4 Ways to Get Active and Eat Healthy

What are simple tips that can significantly improve your exercise and nutrition?

1. Visualize realistic fitness goals
2. Incorporate physical activities in daily living
3. Find an enjoyable fitness regimen or recreational activities
4. Eat right following Pinggang Pinoy® model

Whether it’s simply exercising more or making the switch to healthier ulam recipes for Pinoy dishes, most people hesitate to take the first step towards their fitness goals. Chances are you don’t want to take action as it requires a lot of effort in veering away from your old habits. But if you just take that first step and squeeze an extra movement in your daily life, every other time will be so much easier.

These initial steps towards your fitness goal don’t have to be grand. Simply setting aside time for consistent movement and preparing nutritious, affordable ulam recipes can lead to sustainability and healthier habits. If you’re struggling to get motivated, try these four (4) tips that will help you break out of a sedentary lifestyle:

Visualize realistic fitness goals

Monitoring your weight is one way of motivating yourself since it will keep you going strong all the way to your goal.

Incorporate physical activities in daily living

• Taking the stairs instead of the elevator
• Taking longer routes
• Walking to store, church, banks or mailbox
• Parking your car farther away
• Adding extra steps to daily routes
• Taking stretch breaks at home or work
• Doing household chores (scrubbing/ mopping the floors, cleaning rooms, general carpentry, fetching water in pail, raking leaves, bathing the dog, cleaning the car, rearranging household furniture and etc.)
• Running errands
• Grocery shopping

Find an enjoyable fitness regimen or recreational activities

These are moderate intensity aerobic physical activity resulting in noticeable increase in heart rate and breathing. You are still able to carry on normal conversation while doing the exercise. This can be done continuously for a minimum of 30 minutes or can be done continuously for a 10-minute bout, accumulating 30 minutes or longer in one day.

Eat right following Pinggang Pinoy® model

For people doing light exercises for an hour or less, there is no special nutrition regimen to follow. Following Pinggang Pinoy® for the most balanced Ulam Pinoy recipes and focusing in proper hydration is all you need. Below are some tips that you must also remember.

• Fuel-up before exercise

Be sure to take your major meal 2-3 hours before exercise or

You may opt to take a light snack 30 minutes before exercise .

Note: Ajinomoto promotes observance of proper portioning described in Pinggang Pinoy® when taking your meals. Properly timing your meals will help you avoid discomforts during exercise.

• Hydrate properly .

Be sure to drink 1 glass (250 mL) of water for every 15-20 minutes .

Note: Water is all you need when doing low intensity exercises for an hour or less.

• Post- exercise .

Take a light healthy snack within 30 minutes after you finish your workout as this will help in muscle recovery.

Note: Do not restrict yourself from eating after doing a 30-minute to an hour of continuous exercise. For major meals of the day, be sure to still follow Pinggang Pinoy® for the most nutritious and affordable ulam recipes.

References

Dietitians of Canada. (2014). Refuelling to Recover after Exercise.

National Nutrition Council. (2019, July). Talking Points 45 ^th National Nutrition Month: “Kumain ng Wasto at Maging Aktibo, Push Natin To!”.

Philippines Association for the Study of Overweight and Obesity. 2000. The Filipino Physical Activity Pyramid Guide.

World Health Organization. (2010). A Training Manual for Health Workers on Healthy Lifestyle: An Approach for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases. Retrieved from http://www.wpro.who.int/769CF2FC-1BA3-4010-9D5F-6561B89C305D/FinalDownload/DownloadId-4CB35F09415FD1B9BB5DC0B8AFB0FB79/769CF2FC-1BA3-4010-9D5F-6561B89C305D/philippines/publications/module4.pdf

Disclaimer:

This blog contains general information about exercise, fitness, diet, nutrition and related subjects intended for general educational purposes only. The words and other content provided in this material, and in any linked or referenced materials, are not intended and should not be construed as a health, medical, fitness, diet or nutrition advice. Always consult with a licensed physician and/or health workers before beginning any exercise, fitness, diet or nutrition routine especially if the reader is pregnant or having a special medical condition. Information presented herein, are in no way intended to substitute formal and legitimate consultations with your healthcare providers.

The views expressed on this blog and website have no relation to those of any academic or organizations mentioned as reference in this article.