Staying healthy and fit can seem like quite the challenge at times. With less time to exercise and more unhealthy, fast food options readily available, it's easy to slip up when you're trying to stay healthy.
However, with these six helpful tips on how to stay fit and healthy, you'll be able to have fun while still looking and feeling great!
6 Tips on how to stay fit and healthy:
1. Get moving:
The first step in staying healthy is finding an exercise routine that works for you. Walking, cycling, or even taking a dance class can be enough to get your blood pumping and keep your heart rate up.
If you're not a fan of these more traditional exercises, try getting involved with a sports team in your area.
Not only will this give you the opportunity to meet new people, it'll also give you an excuse to get out of the house on weekends. When it comes to diet, there are many options.
Just remember not to deprive yourself of any food groups such as carbohydrates, fats, and proteins because they each have their own benefits.
Additionally, don't skip meals; when you do so, your body stores calories and fat which leads to weight gain. And finally, drink plenty of water every day; eight glasses per day is recommended.
2. Eat right:
Eating the right amount of food at the right time will help you stay energized throughout the day. Start your day with a whole wheat breakfast cereal, such as Raisin Bran or Cheerios.
Make sure it's made with skim milk and has no more than 1-2 servings of sugar per box. For lunch, try a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread with lettuce, tomato, mustard, and low-fat mayonnaise.
Dinner should be lean protein like grilled chicken breast with vegetables like spinach and broccoli. Dinner should not have any additional fat added, including butter or oil, but rather cooked in water or broth only.
As for snacks, always go for raw fruits and veggies like carrots and celery instead of chips or candy.
First off, make sure that you're eating every three hours so that your body never runs out of fuel. Secondly, make sure to drink 8 glasses of water each day to keep your cells hydrated.
Lastly, start every meal with fruit for dessert because it has natural sugars instead of the unhealthy options such as cake or pie.
3. Breathe deeply:
- Breathe deeply for five seconds.
- Inhale deeply through your nose, then exhale slowly through your mouth.
- Repeat at least five times.
- This technique can calm you down and reduce stress levels.
- Deep breathing also helps the body release toxins from its systems.
- Keep breathing deeply when exercising to regulate your breathing rhythm.
- Try deep breathing in conjunction with other exercises like yoga or Pilates for an optimal workout routine!
- Yoga - Yoga is a practice of physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation that originated in ancient India. It's popular because it provides a balance between challenging the body while relaxing it too. Yoga is available at most gyms as well as through classes taught by certified teachers.
- Pilates - Pilates is a fitness system developed by Joseph Pilates that focuses on developing control over the entire body's muscles without adding bulk. Though there are no specific poses, Pilates is generally performed barefoot on a mat with exercises including stretches, basic moves such as The Hundred, The Single Leg Stretch, and more intense ones such as The Roll-Up. A big part of this exercise regimen is the use of reformer equipment (basically just one piece of equipment) to strengthen core muscles.
4. Drink water:
Drinking water is one of the most important things you can do for your health. It helps with digestion, weight loss, energy levels, skin tone, keeping organs functioning properly, and more.
Plus it's free!
Get a refillable water bottle that fits in your car cupholder or purse so you never forget to bring it with you. Drink 1-2 liters a day, but don't overdo it - drinking too much water (more than 2 liters) will make your body have trouble absorbing other nutrients from food.
For example, it can interfere with nutrient absorption from iron, calcium, zinc and magnesium. In rare cases excessive water intake may cause hyponatremia when not enough salt is taken in by the body which causes low sodium levels and leads to a number of unpleasant symptoms such as headaches or even hallucinations. So drink up, just not too much!
You may also want to know about low sodium diet: its pros and cons!
5. Give it time:
It's important to find a balance between diet, exercise, and stress. When it comes to food, the best thing you can do is eat what you love in moderation. It's okay if you enjoy that slice of pizza now and then. You just have to make sure it doesn't become your main meal.
In terms of exercise, try not overdoing it - there's nothing wrong with taking a day off every once in awhile. Plus, be patient - exercising won't lead to immediate results. The only way to see changes is by sticking with it for a long time.
If you're feeling stressed out or anxious, don't forget about sleep! Studies show that too little sleep may be linked to weight gain because it affects hormones and metabolism. Make sure to get at least 7 hours each night!
Lastly, even though this isn't directly related to staying healthy and fit, I think everyone needs some me time. Go see a movie with friends, take up painting as a hobby, go exploring in nature - whatever works for you!
6. Get enough sleep:
One of the most important things you can do for your health is get enough sleep. When you don't get enough sleep, your body releases more cortisol (stress hormones) than usual which can affect your immune system.
Plus, not getting enough sleep can make you eat more because it lowers leptin levels, a hormone that tells us we're full. Studies have also shown that not sleeping enough makes it difficult to concentrate during workouts.
A good way to keep track of your sleep is with an app called Sleep Cycle (iOS) or Sleepbot (Android). They monitor your movements as you sleep and detect when you enter deep REM cycles so they wake you up at the best time in order for you to feel refreshed.
It's much better than being woken up by an alarm clock!
Conclusion
Not only will staying active help you maintain a positive mental state, but it can also protect your health in the long-run. Studies show that regular exercise decreases anxiety and depression symptoms, increases energy levels, improves cardiovascular function, enhances muscle tone and strength, boosts metabolism which helps with weight loss goals and gives people more confidence to perform daily tasks.
For those who may not be able to find time for a gym or workout class there are still ways to get moving without even leaving the house! It's easy enough to buy some dumbbells or kettlebells and do some exercises while watching tv or listening to music.
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