Healthy Diet Plans >> Articles >> Diet and Wellness

Diet and Fitness for a Long Life

Submitted by Sharon Hopkins on November 20, 2007

It is true that many people are becoming health conscious these days, but most of the individuals keep health and physical fitness as their last priority. In this fast changing world where there is no time for even gulping a meal, taking care of your health should become your topmost priority. As a physically fit person surely lives a long and happy life rather than the other counterpart.

Fitness just does not come only with diet or only with exercise. A combination of both is very necessary for a person to be physically fit.

A physically fit body learns on its own to deal with stress situations and keep diseases at bay. Simple activities like inculcating healthy eating habits, 35 minutes workout, maintaining personal hygiene would make you feel good and live longer.

Diet plays an important role along with exercise to remain fit.

A healthy diet should include at least 8-9 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables out of which one serving should be of green vegetables. Focus should be more on whole wheat flour, whole cereals, pulses and sprouts. Skimmed milk and milk products, lean meat, fish, poultry and eggs should be consumed in moderation.

Refined flour, processed foods, packed/canned foods, junk foods, cakes, pastries, sweets, chocolates, carbonated beverages, colas and sodas should be avoided as far as possible.

A daily exercise for 35-40 minutes helps to remain fit along with a balanced diet. Many people have loads of time to go out with friends, get glued to the television, or just chat over the phone, but when it comes to exercise they become too busy and come up with thousands of reason to avoid it.

Exercise helps to deal with depression, stress, anxiety, makes you more alert, sharp, increases your concentration power, and decreases your risk to various diseases like heart diseases, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure. Moreover it helps you to tone up your muscles and make you look young and smarter. If you cannot afford to go to a gym especially due to time or financial constrains, then just a simple continuous brisk walk for 35-40 minutes along with some stretching exercises or yoga would suffice the need. Always start with a 5 minutes warm up and end with a 5 minutes cool down instead of abruptly starting a physical activity. Yoga exercises could be done to increase your connection between mind and body and to feel more relaxed.

Physical fitness should be the mantra in this fast moving world to remain fit and live longer.