Today’s women are smart and educate themselves about what it takes to have and maintain a fit body and healthy life. But as we all know – there’s always room for improvement.
Fitness competitor Aeryon Ashlie and Dr. Taz Bhatia have great advice for women on how to structure your fitness regime and diet.
The pair both presented at the West Coast Women’s Show last month, which featured more than 400 booths of unique shopping opportunities, as well as professional entertainment on five stages, captivating and inspiring speakers, and current health-related research and information.
I wanted to focus on women's health and fitness options that are easy and effective, particularly for women with busy schedules, so I asked the experts.
Aeryon Ashlie suggests that, as a single mom and athlete, finding and maintaining a lifestyle balance is essential. She incorporates eight main areas that she focuses on to achieve this.
First is to consider yourself and your needs as a priority. Love your body enough to put yourself first. Be grateful for where you are and thankful for the little things. Change your thinking and move to the next level. Setting goals for yourself is very important in order to accomplish what you set out to do.
Ashlie maintains you are comprised of what you eat, so food choices are imperative. Women need to ensure they’re getting enough protein in their meals. More muscle tissue means you will burn more fat. Carbs are best eaten earlier in the day and more vegetables and proteins later in the day. She also maintains that it is helpful to treat yourself once in a while too, with a little dark chocolate that contains nutritional benefits for the brain.
Food preparation is another factor to consider. Pack and plan meals. Make proactive, prudent choices rather than devouring quick snacks packed with empty calories. Almonds, dried fruits or protein bars are all good choices. Take the time to nourish the body and put yourself and your needs first.
Movement is another must-do. For Ashlie it's about being physical. "Just go for a walk," she said. "Minimum 30 minutes everyday. Just do something active.”
Swimming, hiking, biking, baseball or rollerblading all work too. Drinking lots of water daily is essential for good health. She suggests four litres a day to flush out your system. Adequate sleep is also important. If you're well rested you will lose weight easier and have more energy.
Bhatia, a noted expert on women's health and wellness, says that several things have changed over the years negatively impacting on our health. Poor eating habits, modified foods and serious stressors have become the norm for daily life. Bhatia believes that to counter this we need to have more structure and plan our food, meals and schedules. We have to also plan for relaxation or fun time; otherwise life gets in the way.
"I have learned that you often have to do yearly life inventories to see how your choices affect the health of your family and yourself," Bhatia said.
I find women tend to get over focused in either diet or fitness and neglect the other. My overall take from Bhatia, Ashlie, and the exhibits this year was to be more proactive about a balanced diet and fitness to reduce stress and promote a healthier lifestyle.
Follow Natalie Langston on Twitter @langstonnatalie
