The Triangle Of Health

Summer is just around the corner and if you are looking to tone up now is the time to start. Abdominal crunches as illustrated are an effective exercise in strengthening your abdominal muscles, however, if you plan on losing a little fat around the waistline you need a combination of healthy eating, cardiovascular exercise and a strengthening program.

If you are trying to develop a healthy eating plan start by staying away from fad diets or fancy pills claiming to help you lose weight at a fast pace. If you lose more than one to three pounds a week it will usually be a very short-lived weight loss. Start by making small and healthy lifestyle changes that you will be able to maintain. You may start by reducing the fat in some of your foods that you eat regularly. For instance, if you eat toast with butter in the morning try replacing the butter with jam. Butter has approximately 11 grams of fat in one tablespoon where most jam has almost no fat. You can also lose weight by not over-eating in one sitting. Moderation is the single most important rule when it comes to a healthy eating plan. Remember that even low-fat foods can be turned to fat if the quantity is too high.

Cardiovascular exercise can help you get into shape because it helps to burn off some of those extra calories. There is no “best exercise” when it comes to cardiovascular fitness. You can choose from the stationary bike, treadmill, stairclimber or other pieces of indoor equipment or you can go hiking, walking or cycling or choose another outdoor activity. To get the best results perform any of these activities for 20-50 minutes 3-6 times each week. Do not overdo it when you do your cardio, you will get the best results if you keep your heart rate between 60%-80% of your maximum. You maximum heart rate can be determined by subtracting your age from 220.
The final component that will help you get in shape for summer is a balanced strengthening routine. This should include exercises for all the major muscle groups. This includes exercises for the legs, chest, back, and abdominal muscles. If you want to take it a step further you can add exercises for your arms, shoulders, and calves. You can get good results by performing you strengthening routine as little as two times each week. If you are a little more serious about gaining strength you can perform your routine up to five times each week. Your goals will dictate how many sets you should perform for each body part. If you are looking to tone up a little you may only do 2 sets for each body part, but if you are looking for a more advanced routine you may do up to nine sets for each major muscle group.

There you have it, what I like to call the “triangle of health.” The three components of the triangle are healthy eating, cardiovascular exercise, and a balanced strengthening program. This creates a strong triangle that will provide you with excellent health and fitness results. Beware, if you leave a component of the triangle out the triangle is incomplete and your results will be limited. Be sure to talk to your doctor before starting a fitness program.

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in Vancouver. For further information call his office at 604-420-7800.