Social media has created absurd standards for how people should look. In response, many people go to extreme measures to enhance their looks. One way that people try to accomplish this look is through extreme workouts. While exercise is very important, many people are not getting the proper exercise they need.

Proper exercise depends on several variables such as age, gender, current health status, current lifestyle habits, and fitness goals. For example, a thirty-year-old woman that is 5’5” ft and weighs 225 lbs is going to have a different exercise routine in comparison to a thirty year old man that is 6’0” ft and weighs 225 lbs.

An important thing to note is that strictly judging your health by what the scale says is not accurate. A perfect example are professional athletes. According to the scale, many professional athletes would be classified as obese, which is why professional athletes refer to BMI measurements. The BMI index is more accurate than a scale, but while not everyone has access to someone who is qualified to measure BMI, it is important to base your exercise routine on the variables I stated in the previous paragraph.

Many people resort to a cardio based routine. While cardio has many benefits, too much cardio will do more harm to the body than any good. Too much cardio can lead to an increased risk of injury to the bones and organs of the body. Women are at a higher risk because women overexert their bodies with cardio and cut their diets by extreme calorie deficits. These extreme calorie deficits are from crazy diet trends like the lemon diet and juicing. However, depriving the body like this leads to moodiness and a lack of energy. These liquid diets are not meant to last for months, thus, immediately following the ending of the diet will result in weight gain. Often, back to the same “pre-diet” weight or more, so the liquid diet ends up being for nothing regarding weight loss.

The best way to lose fat is with a combination of proper diet and a balance of moderate cardio and an increase in weight lifting. Proper dieting means no crash dieting and no extreme calorie deficits. Proper dieting is cutting back on carbohydrates and sugar and increasing protein, vegetable, and fruit intake. A balance of moderate cardio and weight lifting is proper exercise. This means getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity each week with weight lifting at least twice a week (the duration and amount of weight lifting are based upon your fitness goals).

With this balance, you will create a better lifestyle and lasting results. Any quick fix does not last and having this balance will help improve your mental health, emotional health, and spiritual health. This stability targets every aspect of your life and will help you feel more fulfilled.