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By David Allen, Resident When you work out, especially if you are just beginning or starting over, don't look around the gym and compare yourself to anyone else. What condition do you think you are in, physically and mentally, and where do you want to be? Have you had a complete physical lately? If so, do you have any limitations? Limitations are often good. They tell us where to set boundaries and how we should tailor our workouts. Concentrate on your workout as you work out. Don't just go through the motions. Your focus will greatly improve your results. Create a habit. Set time aside daily for your workouts. The five major components to physical fitness, (not necessarily in this order) are: drinking water, sleep, cardio/aerobics, weight training ( including flexibility & balance) and diet. 1. Water: Drink water: not coffee, soda or juice…WATER! Now, how much? The optimum would be to take your body weight, divide it in half, and drink that number in ounces. For example: If you weigh 150 lbs. divide that number in half, (75), and drink 75 ounces of water a day. This is a goal. If this seems difficult, work your way toward it. Another way to judge your water intake is (this may sound funny), what color is your urine? Does it have much of an odor? The more water you drink the lighter yellow your urine will be and the less odor it will have. Start your day by drinking water before you eat breakfast. Your goal is 16 oz. Again, if that is too much, drink 8 oz. before you eat. It gets water in your system and reduces your hunger. 2. Sleep: As you work out, your body is going to need time to rebuild and recover itself. It is recommended by the Center for Disease Control that the "average" adult needs seven hours of sleep a day. If you eat and drink before bedtime it can affect the quality of sleep. 3. Cardio/aerobics: Once you are ready to walk or run on a treadmill, on a track or the sidewalk, you will want to find the cardio range of heart beats per minute that is best for your level of physical fitness. Then you will want to work up to staying in that range for at least 20 minutes, three times per week. Keep in mind that this is a goal to work toward. 4. Weight training including flexibility and balance: These three items have many variables. The good news is you can start by using just arm and leg movement. It can be accomplished in a chair, in bed or in a pool. The Solera Diamond Valley facility is well equipped for the beginner to the advanced weight trainer. 5. Diet: Diet is the single most important part of physical fitness. The old saying, "you are what you eat" is very true. When you eat throughout the day is also very important. Diet plays a roll in the other 4 areas mentioned above. Your entire body functions on what you eat. Your diet should be determined by your physical fitness needs. You should consult your doctor, nutritionist or other professional to determine a proper diet specifically for you. Discipline. I read a definition of discipline years ago that stuck with me: Discipline = a desired result. As a child, I thought that if I was disciplined, I was in trouble. However, now as an adult, I look back on life and realize that everything I accomplished, I had to be disciplined to. Physical fitness is no different. For some of us, physical fitness will be a lifestyle change. However, it is or will be a very positive change. Let's get DISCIPLINED! Five Keys to Successful Workouts 10 SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | MARCH 2020