Everything you need to know to make health and fitness a lifestyle

ByAvril Thomas
make health and fitness a lifestyle

Generally, when you talk of health and fitness, what comes to mind is a trend of exercise craze, fad diets, intense workouts, and extreme calorie counting.

Although there’s nothing wrong with having specific fitness and health objectives, many people consider fitness to mean going to great lengths to achieve a certain type of physique.

Or experimenting with the newest trends that promise instant and extraordinary results.

Unfortunately, these trends most often than not end up in disappointment, failure, burnout, or even injury. When the outcome isn’t quitting after being unable to maintain the regimen.

What really is health and fitness?

It is not easy finding a one size fits all definition of health and fitness, even health and fitness professionals don’t seem to be able to.

However, the dictionary definition of fitness is that it is “the characteristic or state of being fit.” With the term “fit” defined as being  “both mentally and physically sound “.

As vague and ambiguous as this definition may sound, it’s the standard by which health and fitness are measured.

According to health and fitness professionals and specialists of the field, the whole point of this ambiguity is to lay emphasis on the fact that fitness does not entail becoming a super body builder, an ultra-marathoner or being able to do a hundred push-ups.

Fitness in essence might mean different things to different people.

However, the universally accepted yardstick used by medical experts to assess health and fitness is the Body mass index (BMI).

This refers to a person’s resting heart rate and overall body fat percentage.

Indicators such as 100-meter dash timings,5K or marathon personal records, bench-press maximums, etc. can be used as  measurements to assess performance.

This implies that just because someone appears fit, it doesn’t mean they are. It’s not about looks but rather about all round health.

Some people are driven by low self-esteem to concentrate on their looks and focus on numbers/results while deep down they are not healthy.

People forego sleep and rest in an effort to get fit or loose weight, causing their bodies to become ill or burn out. Which is in no way fit nor healthy.

In reality, fitness is a vast spectrum of physical well-being that balances our emotional and physical state of being.

We gain most when all aspects of health and fitness are balanced, both physically and mentally. And this can only be achieved through a health and fitness lifestyle.

So instead of setting wildly improbable goals, strive to alter your way of life, create practices that will enhance every aspect of your life.

And this only occurs when you begin to see health and fitness as a lifestyle choice rather than a passing interest or meeting a specific goal.

Doing this will foster creativity, give you self-control, flexibility, and balance. You’ll not only look and feel better as a result of doing this, but you’ll also present a better version of yourself to the people in your life who matter most.

Why Health and fitness are important for everyone: The benefits of a fit, and healthy lifestyle

  • It Is Not Just About Aesthetics

As earlier said, being fit and healthy is more than just abs, a six pack, a killer butt or lifting weight at the gym.

 It’s more about :

  • How you are feeling.
  • What you eat
  • Your daily routine
  • Your level of attention at work.
  • Your range of motion.
  • Your mental and emotional state.

When you are actually healthy, your attitude is better and your physical capabilities are greater.

You may go trekking, hiking, cycling, or take your dog for a walk it doesn’t matter as long as you are active.

If you’re one of those people whose life currently revolves around work, why not invest in some equipment to sort out your work life while still staying fit?

Working around a desk is usually the case so how about trying out some alternative desk design like sit stand desk? Sitting all day is not that good, obviously.

Your experiences and quality of life can be greatly impacted if you are able to be active.

  • Sleep and exercise are closely correlated

Sleep and exercise have a very close relationship and they each contribute greatly to the health and fitness lifestyle.

Even someone with excellent eating habits and exercise habits can compromise their fitness if they don’t get a regular quantity of quality sleep each night.

An athlete who does consistent strength-training exercise each week but consumes foods high in saturated fats and carbohydrates, highly processed foods with lots of sugar and no nutrients is not fit.

Sleep is crucial to maintaining your body’s health and poor sleep automatically harms your health goals.

The ideal health and fitness tip is to always maintain a healthy balance between sleep and exercise.

And since, sleep is aided by activity, getting the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep each night will help you get the energy needed to really stick to your exercise plans and stay active.

  • Fitness Has Long-Term Health Benefits

The benefits of fitness may not become apparent immediately it could even take years or even decades, though for some people the gratification could also be instant which is fantastic.

For instance, research ties higher physical fitness to increased longevity. Studies have revealed that when you get fitter, your body lengthens in telomeres, which are the protective caps on your chromosomes.

Those telomeres control how rapidly your cells deteriorate. Thus, maintaining them in peak condition by being fit can contribute to a longer life span.

In addition, increased fitness significantly lowers the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even cancer that develop over a long period of time.

Moreover, a rapidly expanding body of evidence indicates that being physically fit may also help avoid dementia.

Fitness is the one factor that can help avoid practically any disease.

Added to all of these advantages, exercising can make you healthier and stronger as you age.

Sarcopenia, or significant levels of muscle loss, affects one in three persons aged 60 and older.

Recent research reveals that the illness contributes to fat accumulation, impaired mobility and function, falls, and even death in older adults.

However, exercise can help counteract this effect of aging. So it’s time to join a health and fitness center.

  • Management of Chronic Disease

It has already been established that regular exercise and maintaining physical fitness help reduce your chance of developing chronic conditions including heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes.

Also, when it comes to persistent health issues that may arise, physical activity and keeping fit typically is beneficial across the board.

Depending on your symptoms, you might need to alter your exercise regimens or take particular safety measures as recommended by a physician.

However, for the majority of people, regular exercise can assist with ailments including arthritis, back pain, diabetes, asthma, and heart disease.

Additionally, staying fit helps prevent various diseases that you might otherwise be at risk for.

How Much Physical Activity Should You Be Doing?

So how can you include fitness into your lifestyle as a whole and accomplish your personal fitness objectives and when incorporating physical activities into your life how much exercise should you be getting each day or week?

  • Adults should strive for 150 to 300 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity each week. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the recommendations are to increase your exercise level so as to have positive effects on your health. Additionally, the recommendations urge adults to perform muscle-strengthening activities (of moderate or greater intensity) on at least two days per week for each of the major muscle groups.
  • According to research, aerobic exercise is crucial for cardiovascular health and the amount of intensity you select should be determined by your present level of fitness and the advice of your doctor. Walking, running, cycling, and swimming are good examples. One or more of the body’s fundamental muscle groups, such as the legs, core, back, hips, chest, or arms, should be the focus of these strength exercises. Exercises involving body weight, resistance bands, or weight lifting are all suitable choices that should be employed to match and raise your present fitness level.
  • There’s no shame in implementing these rules gradually over the course of a month or so. And keep in mind that there is a lot of potential for customization within the set rules. This was done on purpose because maintaining a fitness routine is crucial. If you want to stay motivated to engage in a particular activity on a regular basis, it must be something you enjoy.
  • Most importantly, the HHS physical activity guidelines emphasize that even a brief burst of exercise can count toward your weekly objectives because it is always preferable than inactivity. The basic line is that adults should move around more throughout the course of their days and sit down less.That can seem intimidating, but not if you think of exercising in a broader sense than just time spent in the gym, according to experts. Instead, consider every motion you make as exercise. Even those who regularly exercise frequently don’t move about much during the day.
  • Try as much as possible to integrate movement and activity into your daily life rather than trying to complete your day’s (or week’s) worth of activity all at once. Do something that feels good, moves your body through its complete range of motions, and gives you energy to plunge back into whatever else you were doing to break up extended periods of sitting.
  • Stretching throughout the day is a terrific method to soothe tight muscles, release tension, and promote the flexibility you need to function both in the gym and in life, even though experts are now discussing the usefulness of stretching after a workout as stretching before exercise is no longer encouraged. Giving your body what it needs to thrive is fundamental to fitness, to reiterate. Just be sure to pay attention.

How to achieve and maintain a healthy and fit lifestyle that is sustainable

Here are a few health and fitness tips to start living the healthy and fitness  lifestyle today:

1.Try new things and push yourself past your comfort zone.

A good example is to explore various foods and join a new exercise class.

A simple method to start experimenting with new meals and exposing yourself to a wide range of fruits and vegetables is to do your grocery shopping according to what’s in season.

If you’ve never tried meal planning, give it a shot! It will keep things interesting and keep you motivated and inspired to make this way of living a permanent way of life.

So it’s time to get out of your comfort zone and mix things up.

2. Choose Exercises You Enjoy

When it comes to maintaining consistency with your workouts, this is crucial.

It will only last so long if you consistently engage in unpleasant physical activity that drains both your physical and emotional energy.

Finding activities that you enjoy and can do consistently over time is preferable, even if they are not the most intensive.

Regular low-intensity exercise will always be more effective than irregular high-intensity exercise.

3. When it comes to achieving your physical goals, have patience.

Bear in mind that progress takes time.

Forgive yourself when you fall short. Nothing worthwhile is simple.

Learn to embrace the journey, the people you meet along the way, and the process.

4. Remember It’s Not  A Competition

Your life and your adventures are right here.

You should never compare yourself to other individuals because no two people are the same.

You are on the correct track as long as you strive to improve each day when you wake up.

5. Don’t Deprive Yourself of The Foods You Love.

You should never stop eating the foods you enjoy. Find a healthier method to prepare your favorite foods or a healthier version if possible.

Keep eating pizza or ice cream if it’s your favorite food. You will feel deprived as a result which will lead to more cravings.

To create your healthy version, get inventive and use natural and healthy ingredients.

To coin it all, remember that even though living a health and fitness lifestyle requires a great amount of sacrifice and discipline, at the end of the day it will not only leave you looking gorgeous and feeling great, you will also show up as the best version of yourself to your friends, family, and place of work.

So, why not start a health and fitness journal, join a health and fitness gym, or consult a health and fitness profession to start your journey of living a health and fitness lifestyle.