Tips to stay fit and healthy

Good sleep and regular exercise, choosing healthy food items and better cooking methods are the secrets of leading a healthy lifestyle, says an expert.

Expert from fitness startup FITSO, Saurabh Aggarwal, suggests how to be healthy:
* Maintain a proper sleeping schedule, which for most people means seven to eight hours each night is important for fitness. Working out three to four times per week is a great way to start. Once you have your routine with you, stick to it and you will see the benefits. Three to four sessions of 20 to 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercises (run/jog/ride/walk) weekly is quite helpful to overall health.
* A healthy and balanced diet has ample vitamins, nutrients, and color. And the easiest way to achieve this in your diet is through piling on the fruits and vegetables. In case of carbohydrate rich food items, include lean meat or white meat (without skin) in your meals. Prefer low-fat dairy products and avoid cheese, butter, heavy cream and yogurt. Use the suitable kind of oil like olive, and avoid frying or battering your food and making it spicy or too salty.
* Regular innovation in the fitness routine is also important in every four to six weeks to prevent a workout plateau. Also, seeking advice from health and fitness professionals can open doors you never knew existed.
* Running and cycling are the two activities which improve cardiovascular fitness, as well as decrease the risk of coronary heart disease. These activities also help in building strong bones, as it is a weight bearing exercise. Considered as best exercises to burn calories, these activities also help in relaxation and strengthening of the immune system.
* Prefer cardio interval training to lose extra weight fast. This will improve your metabolic process, burn extra fat, and take less time than other cardio workouts. Remember to warm up initially, and additionally cool down when you finish the exercise.
* Drinking ample amount of water regulates your metabolism and helps in losing weight. Further, warm or hot water can surprisingly help you lose extra kilos. It is also strictly advised to drink water only an hour after having your meals.
* If possible, walk/ride to your office at least once in a week and try using stairs wherever possible.