Fitness Is Only A Piece Of The Puzzle

As an avid gym goer, I’m sure there are elements of coming in to see us, going to the pool for a swim or meeting a friend for a run which you absolutely love and really find effortless.

Equally there are parts which can be a real struggle to keep up at the same pace – usually clean eating, finding time to rest and stretching.

It’s really key to remember that ‘fitness’ is just one piece of the puzzle.

When it comes down to the real reason most of us are members of a gym, I think it’s to be able to lead a more active life outside it.

Some areas to take just as seriously as coming and lifting weights or going for a cardio blast include:

SLEEP HYGIENE

Going to sleep AND waking at a similar time each day has been shown to help regulate hormones. The quality of your sleep will really be hindered by blue light before bed – blue light comes from any kind of screen be it TV, tablets or mobile phones.

LIMIT/REGULATE STRESS

Stress can be a difficult one to avoid – however, that’s not an excuse just to accept that stress is some normal weight we have to carry around with us from one day to the next. It can be as simple as taking five minutes for yourself in the morning in the shower with your favourite song or a weekly trip to the sauna in order to really detach from the outside world.

HYDRATION

Remember that drinking one bottle of water when you come to the gym doesn’t keep you hydrated for the other 23 hours. Being even slightly dehydrated can cause a build-up of toxins due to lack of excretion resulting in lack of concentration/mental clarity and a reduction in physical performance. So, swap the first coffee for a big fresh glass of water and feel the super-human effects.

As you can see there are some effective ways of boosting our health without having to go to extremes and take drastic action.

Plus, if your body is in better working order there’s a huge increase in energy and vitality in the long term. So not only will you feel the benefits within 2-3 days, but you’ll also keep feeling the benefits for decades to come.

The body wants to heal and run smoothly – don’t stand in its way.

To learn more about working with Brandon and the range of classes he leads, click here.