Ladies & gents, boys & girls of all ages, I know I haven’t posted in a while, with all the craziness consuming the world over for the past 15 or so months. Anyways, with the summer season underway, thought I’d mark my return with some good old health & fitness content.
Without further ado, lets push on shall we?
Now you maybe thinking, what the hell can you learn from a dog when it comes to health & fitness? (Maybe you’re even questioning the lessons your four-legged companion can bestow upon you when it comes to life in general).
Well, grab a protein shake & pull up a chair. All will be revealed
- DAILY ACTIVITY IS KEY
“Movement is life” as the saying goes.
If you’re privileged enough to share your life with a four legged, furry chum of your own, you’ll probably get where I’m coming from when I say dogs love walks.
My dog, although he’s a French bulldog, a breed not particularly known for athleticism, is no exception.
In fact, my dog loves walks so much, I tend to walk him 3 times a day, for 20 minutes at a stretch.
In addition he has a bouncy ball that he loves to chase around the house, like a maniac. He sprints after that ball like crazy.
A nice byproduct of being active throughout the day is you’ll notice an improvement in your energy levels. You’ll be less sluggish and more alert and more productive with work and other tasks.
Summary: Be more active throughout the day. Go for a short 10-15 min walk after meals. Heck get down and hit some damn pushups or air squats at random intervals throughout the day. Not only will you burn more calories, through (NEAT or non exercise activity thermogenesis) it’ll help with mental clarity, mood and the way your body processes food.
2. NUTRITION
What you eat is what you ultimately become.
So if you eat like crap, you’re going to look and feel like crap.
When I acquired my dog as a 9-week-old pup. I made it a point to feed him quality from the get go.
3 daily feeds (breakfast, lunch, dinner) no snacks or doggy treats. He ate very simply, but he ate well.
Meat, vegetables & occasionally rice. Now he’s much older it’s dropped down to 2 daily meals, but the same basic principle applies.
The result, he’s developed into a lean, mean compact and densely muscled machine. He’s incredibly energetic and not lethargic like other dogs I’ve seen being fed commercialized dog food. (Which I consider trash).
Summary: Eat to fuel your body. The foods you choose should supply you with energy, optimize your health, performance and body composition/ aesthetic goals. (Unless of course, you’re really dieting to get super shredded to the bone, in which case you’ll have to suffer).
3. GET SOME SEXY SUNSHINE
All jokes aside, getting more sunlight exposure is critical for toping up your vitamin D levels (vitamin D3 functions more like a steroidal hormone than an actual vitamin per say) and also your melatonin levels.
Vitamin D is so important for maintaining healthy immune function (which given everything that’s taken the world by storm is more crucial than ever).
Melatonin is a hormone that helps with sleep quality. If you couldn’t already tell, sleep has been linked to everything from overall health, longevity, performance, not to mention just looking and feeling more spry in general.
If it hasn’t been made abundantly clear by now, sunlight also plays an integral role in setting the circadian rhythm or “body clock” and
Bottom line is, getting more “QUALITY SLEEP” should always be on your priority list.
Although this tip isn’t related directly to fitness, it has an indirect effect on health and wellbeing, so guess that still makes it damn important.
If you don’t feel your best, you can’t expect to perform your best. And that goes for both inside and outside the gym.
Sunlight exposure is key for optimizing hormone function, which inevitably plays a role in aspects including health, longevity & physical & mental performance.
Lets not forget the aesthetic element as well. (You’ll probably get a wicked tan).
My dog loves having “fun in the sun” he sunbathes any chance he gets. He’ll often go out into the garden on a fine sunny day, basking and relishing in its warm glow.
Having observed this, I’ve come to the conclusion that animals are instinctively aware of the benefits of fresh air, taking in that good prana and soaking up the sunlight.
Summary: When the opportunity presents itself take the time to flaunt a little skin and soak up some natural sunlight. It’ll boost your energy, vitamin D and melatonin levels as well as help set your Circadian rhythm (internal body clock).
Anyway to recap:
- Get regular, frequent activity
- Eat quality food
- Get more sunlight / fresh air
So there you have it folks. 3 things you can learn from a dog about health and fitness.
Signing off for now.
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