How to put your Fitness First in Abu Dhabi

Putting your fitness first should be a priority for everyone, whatever your age or experience. Not only can increasing your levels of activity make a difference to your weight and body shape but there a whole host of other benefits. Getting fit can reduce your chances of a having stroke or developing heart disease, diabetes and cancer. As well as the physical benefits you will have a greater sense of wellbeing and you can even improve your mental health.

The difficulty can be finding the time and motivation for exercise and living in Abu Dhabi, with work and family commitments, it can be especially hard. A great motivator is to focus on the positive effects of taking part in regular physical activity and explore the changes you can make to your life. The good news is that doing some physical activity actually increases your energy levels which helps you to stay motivated. Consider these five points when putting your fitness first.

Make it a habit!

Once you start making fitness a part of your routine it will become a habit that is easy to keep up. Make sure you put in in your diary and do at least an hour, 3 times per week. To start with it doesn’t matter what activity you choose as anything is better than nothing. Choose what you enjoy and just do it. Once it is a regular thing you will find yourself missing it and you will quickly see the changes as you put your fitness first.

Variety

This isn’t just about stopping you from getting bored, although it’s true that trying different things is likely to keep you motivated. Trying out fresh ideas is important to experience different types of exercise that will work on all aspects of your fitness. You want to have a balance between working on your cardio fitness for your heart and lungs, strength training to build some lean muscle and tone up, with mobility workouts such as yoga that will help your flexibility. Using a Gym in Abu Dhabi such as GymNation gives you the perfect opportunity to not only use the high tech gym equipment, and weights but also take part in a wide variety of group classes.

Water

Living in a hot, humid climate like Abu Dhabi, means that staying hydrated is even more important. You should be drinking around 8 glasses of water a day to keep in good health. Dehydration leads to low energy, muscle fatigue and dizziness. Keeping topped up with fresh water not only makes you feel better, but it will help you recover from those sweaty workouts. It’s best to avoid calorie filled drinks such as fizzy sodas or caffeinated drinks, so try and stick with fresh water that will hydrate your body perfectly. Don’t forget that the harder you push yourself, the more you will need to drink.

Food Glorious Food

When putting your fitness first it is not just about your activity levels. Eating a healthy diet will not only help you lose some kilos, but it will help with your energy levels for your workouts. The last thing you want to do is go on a crash diet and consume too few calories when you begin increasing your activity levels as this will deplete your energy levels and is likely to lead to failure. There are some simple guidelines that can help anyone improve their diet without the need to count macronutrients or calories. Eat more fresh vegetables and fruit and reduce the amount of processed food that you eat. Swap junk food for home cooked meals with fresh ingredients. Make sure you eat plenty of lean meat and fish to provide a good amount of protein that will provide energy and help your recovery. Eat carbohydrates from sources such as pulses, whole grains and vegetables and leave out the sugary foods. You will soon feel more energetic with a boosted immune system and a leaner body.

Sleep

Sleep is often neglected when we talk about putting your fitness first, yet it has a massive impact on your energy levels, weight and wellbeing. Try to aim for between 7 and 9 hours sleep a night. This will help your body to recover from your new levels of activity, build lean muscle and burn fat. Good sleep has an impact on hormone levels that regulate your body’s systems and can support your metabolism and energy levels. So, put away your mobile phone in the evening and help yourself to relax. Create a bedtime routine that will give you enough sleep and set you up for a healthy lifestyle.

Choosing a Gym

Once you have made a commitment to putting your fitness first you will want to find somewhere that can set you on the right track. There are plenty of gyms and fitness clubs to choose from in Abu Dhabi so make sure you find one that offers you a good choice of activities and some expert advice.

GymNation is an affordable option that delivers high tech equipment, free weights and over 200 free fitness classes each month. Conveniently based in Khalidiyah Mall, with free parking, it is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year so you will be able to fit your workouts in when it suits you. With a separate ‘ladies only’ gym and studio areas it is welcoming to everyone whatever level of fitness they have.

Rather than going it alone on your fitness first journey, join GymNation where you will find a world class team of instructors and coaches who can show you how to use the equipment and help you to use the right techniques in classes. This means that as you get fitter, you will be able to increase the challenge and adapt your workout routines to make the most effective use of your time. You can even get one of their personal trainers to improve your activity and help you to reach your goals faster.