[TheChosen1]

1. Watch the Sugar

Often people think by drinking fruit juices or
eating low-fat fruit roll-ups and such, they are
cutting out or eliminating sugar. The fact is
that some fruit juices have more sugar than a soda.
Reduction of sugar is important to good health;
therefore always check out the sugar content of
anything you put in your mouth, even if it appears
to be healthy.

2. Throw out the Scales

If you have bathroom scales, you should either get
rid of them or put them away for a while. Weight
does not accurately reflect the level of your
fitness. If you should be measuring anything, it
should be body fat, not the weight.

3. Tight Muscles

In addition to a good aerobic exercise, you should
add weight training in, which will help balance out
the fitness routine and provide you with the best
results. If you are not sure where to start, a
professional trainer can help get you started on a
healthy program.

4. Running in the Sand

If you live in a geographical area, where you have
the luxury of sandy beaches, and if you are in the
process of rehabilitating your knees, ankles, and
even some injuries to the back, you should avoid
running in the sand during this time. The reason
is that running on sand actually produces greater
force on the joints.

5. Increased Protein

Many diets of today’s society pull you back and
forth, one telling you to eat more protein, and one
less. The fact is that if you are not exercising as
much as you used to or if you are exercising heavily,
your body could in fact need more protein than what
the RDA recommends.

The good balance for either scenario is 30% to 50%
carbohydrates, 20% to 30% protein and 20% or 30% from
fat. If you stick with this equation, you will
benefit.

6. Be Realistic

It would be great to be able to jump right into a
hard workout, feel great, and see instant results.

However, it is important to be realistic about several
things. First, you need to understand that you more
than likely will not (or should not) start out with a
hard workout if you have not been in a regular
exercise routine. Start out slow and do not set
yourself up for failure by expecting miracles overnight.

Getting fit takes time and with commitment, you will
reach your goals.

7. Track Progress

Often when trying to get in shape, it seems like you
are working hard and sweating, but getting nowhere.
In actuality, things are happening, just not yet seen.

Keep track of two things in particular. First, track
your measurements. You will probably be surprised
within only a few weeks at the progress made. Second,
track your routines so you can determine what is
working for you and what is not as successful.

You can use anything from a plain notebook to a PDA...
it doesn’t matter what you use... just keep track!
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credit: trulyhuge.com

[msclbldrguy]

great advice....if more followed these guidelines there would be fewer people giving up on their way to fitness....