A few lessons I have learnt

Over the years that I have been doing this whole fitness thing, there are quite a number of lessons that I have come to learn; here are some of them:

It doesn’t matter how far gone you think you are, you can always redeem yourself. Maybe you are the kind of person who runs out of breath after ascending a few flights of stairs or maybe when you step on the weighing scale, you realize that it just wasn’t meant for your weight category. It really does not matter how badly off you are; you have the power to turn it all around by the choices you make.

It’s never too late to start; this is closely related to the previous point. Here’s the thing, as long as you are breathing, you can always embark on the fitness journey. It doesn’t matter whether you are 50, 70 or even 80 you can take steps to improve your fitness and health in general. Maybe you think I’m exaggerating especially with that last figure, well I’m not. Fauja Singh also known as the ‘Turbaned Torpedo’ ran his first marathon at the age of 89 – yes you read that correctly – and continued participating in major events until the age of 102. He’s still alive and kicking and I believe that will continue to be the case for a while longer because of that one seemingly crazy decision he made when most people would be sitting back waiting for the grim reaper to come calling. So stop saying that you are too old simply because you recently retired; get out there and do something.

It’s going to suck sometimes; every fitness junkie out there who is honest enough will admit that there are those days when they just don’t feel like doing anything. And it may not just be one or two days; sometimes this feeling can last for weeks. You need to find strength from within to overcome this because if you succumb to it, you will have a very difficult time gathering enough will power to get back on track. This however does not mean that you should not take breaks from time to time, just make sure that you don’t go overboard.

Mix it up a little: I have said this before; it is important to cross-train otherwise the whole exercise routine will get very boring very fast. Don’t be afraid to try something new; if you are a runner, don’t dismiss cycling, swimming and lifting weights. As they say; variety is the spice of life; by mixing things up, your fitness journey will be more exciting and fruitful.

Food is good. This might offend some people but vegetarianism and restrictive diets suck. Yes I said it, I said it, I said it coz I caaaaan…sorry I was having a Bruno Mars moment. Seriously though, if you want to enjoy your fitness journey and life in general, you can’t place stiff restrictions on your diet. Of course this is not to say that you should eat hundreds of grams of meat, ice cream, fries etc every day of your life; moderation is the secret. This is my philosophy; you can eat whatever you want provided you burn it off later on. It might sound a bit controversial but it’s the truth.

Don’t be afraid to push. This is probably one of the most important fitness lessons I have learnt in the last five years. If you are currently running 20 KM or cycling 70 KM every week; make sure that three months down the line you are doing about 30KM and 120KM respectively. If you can bench a maximum of 80KG, try to work towards the 90KG mark within a month. It might hurt a little at first but eventually your body will adjust and you will have moved a step higher. Simply put, life is all about progress, if you are not making any then you are no better than that guy pushing daisies at the cemetery.

Important Nutrients you can’t afford to ignore

We all consume various foods and drinks every day. The question however is; are you getting some of the most important nutrients and minerals that your body needs in order to remain healthy. In this day and age, the answer to that question for most people is no and a very big one too. It is for this reason that I have decided to take all of you back to Biology class for a lesson in vital nutrients that your body needs.

Calcium

It is impossible to talk about the most important nutrients and minerals without touching on calcium. I am pretty sure you have been hearing about the importance of calcium ever since you were young. Calcium plays a major role in bone construction; in fact it’s primarily what your bones are made of. Without it therefore your entire skeletal structure will be compromised; this simply means that your bones will be more prone to breakage and more so as you age. Calcium also regulates blood pressure as well as facilitates muscle contraction. The recommended daily intake is 1000 milligrams. As you might be aware, dairy products like milk, yoghurt, cheese etc contain significant quantities of calcium. Bone soup, which happens to be a favourite for quite a number of Kenyans, is also laden with calcium.

 

Iron

Iron also features quite high up there in the list of most important nutrients and minerals. This particular mineral helps red blood cells carry oxygen to different parts of the body. If you don’t have enough of it therefore, the cells in your body will be denied sufficient oxygen supply and as a result you may end up suffering from chronic fatigue. Iron deficiency may also cause hair loss – something that I’m sure you wouldn’t want to happen to you anytime soon. The good news is that you can get iron from foods that are readily available including beef, pork, spinach and beans. An interesting fact for you: the average person has enough iron in their body to make a small nail.

 

Vitamin D

Just like calcium, vitamin D is necessary in maintaining strong bones. Without it actually, your body would have a hard time absorbing calcium. It also plays a major role in keeping your immune system strong and consequently preventing you from falling ill every other time. Vitamin D helps in warding off cancer, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis among other ailments. Simply, put, you can’t do without it. Now I am sure that you have ever been told that standing in the sun is the best way to get your daily dose of vitamin D. That is indeed true but it doesn’t mean that sunlight comes packed with vitamin D. What happens is that when energy from the sun hits your skin, it converts the cholesterol underneath it to vitamin D. Of course the process is a bit more complex than what the explanation suggests but hopefully you are now a bit wiser on the topic. Vitamin D is found in milk, fish oil and orange juice. 

 

Folic Acid

Contrary to what some people might think, folic acid is not just good for pregnant women. It is recommended that everyone consumes at least 400 micrograms of folic acid every day. It offers protection from cancer of the colon and heart disease. In pregnant women it reduces the chances of delivering babies with spinal and brain defects among others. Cereals and grain products are great sources of folic acid.

 

Magnesium

Also in the list of most important nutrients and minerals is magnesium. It helps maintain a balance of hormones in the body hence keeping at bay various unpleasant conditions such as migraines. Also, without magnesium, your muscles and nerves wouldn’t be able to function properly. Fish, oats and nuts will deliver magnesium to your body.