A To Z of Fitness - The Complete Guide To Fitness

A-stands for awareness.Go on a familiarization trip with your body. See if your body muscles are toned or rusting. Check if your heartbeat does not shoot up too much and too soon if you have to walk fast or climb stairs. Go for a thorough check up for the sake of your body. It also stands for aerobics, an activity that exercises your heart, lungs and blood vessels.

B-stands for balance, which you have to constantly strive to strike in life-be it your fitness regime or the food you eat, or even the quantum of time you set aside for yourself.

C- is for comfort levels, meaning the care you have to take to always cool down your body after workout by adding some stretches. C is also for consumption patterns. To effect that, you have to first find out how many calories your body requires for its daily functioning and stick to your nutritionist's advice. Overeating never solved any health-related problems.

D- is for dieting, which should be a complete no-no. Healthy eating and healthy living should be your motto. Because while dieting, you also lose muscle tissues besides fat. Regular exercise can do the trick better and smatter.

E- stands for the necessary equipment like cool and comfortable clothing to permit ventilation and unrestricted movement. Shoes with adequate cushioning to reduce the impact, and if possible, a friend to keep you company and motivate alongside.

F-is for frequency. Any workout should last at least 20 minutes, minimum three times a week. If you are into weight training and whole body workouts, plan them every alternate day to take complete rest the day after the workout.

G- is for the good night sleep that is sure to envelop you after you have had an energetic, active or a positive stress day.

H- is for high, also called runner's high that actually is the release of endorphin, secreted by the brain which gives you a natural high.

I- is for making an informed choice, i.e., choosing whatever suits you best. It makes little sense to force jogging on yourself if you are over 50 and have not exercised all your life. Start with walking and then switch over to brisk walking, gradually increasing the time span. A word of advice from your doctor before you embark on such regular activity would go a long way.

J- is for jerks. Totally avoid them during exercise as they put pressure on your joints. Any pain during a workout means your body is begging you to stop.

K- is for kingly posture. Wherever you are and whatever you do, remember the correct posture technique. Keep shoulder and hips square to each other, shoulder blades relaxed and abdomen tucked in tight.

L- points towards your legs. They follow the principle of direct proportion-the more you work on them the better they will get.

M- is for measurements. Don't be too swayed by the declining or rarely-budging trends of the weighing machine(it could also be mere fluid loss). What is important are your body measurements. For example, your WHR (waist to hip ratio). Divide your waist measurement at its narrowest with hips' measurement at their widest. If the ratio is more than 0.80 for men and 0.85 for women, it is time to re-work your fitness strategy. It would be wise to keep in mind that miracles donot happen in a jiffy. Only perseverence pays.

N- is for nature at its best. Foods closest to their natural form top the list of sensible in take.

O- is for overindulgence, which is obviously to be avoided if you are looking at a life full of fitness and fervour.

P- is for prevention of injury. Since following a fitness regimen amounts to hours of vigorous physical activity, make sure that an adequate warm up always precedes your workout. Also, P indicates an all-important phase in a woman's life -pregnancy -when you should work out only after a clean chit from your doctor.

Q-is for quacks, so stay away from them. Look for trained, qualified and experienced personnel to help you through your fitness programme. Fitness instructors are now a common and talked-about breed, who can ensure a decent commitment level if you so desire.

R- is for regularity. An absolute must for desired results.

S- is for strain. This is something you might be prone to if you donot warm up well enough, cool down or do simple stretches after every workout.

T- is for time-a minimum of 20 minute of aerobic workout each time you embark on such a programme. The best time of day is anytime that you can find uninterrupted. But remember to keep a gap of 2 hours between meals and your workout.

U- is for utility-utilize your energy and resources positively. It is also the urgency to get started.

V- is for vitality and vigour. Buzzwords in your personal directory of fitness and versatility-add variety to your workouts and eliminate drudgery and boredom. Keep the options open to switch the type of aerobic activity or with that of anaerobic type.

W- is for weight loss-not the only thing you should be looking for when you are on the road to fitness. It's also for water -drink it till it comes out of your ears. Sages of yore have wisely called it the elixir of life.
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X- is for the X-factor. Keep it in mind that different respond to different exercises differently and no two bodies are the same or can react to one exercise in the same way.

Y- is for the healthy years that add to your life when you exercise regularly.

Z- is for the zenith-the highest point in your life when there is an amalgamation of self discipline, spirit and the zest for living.