MORE TO IT THAN YOU THINK…
Did you know that despite all of the taste buds you have on your tongue, that you get the majority of the sensuousness of food from your other senses? For example smell is said to account for at least 70% of flavour and even sound has an influence. Apparently there was a study done where people listened to others eating crisps and rated the crisps on how crunchy they were – sounds torturous.
Taste isn’t the only thing that can be deceiving when it comes to what’s involved in the process. Getting fit and healthy can involve more aspects than people initially think – which is often eating a bit less and going to a gym to have someone shout at them.
This means things like the following tend to be overlooked:
1. PREPARATION: This isn’t showing up for a warm up, doing a few stretches and then getting stuck in. It includes everything from having your gym gear ready the night before a morning session. It means eating the right foods pre workout. It consists of getting your head and attitude right as you get ready to exercise and not having your head up your derriere until you are working it with some hip raises at the end of your workout.
2. STRUCTURE: Do you just jump on a treadmill or use whatever piece of equipment is free (or the one you like best!?). While some exercises better than none, if you are just walking into the gym and going through the motions and picking workouts/exercises at random, you’re not maximising your training time.
3. ENJOYMENT: We have said this time and again and will continue to say it time and again. You need to enjoy your fitness/health regime on some level. Otherwise you’ll just not stick with it. Some ways to enjoy your training include getting a partner/partners you enjoy working out with, finding a method of exercise that you enjoy and linking your health regime to the results that you want.
4. FOCUS: So you’ve gotten to the gym, done your prep, are enjoying the craic and doing it consistently. Now you’ve got to focus on the exercises themselves. Put the intensity into them, focus on the muscles that you are working (in your well thought out program!) and forget about things like your mobile phone and work calls for the time you’ve invested into becoming fitter and healthier.
5. RECOVERY: This is just as important as the workouts you do and again can incorporate a number of different aspects. Such as post workout nutrition, your sleep, managing stress levels, hydration, overall nutrition etc. Don’t be one of those people who goes to the gym and then stops for a take away every evening on the way home while neglecting your sleep at the same time!
So you may look at the above and feel overwhelmed because there is so much to a good health regime. But there is good news in that – if you are just starting out there are plenty of things to work on. So pick out one or two areas (such as a regular training regime and keeping a food diary), improve on them and then build from there.
Because building a fit, healthy body will be a much sweeter tasting than anything your smell can help you taste!!
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