balanced workout.
Endurance Workouts
Cardio workouts are also known as endurance training. This type of training is conducted in order to strengthen the heart and lungs. Typically, it involves activities such as swimming, aerobics, walking, and running.
Resistance/ Strength Training
While cardio exercise focuses on the heart and lungs, resistance training is done in order to build up and toughen the muscle tissues. It also helps eliminate body fats stored in the body. Resistance training is synonymous to weight lifting as this type of exercise involves the use of resistance bands, dumbbells, and machines.
Flexibility
Stretching or flexibility training is less arduous than the first two exercise groups. More often, flexibility workout is done after the cardio and resistance training. It helps cool down the muscle and reduce the tension in your body after a hard workout. Activities such as yoga and Pilates are great in developing your body’s flexibility and promoting relaxation.
Reaping the Rewards of Being in Shape
Apart from keeping the body’s functionality and fitness, an active lifestyle and a healthy diet can decrease the possibilities of acquiring health problems such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and heart diseases. Moreover, they keep the body in tune through diligent burning of body fats and building of muscles.
Other benefits of incorporating exercise in one’s lifestyle include:
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- Reduce Stress and Depression – Having an active lifestyle reduces the body’s stress levels and eliminates depression. Since endorphins and other opioid peptides increase during workouts, depression and stress are gradually removed and an improvement in mood and self-esteem is observed.
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- Increased Metabolism – Since an active exercise requires energy, the body’s metabolism increases to sustain the needed energy. Also, workouts encourage the burning of excess fats in the body as well as building up of muscle tissues.
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- Improvement in Sleeping Patterns – Continuous exercise and development of a dynamic living habits help in maintaining a favorable sleeping routine. Moreover, it also aids in reducing sleep disorders such as insomnia and broken sleeping patterns.
- Increase in Brain Functionality – Exercise and constant workout ensure the efficient function of the brain. The constant circulation of oxygen rich-blood in the brain helps reduce brain-bound free radicals and improves cognition and mental awareness.
With all these benefits, who would not want to get active? Don’t worry if you have spent five years of your life being a couch potato. Having an active and healthy lifestyle is never too late if you will start now.
Dr. Badr Al Shibani, fitness expert and entrepreneur, has over ten years of experience in health and wellness. He has received several diplomas in weight loss and fitness business management. Last year, he was chosen as one of the torchbearers in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games held in London. In 2001, he established Kai Fitness Center in Jeddah to help more people cultivate a healthy lifestyle. He has written hundreds of articles and conducted numerous workshops on the subject of health and fitness. Currently, he is actively promoting sports in school to help students become active and keep from being obese. Dr. Alshibani is the founder and CEO of Wazen Fitness Solutions and Hadath PR based in Saudi Arabia.