Published on 12, July, 2020
I am curious as to how other people stay fit and healthy on the forums.
My fitness levels are not great at the moment so I am thinking about what I can do to get back into a routine. My energy levels are very low so need to build something up gradually, but would like to get back into cycling again as I do miss it.
What about you? What is your approach to health and fitness?
I have found that routine is absolutely key, especially with some kind of external motivation, i.e. attending regular classes. I do yoga and always intend to get into a routine at home but if I don't attend a regular yoga class it just doesn't happen. Oh I'll do it tomorrow, oh a couple of days won't hurt, oh I can't fit it in today, etc. When I attend a weekly class I find that I am more motivated to keep practising a few times a week so that I don't fall behind in class.
Also I have to admit that the fitness app things have helped to keep me motivated too. I'm usually anti-tech for things but I started recording my steps over a year ago and have continued to monitor them. I also added other activity and now I have my own activity goals which I monitor.
I have cancer so I have to be careful with my energy, but then I also have to keep fit. So I think that has kept me motivated. If my activity levels drop I start to wonder whether it's an energy blip or whether it's the symptoms starting again. That gives me a blast of motivation because I don't want to feel ill again. If it's an energy blip then I should come through it and be able to increase my activity again.
Diet - I don't think there is a one size fits all. You have to go with your body. I am generally low carb but don't worry about fats as long as they are the right types of fat. Our body needs fat. Now the weather is a bit colder I have increased my carb intake as I can feel that I need the energy it provides at the moment. But I still keep plenty of fruit and veg in my diet. There's a lot of discussion about whether you should have fruit or not given that it has sugar in it but I do have 2-3 pieces of fruit a day and try to make sure that I have different types of fruit. I tend to have around 6-7 portions of veg a day, again trying to make sure it's a good mix of different types. Processed sugar is of course evil, but unfortunately does contribute to an occasional tasty treat (mmm fruit crumble).