Simple Guidelines for a healthy balanced lifestyle

Introduction

In this post I’m going to cover some very easy implementable hacks to improve GPP (General Physical Preparedness), control fat gain, promote fat loss and maintain a reasonable level of physical strength.

Walking

Walking for health is quite possibly the most underrated form of exercise. Walking is an easily implemented method of light exercise that requires no equipment or special facilities to partake in. Walking is a low skill activity that burns calories and works lightly the muscles of the legs and the torso which will help to improve bone density, tone leg muscles and help to control fat gain by contributing towards achieving a calorie deficit. Walking will also improve heart health and mental health. When you walk your body releases endorphins which is a chemical that your body produces that makes you feel good (the same chemical that’s released when you eat chocolate, laugh and meditate). In summary, the vast majority of people will be able to benefit greatly from including some steady paced walking into your daily routine.

For those that would like to have a little more of a challenge, you could walk with a loaded rucksack. You can add resistance to the bag by adding household items, rocks wrapped an a towel, sand or purpose built weights. I would only recommend the you added a maximum of 20 %  of your bodyweight to the bag (start with 5% off your body weight or less) otherwise your walking gait will be compromised and excess pressure will be loaded to the spine (remember, this article is primarily about health). With 20% of additional load you will burn 20% more calories in the same time and distance so this little hack can be a good one if you have a goal calorie expenditure and limited time.

Resistance Training

If you can perform basic resistance exercises 1-3 times per week that target all of the larger groups of muscles (as well as the ligaments and tendons surrounding your joints) you can dramatically reduce your chance of injury.

Such basic movements include, push-ups, horizontal rows, walking lunges, squats, plank holds, and loaded carries (demonstrations of these exercises will be in following posts but can in the meantime be looked up online easily).

These movements can be performed for 3-5 sets of 8-15 repetitions. Never go to failure and always perform all exercises with good technique. 

Sports and Active Hobbies

Why not Start a sport or martial art as a hobby? This will both stimulate you mentally as well as physically and because you will be taking part in an activity that is of interest to you, you’ll be more likely to be consistent and do it long term. Consistency is the key to success in everything exercise and nutrition related and most things in life generally.

Nutrition/Diet Advice

Whilst there are quite literally hundreds of different nutritional methods that all work when you stick to them, I personally premote what I call the single ingredient method which I have found with my clients and my family to be the least complicated and most efficient method of eating a healthy balanced diet. It involves nothing in the extreme and everything within balance, so rest assured I won’t be advising for you to cut out all of your carbohydrates, I won’t be advising for you to only eat carbohydrates or only eat protein but rather a balanced plate of all of the above macronutrients. The general guidelines are that if you eat 90% single ingredient foods (for example a sweet potato has only one ingredient as does a chicken breast. Any vegetable, fruit, meat, root vegetable, fish etc has only one ingredient which is itself) you will be healthier that the majority of people that you know. Foods that do not classify as a single ingredient are are bread, processed meats pasta, biscuits, confectionery etc. These foods contain multiple ingredients and therefore would not fall within the 90% category. For the remaining 10% of your food intake I would split this into two categories at 5% each. The first 5% would be health-related processed foods (protein bars, sugar free snacks, cured meats, fish, fermented vegetables, alternative milk substitutes). The second 5% can be anything else that doesn’t fall within the first 2 categories because you can have everything in moderation but that includes moderation. If I told the vast majority of people reading this article that you could no longer have chocolate, alcohol, desert or any other luxury food/drink item the chances of long-term success would be very slim.

I hope that in this short guide will be helpful to you moving forward in your persuit of health. If you stick to the parameters detailed above you will be on the right track to being your healthiest self.

If you require any information regarding personal training, nutrition and lifestyle advice please do not hesitate to contact me through my Google page, Ben’s PT Essex.

Stay Strong and Stay Healthy,

Ben Cooper