Physical activity + diet
Is it true that an attractive physique is built in the kitchen, while the fitness club is just for exercise? There’s quite a lot of truth in this popular saying. If we want to maintain a healthy physique, we need to maintain a calorie deficit. Meanwhile, when building muscle mass, we need an appropriate energy surplus. This relationship also works the other way round, but it primarily depends on body composition – people with more developed muscle tissue have higher basic energy requirements than those with a higher level of body fat.
Body composition, basic energy requirements and training goals are individual matters. Therefore, what we eat, in what quantities and at what times of day should be based on our specific needs. That’s why, when planning a workout, it’s worth consulting a dietician who can help create a meal plan aligned with our training goals and, importantly, one that can be maintained over a longer period.
Planning + spontaneity
In most cases, training based on an individually designed plan is far more effective than a purely intuitive workout. A well-prepared training plan takes into account our current abilities and goals, adjusts the training load and intensity accordingly, and also includes time for recovery. Most importantly, it allows us to track our training activity and observe progress over time. You don't need an advanced smartwatch for this – even a simple paper workout journal can prove to be a very useful tool.
However, that doesn't mean our physical activity should be limited to following a plan! Spontaneous movement – as long as it's not overly intense – is always beneficial for our health. Walking, choosing a bike instead of a car, outdoor play, light physical chores... NEATs (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) can serve as a form of active recovery, help burn additional calories, and counteract a sedentary lifestyle.
Training + recovery
Many active people, especially at the beginning of their fitness journey, believe that only hard work leads to their dream results. As a result, they exercise with enthusiasm, often pushing the intensity too far, without paying attention to training times or the need for recovery and rest. At first, the results are easy to see – strength and endurance increase, and muscles become slightly more visible. But after some time, progress stalls, while fatigue and frustration continue to grow. Trying to solve the problem by training even harder often leads to discouragement, overtraining, pain or even injury. In some cases, this may result in giving up physical activity.
Anyone who trains must also rest. Muscles exposed to intense exercise need between 48 and 72 hours to recover. The body also needs time to restore hormonal balance after a workout, which is why exercising right before bedtime or late at night is not a good idea. To maintain healthy relationship with fitness, it is worth ensuring good sleep quality and allowing yourself enough time to rest between workouts. Just like in any relationship – balance is everything!
Strength training + cardio
What’s the best way to burn excess body fat while highlighting a well-toned physique and developed muscles? Should you go for strength training or cardio? It turns out the best results come from combining both forms of exercise. Strength and endurance training complement each other perfectly. Building muscle mass increases our basic energy requirements, while improving cardiovascular fitness helps burn calories and enhances the overall effectiveness of strength training. Well-oxygenated muscles can work longer and harder, fatigue more slowly, and recover more efficiently.
An effective combination of strength training and cardio requires a well-designed plan. These are two distinct training modalities that need a specific balance to avoid interfering with one another. The key lies in properly adjusting cardio intensity and volume, as well as choosing the right time to do it. Recovery time and a balanced diet are equally important. The relationship between strength training and cardio can be quite complicated, but with a trainer’s support, the results can be genuinely impressive!
Motivation + patience
Training results depend not only on the effort, but also on the mindset. People with strong internal motivation usually achieve the best results – they exercise because they genuinely want to, enjoy it and have clearly defined training goals. Those who rely mainly on external motivation, such as peer pressure or relatives, often find it harder to stay consistent. In such cases, motivation tends to work on a ‘reward-and-punishment’ basis and depends on outside incentives.
Regardless of the type or source of motivation, you should not expect instant training results. For many active people, fitness influencers on social media become the main point of comparison. For those struggling with patience, keeping a training journal can help maintain consistency, stay on track, and make progress easier to notice. Stick with it, and the results will come!
Activity + less pressure
It turns out that sport and physical activity aren’t exactly the same thing. According to the study 'MultiSport Index 2024: Sportcrastination’ more than half of Poles see a difference, and those who are inactive notice it even more often than active people. Sport is frequently associated with pressure: obligation, effort, competition, sacrifice, and performance. Physical activity, on the other hand, is perceived as a positive lifestyle rooted in wellbeing and taking care of one’s health. And increasingly, it’s health prevention that inspires people to start moving.
The conclusion is simple: every form of activity deserves to be enjoyed. Thankfully, the days of being pushed to compete under pressure during PE classes are behind us. Today, we can choose the exercises we genuinely enjoy and do them in ways that suit us best, even if the only goal is simply to feel better. You don’t have to train like a professional athlete to feel like a champion – and that’s exactly the kind of joy we wish you in your fitness journey!
Movement + love
What if we told you that during a workout, your body releases the same mix of hormones as when you’re falling in love? Or that the pleasure of being active stimulates your brain in much the same way as the first rush of romance? It’s fascinating – and true, not just on Valentine’s Day! Physical movement triggers hormones of love, happiness and connection – which is why, once we get started, we so often come back for more.
Movement is also a great way to care for yourself on a personal level – 42% of physically active Poles exercise to improve their mental wellbeing and mood, and 9 out of 10 respondents believe that physical activity boosts their sense of attractiveness. And for those who are still looking for their other half, there’s good news too – nearly half of Poles believe that physical activity increases the chances of meeting a partner.
Looking for an activity that will stay with you through thick and thin? Check out the activities available with the MultiSport card and find the ones you'll fall in love with!
Bibliography:
1. From activity to love. Valentine's Day edition of the MultiSport Index study. Kantar for Benefit Systems, 2020.
2. MultiSport Index 2023. A new dimension of activity, Minds & Roses for Benefit Systems, 2023.
3. MultiSport Index 2024: Sportcrastination. How do Poles (not) exercise?, Minds & Roses and IRCenter for Benefit Systems, 2024.
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8. https://glos.umk.pl/wiadomosci/?id=21818