Right from the onset when working with us here at Guy Leech Fitness we make a couple of things very clear:

1. There is no magic bullet. Your health and fitness is something that you will need to work at for the rest of your life.
2. Pills, potions, bars and shakes are short term cures to long term problems. We teach you how to use real food, food you can use for the rest of your life, to achieve your long-term weight management goals.
3. Exercise isn’t an option, it is a necessity. All of our programs have an exercise component as this is absolutely necessary to achieve your long term health and fitness goals be they a healthy weight, healthy heart and/or aging well.

In relation to weight management there are two parts to the equation; diet and exercise. In order to improve your body composition (shed fat and become leaner)  physical activity is imperative. There are many benefits to an active lifestyle including a decreased risk of cancer, improved cardiovascular health, weight control, improved immune function, lowering blood pressure and improving blood lipid profiles (i.e. Increasing the amount of “good” cholesterol in the bloodstream).

Add to these physiological benefits the fact that physical activity also improves mental health, decreases stress levels, boosts self esteem and leads to better posture and balance. It all begs the question why wouldn’t you want to get off the couch? In a society intent on engineering activity out of our daily lifestyles it now takes some planning to integrate physical activity back into our day to day lives.

Getting Started:

If physical activity currently isn’t a part of your lifestyle a great place to start is simply going for a walk. It is inexpensive and requires virtually no equipment except an appropriate pair of shoes. With any form of physical activity the key is to find something you enjoy doing. If you find a certain activity a chore to do you most likely wont last at it. Perhaps that treadmill sitting in the corner acting as a clothes line wasn’t the smartest investment you’ve ever made. That doesn’t mean “exercise” isn’t for you, it means you don’t enjoy walking on treadmills! You have to find something YOU like.

Maybe you need something a little more structured and social. Why not sign up for a series of fitness classes. Making a commitment will help to keep you on task.

You don’t have time?

There are 168 hours in a week, you need to find 3-5 hours to dedicate to your long term health and fitness. Still not convinced? How about the fact that you’ll have still less time available when you’re dead prematurely for everything in your life! Exercise will add both life to your years and years to your life.

Being time poor is a common complaint for the average person with a job, a family and all the commitments that go along with it. Try documenting how much time you spend watching TV or on the computer. Chances are you’ll quickly find some time you weren’t even aware you had. It all comes down to time management and pre-planning. If your health is a priority then you will find some way to fit physical activity into your day. And remember you may feel tired at the end of a long day but getting active will actually increase your energy levels and improve your vitality.