Ultimate Guide To Living Healthy

Check out these Fitness tips from our Guest Blogger Aylin from FFTraining

When it comes to losing weight people get so caught up in all the latest new crazes that they forget the simple truth.

Calories consumed vs calories expended.

If you consume more calories than you expend you’ll be in a surplus, hence overtime, you’ll gain weight and vice versa. Of course if you have an underlying health condition there may be more to it, but generally speaking, I look at calories in vs calories out.
Your calories will be broken down into 3 macronutrient groups.

1.Carbohydrates
2.Proteins
3. Fats.

To make things easier to understand let’s replace the word calories with the word energy.
Carbohydrates & Proteins will yield 4 energy units per 1 gram. So if a food item has 30g of carbohydrates or proteins, I know that’s 120 energy units.
Fats yield more than double that at 9 energy units per 1 gram. So if a food item has 30g of fats, I know that’s 270 energy units. The amount of calories your body will require is totally individual. It will be dependant on your total amount of muscle mass, total body weight and activity level.

If your goal is weight loss, try stick to these points:

Get more bang for your buck!! Eat more vegetables and salads. These are not only full of vital nutritients but the mass of these will fill your plate and your stomach.

Eat plenty of protein!! Get around 30grams of protein per meal. Protein is vital for muscle growth and it makes you feel fuller for longer. Win win !!

Weight loss is a journey!! The best weightloss plan is the one you follow. There's no point starting a plan that is too complicated or that you hate.

Balance is everything!! A balanced lifestyle that involves mainly good food, activity, rest, play & even a treat or two are what it takes to reach your goals.

Exercise is a reward not a punishment. Do not use exercise as a punishment, that approach only sends your brain negative signals. Find a style of training you enjoy and stick to it.

With so many training styles around, it can be a little confusing as to which is best. To be honest there is not one that is better than the other, they all have their place. Here is a brief rundown of the most popular.

HIIT

High Intensity Interval Training is basically performing exercise that gets your heart rate right up there! This style of training is very effective since it burns more calories in a shorter time. So its a very good choice for those that are time poor and just want to get it done!

WEIGHT TRAINING

Weight training is very important. When lifting weight with proper form you will gain strength, increase fitness and reshape your body !! Don’t worry ladies, lifting weight will not make you look like man, women are simply not created to build muscle like men. The amount of weight lifted will determine the repetition range which will in turn determine the results. Basically the heavier you lift the less repetitions you will be able to perform. Generally performing about 3-5 sets of 10-15 repetitions for each exercise will give you great results.

RUNNING

Running is great for a number of reasons. Its free, everyone can do it at their own pace, its a great calorie burner and you feel great afterwards. If you’re new to running I suggest you start small and slowly build up. Start with a 30second jog followed by a 60second walk. Repeat this for 20-25mins. Slowly progress by adding long jogging periods and deducting walking periods. Before you know it you’ll be running 5kms!!!

GROUP TRAINING

Group training is fun and helps to keep you accountable. This style of training is very popular not only because of the fantastic fitness benefits but also because of the social aspect. When joining a group be sure ask the coach if the classes are suitable for all fitness levels. A good coach will always be able to give you alternate exercises if you are having difficulty with a programmed exercise.