The 7 Golden Rules of Fitness
The 7 golden rules of fitness
It's proven: staying fit will keep you healthy and help you live longer, regardless of your weight. Follow these seven golden rules of fitness to live your best life
By Erin Phelan
Regardless of their weight, fit people live longer, according to recent research from the American Medical Association. Yet we’re falling short of the fitness levels recommended in the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living, with only one-third of us getting enough exercise daily. So come on, Canada! Stop putting it off—and follow these fitness rules from Vancouver’s Geoff Bagshaw, a Can-Fit Pro-certified trainer who has been helping people get fit for 24 years. (Of course, check with your doctor before starting a fitness regimen.)
Fitness rule #1: Keep hydrated
Hydration affects energy levels and is essential to your workout performance. Why? Proper hydration regulates body temperature and heart rate. In one hour of exercise, you could lose more than a quart (1 L) of water, depending on exercise intensity and air temperature. Without enough water for the body to cool itself through perspiration, you could become dehydrated—you’ll lose energy, and your muscles may cramp.
The American Council on Exercise recommends drinking one cup (250 mL) of water 20 to 30 minutes before exercising. (Tip: If you work out first thing in the morning, keep a glass of water on your bedside table and drink it when the alarm goes off.) For every 15 minutes of exercise, drink an extra cup of fluids. The harder your workout, the more fluids you’ll need. Hydrate afterward to replenish the body, ideally having another cup of water within 30 minutes.
As for sports drinks, says Bagshaw, if you’re on a weight-loss program, the calories make your workout almost redundant. “They may help replace electrolytes if you’re exercising for a few hours, but most gym-goers don’t need them.”
Fitness rule #2: Eat before—and after
“Think of your
It's proven: staying fit will keep you healthy and help you live longer, regardless of your weight. Follow these seven golden rules of fitness to live your best life
By Erin Phelan
Regardless of their weight, fit people live longer, according to recent research from the American Medical Association. Yet we’re falling short of the fitness levels recommended in the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living, with only one-third of us getting enough exercise daily. So come on, Canada! Stop putting it off—and follow these fitness rules from Vancouver’s Geoff Bagshaw, a Can-Fit Pro-certified trainer who has been helping people get fit for 24 years. (Of course, check with your doctor before starting a fitness regimen.)
Fitness rule #1: Keep hydrated
Hydration affects energy levels and is essential to your workout performance. Why? Proper hydration regulates body temperature and heart rate. In one hour of exercise, you could lose more than a quart (1 L) of water, depending on exercise intensity and air temperature. Without enough water for the body to cool itself through perspiration, you could become dehydrated—you’ll lose energy, and your muscles may cramp.
The American Council on Exercise recommends drinking one cup (250 mL) of water 20 to 30 minutes before exercising. (Tip: If you work out first thing in the morning, keep a glass of water on your bedside table and drink it when the alarm goes off.) For every 15 minutes of exercise, drink an extra cup of fluids. The harder your workout, the more fluids you’ll need. Hydrate afterward to replenish the body, ideally having another cup of water within 30 minutes.
As for sports drinks, says Bagshaw, if you’re on a weight-loss program, the calories make your workout almost redundant. “They may help replace electrolytes if you’re exercising for a few hours, but most gym-goers don’t need them.”
Fitness rule #2: Eat before—and after
“Think of your