How To Attain Your Peak Performance

If you want to operate at Peak Performance then you need to give your body what it needs to function effectively - nutrition and exercise. The better you feel the more effective you'll be and the more you'll be able to do.

1. Eat more Fast Food. Bet you never thought you'd hear me say that! By fast food I mean food that your body is able to deal with fast. Not junk food that turns into slow food as soon as it gets into your digestive system. This means fresh fruit and veg juice and the only way to get this is from a juice bar or make your own at home. Check out Jason Vale to hear from the man himself on all that is wonderful and good about juices.

2. Look at what you eat. Eat fresh fruit and veg and avoid processed food. Do you ever read labels? What exactly are you putting into your body - do you really want all those chemicals? Notice that sugar creeps into most processed foods. What replaces the fat in 'low-fat' and sugar in 'sugar-free'. And don't get me on the subject of what really goes into producing the food that we eat - that's a whole other can of worms! Concentrated on creating the habit of healthy eating and avoid yo-yo dieting to control your weight.

3. Drink more water. We all know we should be drinking more but how often do you manage it? Even slight dehydration can affect your performance, energy levels and efficiency. Have a large glass of water first thing each morning and last thing at night then make sure you sip water throughout the day - have a bottle at your desk, in the car and especially if your exercising. If you're thirsty you're already dehydrated!

4. Don't forget to Breathe! Most of us only use the top part of our lungs when we breathe. To breathe correctly, breathe in to your stomach for a count of two, then into your upper chest for two to fully inflate your lungs. Reverse the process and breathe out for four counts. Try this for a few minutes at a time throughout the day and revive your body. Use it as a warm-up when exercising - matching your breathing with your stride - it's a great fat-burner.

5. Stop the Bloat. Do you suffer from bloating after you eat? Keep a food diary of everything you eat and note how you feel throughout the day. Try going dairy and wheat free for a couple of weeks and see if it makes a difference. Apparently the vast majority of us don't even have the enzyme to digest cow's milk after the age of three! No wonder it doesn't agree with us!

6. Get enough sleep. Your body needs time to recover each day - if you're not getting the sleep you need, you're likely to reach for that cup of coffee every morning to keep you going. Set a regular time to go to bed and get up each day and stick to it. Our bodies like routine.

7. Exercise regularly. Have you noticed how when you feel tired and low on energy - actually getting out for some exercise can make you feel better. Find something you enjoy - it doesn't have to be going to a gym and pounding away on a treadmill, learn/participate in a team sport, go out for a walk, swim find ways to build exercise into your daily routine. 30 minutes 3-5 times a week is all it takes.

8. Avoid food comas. That state of lethargy that occurs after the Sunday roast or Christmas dinner because you've overdone it. Your body can't cope with an overloaded stomach so to digest all that food, the rest of the body shuts down. Smaller meals - little and often are easier on your body, increase your metabolism and avoid those blood sugar slumps.

9. Take breaks. You can't work at peak performance for hours on end and expect to be effective and productive. Take regular breaks throughout the day - get up from your desk, take a few deep breaths, get outside for some fresh-air if you can - don't reach for the caffeine to give you a boost - it's only a temporary high and creates a bad habit.

10. Everything in moderation. Treat yourself gently and with respect. Ideally avoid caffeine, sugar and alcohol - these place an added strain on your body as it deals with them. Be realistic - give yourself a treat or indulgence but make these the exception not the norm.

Clare writes on several topics to help busy, stressed individuals and small business owners organise their lives more effectively.Register for her monthly newsletter at www.clareevans.co.uk and receive free tips on managing your time.

Hot Topics In Fitness

    Treadmll Ratings - What Most Buyers Don't Know About Treadmill Ratings

    If you're buying a treadmill, chances are you'll want to research before you buy. Everyone wants to get the best deal for a discount price. They also want to find the best treadmill to suit their work...

    Meditation Can Also Make Your Heart Happy

    Meditation is good for your heart. This is the message recently (in the year of 2006) conveyed by the Archives of Internal Medicine. The study reported that transcendental meditation (TM), a relaxatio...

    The History Of Tai Chi

    I've got something pretty miraculous to tell you about. I found out about this awesome way of balancing your mind and body. It is like nothing I have ever seen before. It's called Tai Chi and finding ...

    Tai Chi

    TaiChi is a complete and highly developed internal martial art (Neijia). A form of moving meditation, TaiChi promotes in the practitioner a sense of Qi (breath/life energy) circulation and health. As ...

    Is Home Exercise Equipment For You?

    We are bombarded with messages about the current obesity epidemic that seems to be under way and the need to combat it with daily exercise and a healthy, well-balanced diet. The FDA has even redesigne...

    Great Cardio Workouts You Can Do At Home

    You know how important cardio workouts are for your health and wellbeing, but it's hard to get a good cardio workout in when you can't leave to house to go to the gym or for a run. Here are some great...

    5 Tips To A Strong, Muscular Physique!

    For over ten years now, I have been a drug-free competitive bodybuilder, and I can tell you first hand what it takes to develop a muscular physique. In this article, I want to discuss with you my top ...

    Pulsating Tinnitus - Here's How To Beat It

    Throbbing Tinnitus - What Causes It?

    When you can hear a regular pulsing noise in your ears in tune with your your heart beat that is probably pulsatile tinnitus. There may be single or many rhythmi...

    The Top 5 Yoga Positions

    Often times the right information can change a person's life. This happened with me and yoga.

    There are a lot of yoga positions and poses that is built to enhance posture.

    All things consider...

    Why Weight Train During Pregnancy?

    There was once a time that a pregnant woman was thought of as "fragile". Any form of exercise was strictly prohibited by doctors and feared by concerned fathers. We've now come to realize that a pregn...

    3 Steps To Starting a Successful Fall Exercise Program

    Ah, the crisp cool breeze, the invigorating feel of the outdoors as the leaves start to turn colors, the sound of kids laughing on their way to school.

    Fall is the time for new beginnings. New...

    The Importance Of Creatine In Building Lean Muscle

    Creatine monohydrate can rightly lay claim to being the most popular and arguably most effective bodybuilding supplement currently available. The beauty of creatine is that it is 100% natural and occu...

Most Recent Fitness Supplements

Interesting Today:

Most Recent Fitness Blogs:

Releated to Fitness:

Fitness Links:

Fitness Fitness Rss feeds.