Six Easy Changes with Big Fitness Impacts

Fitness can be tough to achieve, and many people think that you must make drastic changes in order to see results from your fitness program. The truth is that you don't have to radically alter your lifestyle to see a change in your weight or health; sometimes a simple change can have a big impact! Here are some simple tips that can make a big difference in your own health! 1. Can the soda. This one is tough for me personally, but its results can be amazing! Eliminating (or at least reducing) the amount of soda or pop you drink can make an enormous difference in your waistline in just a week! Sodas are full of sugar and calories, and are practically worthless nutritionally. Drinking more than one a day adds some serious calories to your daily intake, and can result in multiple pounds on your body. Cutting out your daily soda saves you more than 87,000 calories over a year's time - that's equal to over twenty-five pounds! Try a simple experiment: do not drink soda for one week (7 days) and weigh yourself at the beginning and end of the week. You'll be surprised at the change you can see and feel. 2. Add more fiber to your diet. Fiber in your diet fills you up faster and actually expands in your stomach to literally fill the empty space far better than other kinds of food. Eating plenty of fiber will keep your appetite under control as well as maintaining a healthy GI tract at the same time. A variety of vegetables and breads are good sources of fiber, so there are many options to choose from. 3. Get more sleep. Despite eight hours remaining the gold standard for sleeping hours, few adults actually sleep that much during the night; most average around five or six hours. The lack of sleep doesn't just make you drowsy during the day; it can also make you prone to cravings, irritable, and even cause you to gain weight. Studies have shown that failure to get adequate sleep suppresses the production of leptin, a peptide that tells the body to burn calories. Getting just another hour of sleep helps correct sleep debt and can make you feel better almost instantly. 4. Drink plenty of water... Your body is more than half water, so replenish it! Water is one of the most powerful allies in the battle against excess weight. When you are dehydrated, your body sends signals to the brain that get misinterpreted as hunger pangs. Drinking enough water throughout the day keeps you satisfied and can ward off unpleasant issues like decreased energy, constipation and slowed mental reactions. A good general guideline is to drink eight 8-oz. glasses of water throughout the day, but pay attention to your body's needs. Drink more water if you feel your body needs it. 5. ...Eat your calories. Don't allow yourself to be fooled into drinking your daily calories through soda, beer and wine. These beverages rack up the calories in a fast and furious way, and are full of sugars that make you crave even more. Satisfy your hunger and the emotional need to eat by choosing nutrient-rich food with a minimum of preservatives and you'll save yourself from empty calories. 6. Take 10,000 steps every day. Recent studies show that most people estimate their number of steps per day to be ten thousand or more. In actuality, that number is more likely in the 3,000 - 4,000 range. Challenge yourself by buying a pedometer and wearing during an average day. Check the total number of steps at the end of the day - anything less than 5,000 needs improvement! Ten thousand steps are roughly equal to four miles of walking. Make it your goal to take ten thousand steps every day and keep working until you get there. This simple change can help you burn calories and fat as you take care of everyday chores, so keep stepping and watch your pedometer count up those steps! Consider taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or walking to lunch instead of driving to add more steps to your day. Trying these very basic changes that won't cost you a lot of time, effort or money, but they can give you noticeable results in a short period of time. Incorporate these changes with your daily exercise program and give the new you a smile in the mirror! ----------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Copyright 2005, easyfitnessinfo.com. All rights reserved. Always consult your physician before beginning any exercise or fitness program. This article may be freely distributed as long as it is not edited in any way.