It’s not about a perfect body-it’s about a healthy body! Current cheerleaders, former cheerleaders, wanna-be cheerleaders, don’t-wanna-be cheerleaders-everyone should get fit and stay fit . . . for life!
Three key parts of well-being are nutrition, exercise, and stress management. All three areas are vital and should balance each other in order for you to achieve total fitness. (It is NOT total fitness to focus only on nutrition and neglect exercise, etc.) Check out the tips below!
Nutrition
Dieting is not nutrition! Dieting is a temporary (often unhealthy) solution to weight management. The real solution to a healthy body is a daily lifestyle of nutrition. Want to look good? Want to live long? EAT WELL!
Remember the food pyramid? It’s not just an answer on a health test-it’s reality! A fit, active woman’s body generally requires:
6 bread/pasta servings (1 serving = 1 slice of bread or ½ cup of pasta)
3 veggie servings (1 serving = ½ cup of salad)
2 fruit servings (1 serving = 1 medium apple)
2-4 dairy servings (1 serving = 1 cup of milk)
2 meat/protein servings (1 serving = 2 oz. lean meat or ½ cup of nuts)
0-1 fats/sweets serving (we all know what those are!)
Stick to a daily calorie level of about 2,200 and remember the H20! Water is necessary for your body, especially when you work out (it also helps your skin stay clear!).
The food pyramid doesn’t work the same for all people. To see an analysis of what you eat and what you should be eating, visit the Food and Drug Administration’s free site MyPyramid.gov. If you have special health concerns, or would like more specific information on eating well, please contact your family doctor or local nutritionist.
Exercise
Break out those sneakers and hit the gym! Exercise is not only critical to your fitness-it also boosts your energy level (and cheerleaders need all the energy they can get)! A work-out routine of 3-5 days a week, 20-60 minutes a day is ideal for burning fat and increasing cardiovascular strength.
Be sure to include a variety of elements-such as jogging, weight training, sit-ups, aerobics, etc. This will ensure a whole-body workout! (Remember, you cannot “spot-reduce.” For example, trimming your thighs must include cardiovascular exercises as well as leg exercises.)
To help you stick with your program, you should choose sports and exercises that interest you (cheerleading practice is a great place to start!). The more you enjoy your routine, the more likely you will stay with it. If you get bored with your exercises, mix it up a little. Switch sports every season, and try out the latest in fitness trends.
What’s hot in fitness? Yoga, kickboxing, Tae-Bo and step aerobics are fun and interesting ways to keep in shape!
Stress Management
Even the thought of “stress management” can be stressful! Between classes and practices and games and work and social life-you wonder when you have time to manage stress. The answer is simple: you must make the time. Stress is a killer to your mind and body. It can lead to depression, heart failure, chronic headaches, and other health problems. (It can also cause acne!)
There are countless ways to fight stress, even in a stressful world. Do what works for you! It could include cutting down on your commitments, taking a nightly bath to unwind, treating yourself to a weekend movie with pals, keeping a short “to do” list, or curling up with a good book. The possibilities are endless! However, if you feel anxious all the time and cannot seem to do anything that helps, seek out professional advice.
It’s Time To Get Fit!
Stumps Spirit Ideas 