Healthy Living tips for the New Year

Following last week’s breakdown on 2011 fitness trends, we close of this year with a few last fitness tips. This week’s healthy living provides some important considerations for your fitness plan for 2012 ranging from recording what you eat to what you choose to your selection in undergarment.

Karen Rosito, Nutritionist & Fitness Instructor

“I see a lot of people go to body 2000: “I went to body 2000 [for] three months and I lose the weight but I no keep it off.” Well why? Because you stop! Right now you can go to any of the gyms or walk Marleni because the mornings are very beautiful and you will not see a single person there only the real gym rats and the real gyms rats are the ones who look good forever.”

Marleni Cuellar, Reporting

We all know by now, one of the most vital aspects of your workout plan has got to be consistency.  Seasonal or off-and-on relationships with exercise & crash diets don’t provide results that last. This is why your choice of exercise is important. If gyms or intense workout routines are not for you, Fitness Instructor, Karen Rosito, recommends to keep it simple.

Karen Rosito

“The first you have to ask yourself what do I like? Do I like crowd? No. Do I like to dance? No. Am I of normal weight where I can be doing insanity, P90X? If all those are no, then start walking. I am a cyclist by nature, but lately I’ve been cross training—cycling some dance and walking 5K, 3.1 miles. But for a non-walker, it is some stress. You see me on the highway walking, but it burns a lot of calories because it stresses me out to walk.  But walking is the single most efficient way that every human being as long as you can walk. And if unfortunately you cannot walk, or wheelchair bound or you have a limb missing, you can get in your wheelchair and exercise.”

Karen Rosito

Walking is great for all ages and can be a starting point for people with lower levels of fitness. But, what’s the first step anyone should make before starting a workout program? Rosito says she can’t emphasize enough, the importance of a checkup.

Karen Rosito

“What I found out recently is that a lot of people for a lot of people because of stress and economy and everything else, their blood pressure levels are exceedingly high. Right now you can go to a doctor for a consult for $50 to any doctor. You can go to any NHI clinic for $25. What you call it is a preventative health check. What will they do? Check your pulse, check your pressure, check you breathing, and give you a mini blood test— you know if you are anemic, you don’t want to be walking, you feel dizzy and you fall down. They’ll give you what they call a clean bill of health. You can even do a cholesterol check; cholesterol levels will affect your ability to breathe…if you’re anemic. So it doesn’t costs fifty dollars at the private clinics, twenty-five at the public clinics; pick your time and go. But that is absolutely vital, essential and necessary. You have to take care of yourself, because you want to lose weight and die trying? It’s not like that.”

Other than getting your relevant health checks, another less mentioned priority in your work out plan is your undergarment. Proper protective gear is a must. This applies for both men and women.

Karen Rosito

“For the men make sure you have good support for your testicles. You don’t want to have them bouncing around and people need to take care. You can use a jock strap; you can use a nice tight brief boxer with your shorts. For ladies, comfortable pants; preferable with some Lycra that can stretch and an exercise bra; and I can’t say enough. It doesn’t matter if you’re small, if you’re large if you’re extra large, some of you out there need to wear two exercise bras to keep them in place because one – the actual trauma to the breast tissue and two – your back.”

Once you’ve gotten these areas cleared and your exercise routine has commenced, Rosito who’s also a nutritionist, says to be sure to keep track of what you eat.

Karen Rosito

“Firstly you have to realize that you weren’t born to be physically fit you have to work at it. You have to earn it. Secondly you get a diary and every day if you can record your day. Not like pages of information but what you ate and what you did. And everyday you try to do something even if it is cleaning your own house, even if it’s walking from here to the grocery store which is like from here to Save U, or taking a walk to the park because what you have to realize is that every day you eat and some days you overeat. And for those days you overeat you have to compensate by exercising. Now even though I am a fitness person, nutritionist and all that, if you look in my diary, I write it down so that I can go back and motivate myself.”

So whether in 2012, you choose to Zumba or to take regular walks as your health & fitness plan. Keep in mind these less mentioned but equally important fitness tips.