The 6 Basics and Why You Need to Do Them Now
Sleep around 8 hours per night. The amount of restful sleep is different for everyone so 8 hours is a general recommendation. We’ve all experienced a sleepless night and we feel like garbage the next day. Just one night of suboptimal sleep can affect how we react, think, work, learn, and get along with others. Consistent, quality sleep helps us to function optimally by supporting each of our bodies systems. Lack of consistent, restful REM sleep can negatively affect your hormones, cardiovascular system, nervous system, metabolism, respiratory system, immune system, thinking and memory. This is why it’s so important.
Eat nutritious foods and eat them often. Food is fuel and better fuel helps the body run like it’s supposed to. You’ve heard “metabolism” one hundred times and why it’s so important to increase metabolism is to provide energy to your cells so your body can function. Check out our blog called “What Should I Eat?” for more info here.
Move your body regularly. Consistency does NOT equal frequency. Regularly may mean one time per week. That’s ok. We talk about the importance of strength training but that’s not the only form of movement. You don’t have to engage in formal fitness training sessions every day, but moving your body in a way that feels good to you every day is essential to optimal health.
Drink a ton of water. I know it makes you go to the bathroom a lot. The majority of our bodies are made up of water so hydrating often will ensure that everything runs smoothly. Water works in your body by regulating temperature, moistens tissues and joints, protects organs, carries nutrients to cells, and flushes out waste products. Your urine should be a pale yellow color like lemonade or straw in the morning. It can fluctuate during the day if you take vitamins or medications.
Manage Stress. We are encouraged all the time to reduce stress. But, what does that mean and what does it look like for me? Some stress is good stress. Our nervous system is designed to regulate stressors. Why chronic stress is so bad for us is because ongoing increased heart rate, blood pressure, stress hormones (which is what happens during a bout of stress) can take a toll on the body. More wear and tear over time, essentially.
Laugh and Find Joy. Does this sound like an Elizabeth Gilbert book, yet? The main reason we love owning a personal training gym is so we can connect. Scientifically, when we laugh or when we experience joy, our body chemistry changes. We FEEL this and it feels good.
