Rules of the Fitness Road

Rules of the Fitness Road

Being active brings about a different mindset than being the proverbial couch potato.You begin to look at what you consume in terms of food and beverages and how it will affect your workout. You know what goals you are aiming for, and you work toward them, taking care not to do more harm than good when you exercise. You gain a core of general knowledge about the human body, in particular about the musculoskeletal system and how it stores fuel and burns energy, and you get to know your own body in particular. You tap into resources such as those outlined in Chapter 4, “Using All the Help You Can Get,” you gain experience as an active person, and you build your own wisdom around it. This chapter is a handbook to some of the things you eventually would learn from other sources.
Myriad combinations of aerobic and strength training can make up the basis of a sound fitness program, but physiology and good sense dictate certain fundamental rules for all exercisers. It is important to fuel the body to be physically active.
Avoiding dehydration is crucial, no matter what mix of fitness activities you enjoy.Experts also agree that warming up, cooling down, and stretching are as important as the aerobic
and strength-training components.