Joe Grasso's fitness trilogy

When you think of your body, are you properly taking care of yourself? Take a look at these three points for a quick self-check. There are other things that contribute to the wellness of our bodies, but here are three basic points. I like to think of them as a trilogy for fitness.

Point #1: Hydration- Do you know a human can live about 3 weeks without food or longer if there is water available, but only 3-4 days without any water? Think about that; that’s serious biz. The body is about 60% water and needs a certain amount of water daily to maintain proper function. You will see varying reports on how much water we should consume daily, but I have found the average recommendation to be 64 oz per day. That is with food consumption which also provides some hydration depending on what you eat. Stay tuned for future blogs on the effects of dehydration.

Point #2: Nutrition- The need to feed!! No two people are created the same and some have special considerations when it comes to nutrition so it’s best to consult with a registered dietitian for nutritional advice. If you don’t have a dietitian, you can go to the USDA website for nutritional guidelines. Okay, now that I have covered my bases, there is one thing I’d like to mention. While it is common knowledge that daily nutrition is important; it is must be noted that while working out, building muscle and burning extra energy, nutrients need to be replenished back into the body to help muscles repair so they can become toned and/or grow.

Point #3: Exercise- It is easy to lead a sedentary lifestyle. Sometimes with our busy lives, we forget to get up and get moving. Technology has simplified life to the point that even grocery shopping can be done online and delivered to your house without breaking a sweat. Whether you have a gym membership to a new upscale gym that has the Olympic-size swimming pool, or you don’t have a membership at all, get up and exercise. Start small, but pace yourself. Increase the intensity as time goes on to reap the full benefits and avoid muscle fatigue.

These 3 simple points are like the angles of a triangle. they are the foundation to living a healthy life. As long as you have these three angles, you can add other points within the triangle to further enhance your fitness goals.