How to Get in Athletic Shape
Getting into athletic shape requires a mix of exercise and proper nutrition. Athletes must eat a healthy diet that gives them the energy and nutrients they need to perform at their best. Getting in shape requires a combination of fitness elements, including strength, cardiovascular health, endurance and flexibility. You can improve all these facets of fitness through regular and ongoing conditioning and training. While professional athletic training can be quite complicated and involved, you can get into athletic shape by following a few guidelines.
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Instructions
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Retool your diet to include a balance of protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats. You may need to consume more calories than before you started working out, but make sure they're the nutrient-rich, with lots of vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Individual caloric needs vary, but the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine recommends that a 30-year-old active male weighing 160 pounds should eat between 2,959 and 3,434 calories a day, while an active 30-year-old female weighing 150 pounds should eat between 2,477 and 2,807 calories. The American Heart Association suggests between 1,800 and 2,000 calories a day for sedentary to moderately active males and between 2,200 and 2,600 calories for moderately active females. Time your caloric intake so that you are eating regularly throughout the day, especially before and after workouts.
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Begin a cardiovascular routine that focuses on strengthening your heart. Intense exercise can be very stressful on the heart. Regular cardio exercises such as running or cycling will help strengthen the heart muscles and lower heart rate, allowing the heart to transport and use oxygen more efficiently. This in turn helps athletes work out harder and longer with less stress on the heart. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends adults do at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity cardio or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity cardio. Start by doing brief workouts of 20 minutes or so, then work up to longer workouts as you build strength and endurance.
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Build muscle strength with a regular weight-training routine. Muscle mass and strength can improve athletic performance, increase energy levels and help you burn more calories even when you are not working out. The workout should include all major muscle groups. You can either work out each muscle group in one day, or focus on or two muscle groups a day. Be sure to rest each muscle group for at least 24 hours between workouts to allow enough time for your muscles to recover.
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Add endurance training to your regimen. This can include aerobic and strength endurance to train your heart, organs and muscles to work over long periods of time. Endurance performance can be improved by doing long bouts of cardio as well as lifting light weights for higher number of repetitions.
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Stretch after workouts to increase and maintain flexibility. Good flexibility or range of motion may help you improve athletic performance and reduce injuries.
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Tips & Warnings
Consult your doctor before beginning a new or intensive exercise regime.
Incorporate rest days to avoid injury, exhaustion or over-training.
References
- President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports: Nutrition and Physical Activity
- American Heart Association: Know How Many Calories You Should Eat
- American College of Sports Medicine: The Basics of Starting and Progressing a Strength-Training Program
- Brian Mac, Sports Coach: Endurance Training
- Sports Fitness Advisor: Flexibility Training Section
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services: Physical Activity Guidelines
Resources
- Photo Credit Thomas Northcut/Photodisc/Getty Images
