You may have heard of research to show this Exercise will help you work better under stress. This shows that you will train at moderate intensity for 20 minutes Elevate your mood for up to 12 hours. That shows movement increases the production of a protein that supports the function, growth and survival of brain cells.
You may even have heard of one A 30-year Harvard study that shows exercise is one of the five daily habits that not only can add 12-14 years to your lifespan. but can also cut your Alzheimer’s risk in half.
The problem is, you hear about a lot of other things. Paleo diets. Keto diets. Mediterranean diets. Low carb diets, high protein diets, low fat diets. Intermittent fasting. HIIT workouts. Isometry. Plyometry. Strength training. Cardio training. Tabata.
Since the possibilities seem endless, it seems impossible to figure out what to do.
As well as finding the time to eat healthier and get fitter.
As with most things, it comes down to getting and staying healthier and fitter over the long term by following a handful of core principles.
Follow these instructions, and then you can store the failed material:
Drink a glass of water before every meal.
We all need to drink more water. Even mild cases of dehydration can make you feel more gloomy and pessimistic, possibly because certain neurons detect dehydration and alert areas of the brain that are affecting your mood.
But instead of trying to drink 10 glasses of water a day, just drink a glass before each meal. It’s an easy way to increase your intake.
Plus, there’s a side effect of trying to manage your weight: if you drink about 20 minutes before you eat, you’ll feel a little more full when you sit down to eat – and you won’t be as tempted to eat past the point of hunger out.
To lose weight, you consume fewer calories than you burn.
Some calories are better for you than others. Everyone has a different metabolic rate. Some people have medical conditions that make losing weight very, very difficult.
But for the vast majority, losing weight comes down to getting fewer calories than you burn. You can go on an ice-cream diet … and as long as you are consuming fewer calories than you are burning you may not be particularly healthy, but you will lose weight.
Still, this weight loss may not occur as quickly as you would like. Even if you follow an extremely strict calorie reduction plan, you may not lose much weight in days.
This is because a sharp cut in calories triggers more cortisol to be released, which usually increases the amount of fluids you hold back: as you lose fat, you also retain more water.
But after a while it all shakes off by itself, which is why some people suddenly lose several pounds over the course of a few days.
So if you want to lose four pounds in a month, you need to burn 500 more calories per day than you are consuming. (In general, 3,500 is equal to a pound.)
You can do this by eating 500 fewer calories than normal, or burning 500 more calories than normal, or a combination of both. Either way, do this for a month and you will lose four pounds.
If you haven’t lost four pounds, it means that you have either under counted the amount of calories you consumed or over counted the amount of extra calories you burned.
When you find that whatever diet you follow, you are not losing weight, you need to eat a little less and exercise a little more. It really is that simple.
You will not find a single scientific study that proves otherwise.
To eat healthy, shoot for 80/20.
From a nutritional point of view, it may be possible to develop the perfect diet.
But who wants to spend the rest of their life eating like this?
An occasional slice of pizza won’t kill you. Or an occasional piece of cake. Or an occasional fraudulent meal.
If your doctor – rather than marketing a trending new diet – says otherwise, when 80 percent of your diet is healthy – vegetables, fruits, low-fat proteins, whole grains, etc. – you are fine.
And since you don’t feel like a slave to your eating plan, you’re much more likely to eat healthier in the long run.
Which is what is really important.
Do some cardio …
Cardio exercise can improve your aerobic capacity, lower your blood pressure, lower your body fat …
After just 20 minutes of aerobics at low to medium intensity, you will feel less tired and more energetic. (And if you do it first thing in the morning, this exercise will improve your mood and reduce your stress levels for the next 12 hours.)
Problem is: how much cardio exercise is enough?
Good question. Some studies recommend up to 300 minutes per week of moderate cardio. At the other end of the spectrum, a study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise shows that one 23-minute HIIT session per week is almost as effective as three 23-minute sessions per week.
So it all depends on where you start. And your future goals.
If you’re starting from scratch and want to get fitter, doing moderate to slightly vigorous 15 minutes – meaning you can’t have a conversation while exercising – is fantastic, three times a week. (In my experience, people who can exercise and talk are either incredibly fit … or they don’t work hard enough.)
The type of exercise you choose is up to you. While some forms of cardio are “better” than others, the best type of cardio is the one you like well enough – either because you “enjoy” it or because it works so well – that you can stick with it.
Because “optimal” doesn’t matter if you never do.
And do some strength training.
Better muscle strength and tone protect your joints from injury. Helps you maintain flexibility and balance. Boosts metabolism. Can help reduce or prevent cognitive decline.
It also makes you look better, which usually means that you feel better – especially about yourself.
You can use weights. You can do body weight exercises. Shoot, you can only do the big four: pushups, pullups, squats, and deadlifts.
If you’re just starting out, three times a week is enough. And if you don’t get a lot of rest between sets – which gives the workout a little cardiovascular bounce – 20 minutes or so can be enough, especially at the beginning. That’s enough for 10 or 12 sentences.
But no matter which training you choose, whether cardio or resistance, and which diet you choose …
Stick to it for at least two weeks.
Yes, two weeks. No matter what.
Why? First, you can do anything for two weeks. (If you can’t, you clearly chose a destination that doesn’t mean enough to you.)
More importantly, after two weeks you will have some success. The improvement. From returning to exertion.
In short, whatever you decide you’ve given a chance to actually work – at least a little.
So keep your head down, don’t focus on the results – because there will be no results in the first few days – and stick to the plan. Don’t think about the next week. Or next month. Focus on today every day for two weeks.
By the end of the second week you have solved the problems. You have a better feel for the exercises. You will have a better feel for meal preparation. You will be better not only in terms of results but also in terms of the process.
That gives you the motivation to move on – instead of starting over by switching to another shiny new diet or fitness routine that will grab your attention.
Because, as with most things, the process is important.
But consistency is most important.
The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.
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