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The Body is Complex: Manage it with the 6 Tenets to Health & Fitness

Hey Trippers,

I have six important and effective tenets of good health.  The rules are in no particular order.  I guarantee if you do all six of these rules, you will not only be healthy but will also be built for the future.  You can pick and choose from the rules but you’ll find you won’t be at your optimum.  Do all six and in a matter of a few months you’ll be ready and in shape for meaningful travel.

Here are the 6 Tenets to worry free health and fitness (not in any particular order):

1. Don’t Smoke
2. Eat a Big Breakfast
3. Do Not Eat Anything Three Hours Before Bed
4. Eat Every Two or Three Hours Per Day
5. Drink Plenty of Fluids
6. Get 30 minutes Exercise Per Day

That’s it in a nutshell.  You can read the details in the previous posts.  Notice there’s nothing in there about Fat Free/Non Fat or Low Fat.  I don’t even mention the Big C – Calories.  There’s where your creativity comes in play.  The bottom Line to any weight lose program is “calories in and calories out”.  If you’re overweight, make adjustments to the amount of calories you take in during the 5 meals/snacks a day.  You can eat normal amounts to maintain.

Once you’ve adjusted to the program, you’ll find you eat less because your body will be having less appetite cravings.  And it will tell you when it’s hungry and ready for nutrients.

Next post I will mention a secret ingredient (recipe) that I have inserted in my program.  The Secret helps you with your cravings.  This Secret takes a little bit of preparation and dedication but is a health and fitness enhancement that will keep you even fitter as you follow the 6 Tenets to Health & Fitness.  It works and I’m proof of that.

Happy Tripping,

Carter

Hey Trippers,

I have six important and effective tenets of good health.  The rules are in no particular order.  I guarantee if you do all six of these rules, you will not only be healthy but will also be built for the future.  You can pick and choose from the rules but you’ll find you won’t be at your optimum.  Do all six and in a matter of a few months you’ll be ready and in shape for meaningful travel.

You may disagree but this final Fitness & Health Tenet is one you may be doing and not know it.  This makes it the easy one, doesn’t it?  Not quite. Chances are you’re doing it but not quite as effectively as you should be.  Fitness Tenet #6:

Get 30 Minutes Exercise everyday

A jogger taking a few minutes to get his 30 minutes of exercise per day

The reason I say that you are probably already doing tenet #6 is because you’re probably out and about walking and/or running;

• When you run to catch a bus (uphill would be best)

• Going upstairs (the taller the building the better)

• Walking your neighborhood (hills please)

• At the gym (pretty obvious, do cardio)

• Take the Bicycle out of storage and go for a short ride (include some incline

• Take the laundry off your treadmill and fire it up! (Put a TV in front of it if you need to)

Recent studies have shown some startling news – YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO THE 30 MINUTES OF EXERCISE PER DAY CONSECUTIVELY.  That’s right.  You can break it up throughout the day and get all the benefits.  Five minutes here, ten minutes there, and another 15 minutes over there – and you’re done for the day!  More details HERE.

Now, here’s the “not quite” part; you have to make sure you elevate your heart rate.  Your heart is a muscle and needs the exercise to keep it strong.  So, if you climb stairs, climb long ones and/or multiple floors, if you walk around your neighborhood, find a long, high hill, if you run, get your heart rate up.  If you work on the 15^th floor, take the stairs.  Burn the calories and get the heart rate up!

There was a disturbing article on the cover of TIME magazine that blared to the world that “exercise doesn’t make you thin”.   Glory Be!!!  The startling article was right; exercise alone will not make you thin.  As the study the article highlights shows; people who exercise regular tend to eat more calories than they burn, many times as a reward for putting in the effort.  Don’t fall into that pitfall.  Do tenet #4, eat regularly and make good choices.  Don’t reward yourself by eating a doughnut or muffin because you put your time into the treadmill that morning – eat it in conjunction with wise food choices – not in addition to.

For those of you who enjoy complexity, this well written, overwhelmingly full of information article may or may not help explain the complex dance that our bodies do with exercise, calorie burning, and eating – HERE.

It’s not enough to just keep busy, for good fitness & health you need to get that heart rate up, at least 30 minutes a day or more and at least 4 days or more a week.  Personally, during this phase of my life, I do this exercise program:

Monday – 3 minutes cardio warm up, 42 minutes of “core” and weight-resistant exercise focusing on upper body, stretching.

Tuesday – 3 minutes cardio warm up, 42 minutes of “core” and weight-resistant exercise focusing on lower body, stretching.

Wednesday – 40 minutes cardio, 10 minutes of stretching.

Thursday – 3 minutes cardio warm up, 42 minutes of “core” and weight-resistant exercise focusing on upper body, stretching.

Friday – 3 minutes cardio warm up, 42 minutes of “core” and weight-resistant exercise focusing on lower body, stretching.

Saturday – 40 minutes cardio, 10 minutes of stretching.

Sunday – Busy, busy, busy!  Doing, doing, doing!

If you have a program that works well for you, let me know and share it with the rest of us.  Look for a recap on the next post . . . . .

Remember, exercise alone won’t do it.  You need more.  That’s why I have the 6 tenets.  In my opinion, you need them all for success.  And I stand by my claim, if you do them all, you’ll never have to worry about your health & fitness. You’ll be just fine and conditioned for meaningful travel, exploring, and life.

Happy Tripping,

Carter