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| The ideal body |
Of all the artists in all the world, Da Vinci has made his way into the modern media world in a million different ways and looks like he’s there to stay. I don’t actually have a problem with the guy, but did he really have to draw the Vitruvian man? As far as I am concerned, that drawing is single handedly responsible for starting the most widely spread internal conflict of all ages – that of self image. Well, that and Barbie. Have you ever actually seen a woman with Barbie proportions? Ingrid Bergman came close but it was a very “far away” close.
What is the ideal body?
Da Vinci’s Vitruvian man was just the poor guy’s attempt to understand the proportion of the human body. He certainly wasn’t trying to set a standard of physical perfection for all mankind to aspire to. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what’s happened. We all struggle to achieve a self image which is the result of a million different images poured into our poor unsuspecting brains by the full force of today’s social media. Well, I say fight back! Don’t be what ‘they’ think you should be. Change your mindset – change your body and do it your own way.
The ideal body is simply one that doesn’t give up on you. No creaks and cranks. No aches and pains. Your body is NOT a temple. It’s a machine. Want to make it a lean, mean, fighting machine? Here’s how.
The Control Panel
Your brain is your worst enemy. It keeps sending the wrong signals. Makes excuses for eating that last doughnut or not going to the gym. So that’s the first thing we’re going to program.
- Resolutions are no good. They’re always for some future point in time that somehow slips further and further away. Start now. Get up from your couch or bed or wherever you’re reading this and do 5 squats. You might not burn away all your fat but it’s your first step forward in ignoring those brain signals!
- Every night before you go to bed tell yourself this is something you are going to do for the rest of your life. You’re not looking for a one time crash weight loss. You’re making a conscious decision to work for a better and healthier body. Since you need that body to work for the rest of your life, you need to work at making it better every day.
Starting up
- Buy a bathroom scale and a measuring tape if you don’t have them already. Keep a diary and measure yourself once a week. That way you’ll know what’s working for you and what’s not.
- Be realistic. Crash diets only work up to a point and you’re not training to be the next Arnold. Keep your goals simple. Start with ten minutes a day and add five minutes every week. The target is 45 minutes. The slow build up means you won’t tire up and come on… anyone can start with ten minutes!
Fuel
There are some very simple steps you can take to control your calorie intake and build up to a healthy diet without feeling like you’re on a diet.
- NEVER skip breakfast.
- Avoid sandwiches. Anything that goes in a sandwich can be turned into a salad as well.
- Eat lean proteins like chicken and fish.
- Add one more serving of fruits and veggies to your diet every day, starting today.
- If you have to have carbs, stick to wholegrain.
- Avoid carbs at least 3 hours before bedtime.
Most importantly, remember to treat yourself! It’s okay to have an occasional candy bar or a slice of cake. Life’s too short to drool over little things.
The Program
Crunches and squats are great but what you really need is to burn, baby, and burn! And you burn fuel by doing cardio. The easiest and best cardio is to walk. Then switch to running. If you feel like going further invest in a stair master or elliptical trainer.
Cardio improves your overall health, helps you lose weight and builds up your stamina. Once you have a good cardio program going, add on some strengthening and toning exercises. Here’s a simple routine for you to start up with. You can start with one rep and build up at your own pace.
Cardio improves your overall health, helps you lose weight and builds up your stamina. Once you have a good cardio program going, add on some strengthening and toning exercises. Here’s a simple routine for you to start up with. You can start with one rep and build up at your own pace.
- 15 squats.
- 10 lunges.
- 10 burpees.
- 10 pushups.
- 10 sit and dips.
- 10 leg lifts.
- 50 crunches.
Drive on!
The toughest part of any diet or exercise program is to stay motivated and NOT GIVE UP.
- Find a workout buddy. Not to compare with, but just so your workout time is also fun hangout time.
- Try different routines. Buy DVDs, find routines online. Its okay to pick a favourite but changing routines from time to time will keep you from getting bored.
- Keep looking at your diary. If you are consistent and persistent, you will see a change. Even a small change will keep you going.
Author Biography:
Ali Jan Qadir is passionate about art, food and fitness. He loves to shares things he has learned by experience. He is a contributor for http://www.thebest-mattress.org where he answers questions like the best memory foams in the market. If you want to learn more about him visit his twitter profile @alijanness.
Ali Jan Qadir is passionate about art, food and fitness. He loves to shares things he has learned by experience. He is a contributor for http://www.thebest-mattress.org where he answers questions like the best memory foams in the market. If you want to learn more about him visit his twitter profile @alijanness.
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