The Right Fitness Program

Should you lift weights or focus on cardio? Is a low-carb or low-fat diet the best option for your fitness goals? How many calories should you be eating in a day? These are vital questions, amongst others, that need to be answered in order to maximize your efforts both in the gym and in the kitchen. Getting in shape does not have to be a burden, and choosing the right fitness plan is actually much easier than you think.

When it comes to picking the proper nutrition plan for your fitness goals, the word “diet” needs to be tossed out the window. Diets do not work. Oftentimes diet plan are gimmicks, offering fantastic results with little effort on the dieters part. This is not reality, and if you pay attention, these diet plans come with a disclaimer saying the models results are not typical. Well guess what? With discipline and hard work, weight loss results are typical. Translation: discipline and hard work equals a lifestyle change, not a diet.

So with your lifestyle change, should you go low-carb or high-carb? Answer: It really doesn’t matter which route you take. Both nutrition plan work exceptionally well, but each has its own advantages and drawbacks. With a low-carb plan, weight loss generally comes faster because your glycogen stores are depleted more rapidly, and then the body shifts to body fat as its primary fuel source. On the down side, energy levels are generally lower, and low-carb plans can lead to mood swings and hunger pangs.

With a low-fat nutrition plan, weight loss comes slower since the body has an abundance of carbs for energy, keeping body fat as a secondary fuel source. On the positive side, energy levels are generally much higher due to the high-carb content. Mood swings and hunger pangs are generally not much of a problem, with carbs to keep you full and satiated.

For the exercise portion of your right fitness program, should you focus on cardio or weights? Well, cardio is great for burning fat right? Weight training just makes you big. False. Cardio is short for cardiovascular, and that means cardio training focuses on your cardiovascular system. Cardio burns calories, not necessarily from fat either. That will depend on the rest of your nutrition plan, as well as any additional supplements you may be taking. If your nutrition plan is not in order, you may end up burning off precious muscle mass, and we definitely don’t want to do that.

Weight training does not have to get you big either. That will also depend on your nutrition plan, as well as your genetics. Weight training helps to build muscle mass, and muscle burns calories making it easier to keep fat off. Training your muscles also increases their definition and strength, added bonuses for optimal health and wellness. By combining cardio with weight training, you are improving your body and health from a two-pronged attack.

The right fitness program is much easier to figure out than you think. With the proper mindset, as well as a solid nutrition plan combined with weight and cardio training, achieving the physique you’ve always wanted is well within your reach.