Steve HowardOne of the first requests that came to the room or to the trainers in the gym was from people who want change. “And people are ready to make serious changes in their lives. The problem is that the changes for which we are training and for those who are training do not run in parallel, most of the time, in terms of time, “introduces Mikel Arce Zubeldia, a graduate of physical activity and sports sciences and a former coordinator of coaches Basque Country Spartan Race.
In general, “we like that the changes that we see and notice in our daily work. Usually, you don’t gain weight right away or lose weight suddenly. There is a process in which the energy you consume is more than the energy you spend, that is, you eat more than you should. And this, in the end, makes us overweight, although this is not greatly exaggerated, “says the sports expert.
Another point to keep in mind: “You should start building a house with good foundations, beams and floors, and strong walls, and then gradually decorate it when everything is done. It often seems that shakes or protein supplements are helping us far more than changing the healthy lifestyle habits we should all be leading. These bad habits are those that really need to be eradicated from our daily lives in order to achieve the desired body goal that is adequate to our emotional needs and daily life. ” This is emphasized by Arce.
The goal of protein intake is usually for the body to quickly recuperate and be toned in less time. But, according to the Physical Activity Science alumnus, “For that, you have to solve this, and for that you need time to exercise. Both have their own meaning, timing and the way you train. In our rapidly changing times, it is difficult for us to organize well and we have no excuse to go anywhere to train (street, gym, mountains …). It is important to make time, but we will only do it when it is a priority for us, and there is a reason why we should take it or borrow it. ”
Of course, then there is what we do in training. It is different to have a learning plan than to do what we can think of, what we see on the channel that day, what we want, and so on. According to Arce, “Good workout ensures that you don’t overwork your muscles day after day, and that you can maintain the good habits that you have developed over time. In addition, you will be able to calculate and see if you are on the right track or if you have to vary the training because you are not reaching the goal. We cannot get stuck on one goal for several months. Learning requires variety, but with supervision and guidance to follow. »
Sleep and diet
One of the first aspects to change is sleep hours. On average, each person needs about eight hours of sleep, with people needing more and others less. “Many of us stay up late and do not have adequate sleep time. You should know that the body “rebuilds” (regenerates) at night. It is there, in those hours, when he recovers from the efforts made during the day. If this time is not enough, we will recover a little less each day than necessary, and, in the end, I will not achieve my goal, ”recalls Arce.
At the same time, the fitness expert notes the importance of a balanced diet. You shouldn’t eat more food than you should, “because that’s when the needle on the scale starts to beep , which is something we don’t want to see. We must eat as much as we spend. For this, it is necessary to take into account what our body must spend on maintaining its functions, and then add additional functions: movement, thought, stress … “.
Taking this as a basis, says Arce, “we could come in to assess the quality of what we eat. Food should be as real as possible, as close as possible to what exists in nature, unprocessed. This will give the food more properties and make it easier to use all of its nutritional properties. In this way, we ensure that our body is well nourished for the needs it has. Sometimes these needs are not met with food, or we are in short supply, and now is the time to take protein or help. ”
Basic life habits to recover from exercise
“With a well-planned workout, we will break muscle fibers in a controlled manner that will need to be rearranged. This may be a reason for taking protein, but before you do, you need to make sure you have good lifestyle habits, ”says Arce, listing the following:
- Get enough sleep because it’s time to recover.
- Complete appropriate training, which is planned and ongoing.
- Eat food as real as possible and give us the energy we need.
After the above points have been completed, it is time to move on to the next level, which will be more challenging and may need more help.
Finally, a sports expert takes the opportunity to share some myths:
- The belly will show when I remove fat from myself, not when I do 20,000 abdominals.
- Know that 1 kg of muscle / muscle mass or 1 kg of fat weighs the same, but does not occupy the same. We can see the same figure at scale and differ in shape.
- Not to make more money, it might even be counterproductive. “Robocop doesn’t move well and won’t be able to use all of his abilities,” Arce says graphically. Laces should be kept to a minimum to be able to give the best of us the next day in training.