It’s easy to fall prey to the so-called advice that numerous ”fitness experts” spout across the internet today. They look fit and healthy so they must have all the answers, right?
Well, the reality is that fitness and health are not linear. It’s never the same journey for everyone because we all have different capabilities, metabolisms, body composition, and available time on our hands. There is no magic pill you can take to become miraculously fit and healthy overnight, either.
Want to learn how to be fit and healthy in a sustainable, long-term way? Read on for more.
1. Prioritize Your Sleep
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This is one of the most underestimated aspects of general health and wellbeing. Sleep is not only crucial for your physical health and recovery but your mental health too.
A lack of good sleep can have a dire impact on your mood, how well you concentrate throughout the day, your productivity, and even your overall state of happiness. If you’re tired and your mood is low, it’s difficult to find the motivation to sustain a healthy diet, let alone work out.
That’s why you want to ensure you get enough sleep in order to commit to a healthy, active lifestyle. As a working adult, you want to aim for 7 good hours of sleep, or more if possible.
2. Exercise as Regularly as You Can
It’s a no-brainer that in order to build up your fitness and strength you need to exercise. The older you get, the more you lose muscle with age. It’s not only important to maintain a good fitness routine for your general health, but your muscle and bone density.
There is a mountain of undeniable benefits of regular exercise. Just some of them range from improved mood and energy levels to better sleep, weight management, and improved sex drive. The list is endless. One of the best ways to build your fitness is by moving your body on a consistent basis with moderate to intense cardio-based exercise.
This might include walking, swimming, cycling, running, or HIIT training at least 3 times per week. It’s also a good idea to balance out this routine with some strength training to maintain your muscle and bone density as you age.
If you need help with finding the motivation to exercise, you might want to enlist the help of behavioral health services.
3. Follow the 80/20 Nutrition Rule
This isn’t exactly a hard-and-fast rule, per se, but it’s a good way to maintain a sense of nutritional balance in your daily life. It’s no secret that the premise of dieting revolves around restriction. This is the reason why so many people fail when dieting — because it’s not sustainable in the long term.
The 80/20 balance focuses on eating healthy, nutritious foods 80 percent of the time while allowing yourself to eat whatever you feel like 20 percent of the time. This way of eating focuses on balance — if you have a craving you can indulge it. But it’s important to make healthy, nutritious choices the majority of the time.
Ideally, your diet should include a good balance of fresh foods, i.e. fruit and vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains. Dairy, high-fat/sugar products, and highly refined carbohydrates should comprise the smallest portion of your diet.
4. Consistency Is Key
Want to know the secret to living a fit and healthy lifestyle? Consistency. As mentioned, there is no overnight fix to magically transform your health. It takes dedication, routine, and consistent effort.
It’s important to find a good balance between exercise, rest, eating well, and indulging. This is the most sustainable approach to living and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Learn More on How To Be Fit and Healthy
Healthy living is not about dieting and restriction. It’s all about balance. Whether losing weight, improving heart health, or just living a healthy lifestyle is your goal, try to keep these four key tips in mind.
Explore the rest of this site for more on how to be fit and healthy and expand your knowledge today!
