6 things about health and wellness you didn't know

We all want to get fit, its something that is in our waking lives everywhere. We see the adverts for fitness DVDs, programmes and Fitness Gyms on TV and radio. Every time you turn the page of a magazine there is a slim, trim young man or woman staring at you!

It can be really hard to know where to start but having an understanding of exactly what you want to achieve is really the best way to begin.

Now, once you have decided to take the plunge and get fit there are several important things you need to be aware of. Here I want to provide you with a sound knowledge of some of these important points to bear in mind before you commit to any gym, programme or regime.

1. Whatever you read or see about workouts designed for specifically men or women, they are pretty much a load of rubbish. What makes men and women different from one another is genetic make up and hormones. Other than this and some of the obvious differences, we are pretty much the same and whatever workout we do will have different effects on our bodies. If you are a woman and you weight train along side cardio fitness and a healthy diet you won’t end up looking like a muscular, vein throbbing man (unless you want to).

2. Find your motivation before you start. It is no good going out and buying all the best quality gear for getting fit if it just sits in your wardrobe and never sees the light of day. You have to find you reason for wanting to get fit, join a buddy group or get a friend who is just as keen. Having someone else to chime you along is a great motivational giver.

3. What you eat determines you physique. Well we should all know this by now really, if we have a diet rich in fat and sugar we are bound to have to lose more and work harder at getting fit. If you focus on having a healthy diet with plenty of lean meats, vegetables, fruit and some carbs you will find it far quicker to lose the excess and begin to see results.

4. Stay Hydrated –  you should be aiming to drink around 8 glasses of water every day in order to stay well hydrated. This will keep your body flushed of the build up of toxins and helps to keep your skin and hair healthy too.

5. Cardio, cardio, cardio – this is one of the most important areas of fitness training. If you want to maintain a well toned body you need to keep up a good cardio regime. Running is a great way to get in some cardio, also extended repetitions of skipping is a good way to get out of breath and work up a sweat.

6.  It is possible to over do it – remember that our bodies have a limit before we can take no more. For women it can actually be harmful to your fertile health if you over exercise. Some women experience a loss of regular menstrual cycle if they are exercising excessively. Find your perfect BMI and aim to get to that figure. Once you reach it tailor your workouts to ensure that you are keeping you fitness at the level you have reached and not losing too much weight.