Great Overall Fitness Advice

Jack Lalane is one of the Greatest Fitness minds of the 20th Century.

My all time favorite fitness advice he gave was when he compared Fitness to being a Kingdom.

He said, as I paraphrase: If Fitness were a Kingdom, Nutrition would be King, Core Strength his Queen and Endurance and Cardio would make up the Princes and Princesses.

Nutrition is definitely the Building block of total Overall Fitness. You can work out and be in Shape, but not eat right, and it hinders your results. (Hence the whole "Fat But Fit" Title of this blog.) This is my greatest weakness. There are times when I work SO hard at my physical goals, but my nutrition and my workouts are working against one another. It's only when I am putting the right types, and portions of food into my body combined with the workouts, that I achieve my best results. It is a constant Battle. I tend to eat better throughout the day, on the days I work out, but tend to splurge, on either off days, or days when I did not make the time to exercise.

I've thought of a few key components to help with nutritional goals. It a simple plan that if followed even moderately, will lead to increased health, and overall better nutrition.

#1: Eat More Vegetables. (Specifically Dark Greens, Broccoli, spinach, asparagus, etc)

#2: Eat More Protein. (Not just more Red meat, but more overall Protein, Soy, Whey, Fish, tuna, Chicken, Nuts, shakes etc.)

#3: Drink More Water - It's natures perfect Flushing Liquid for our bodies.

Before I get to the final Step... let me just say that by eating MORE of these things... it leaves less room for the other crap we feed ourselves. It can work on two fronts... better overall Nutrition, and less Caloric intake.

#4: Limit or Substitute things that are white. White flour, breads, potatoes, rice, Sugar etc. (Milk does not apply here) Not saying you need to cut it out completely, but just limiting what you are bringing in, but even substituting for a better choice. (Brown rice, Sweet potatoes, wheat etc. ) there are always healthy tasty substitutes.

CORE Strength requires Core body workouts, Focusing on the Abdominals, Olbliques, Lower Back, Hipsa dn legs. most of the power we generate from our bdy in typical sporting events is generated by our CORE beginning in the Hips.butt, and then throughout the Body. the CORE is the foundation and the SUPPORT group of your Body.

Cardio and Endurance, like princess and prinncesses help sustain the Body in the future. You can be strong without endurance, but I'd like to see you apply that strength in real life situations, wtihout the endurance. you will fall behind, and fall short of those who may be physically less strong, but can sustain those muscles for a longer period of time. Think of it as having to Move a HUGE pile of Rock from one site to another. sure the Stronger man may be able to move larger boulders initially, but will soon tire ad be overcome with exhaution. While the one with Endurance may be initally moving less weight, but the pile wuickly erodes with constant effort.

I've been on both sides of this example, and have lived both examples... believe me when i say, I'd highly prefer being the 2nd guy...

I like to Add one thing to Mr Jack Lalanes analogy to the Kingdom.. .and that is What makes a Kingdom function and Great? It is the WORK done by the peasants and subject, the taxes they pay etc.

Create Goals and FOCUS.

Remember it's Consistency and Intensity of which you attack your goals that determines if and how soon you achieve them.

Again... Consistency and Intensity.

More on Goals and Intensity later.