When you think of getting fit, what comes to mind? For many of us, it’s the idea of joining a gym and starting a diet. But that doesn’t work for everyone, and I’ll explain why in a bit. First, I want to let you know it doesn’t have to be just a gym and diet solution. Today I’m going to share with you five small habits to help you get fit.
Let’s take a step back and talk about some of the most common complaints people have when they struggle to stay fit. Can you guess what they are?
- They don’t have time to go to the gym.
- They tried a diet, but later slid right back to old eating habits.
- It was all so stressful that they would rather sleep in.
Does any of this sound familiar? Well, what if I told you that starting today, you can get fit and healthy with just a few small changes? You may even be doing some already. And if you continue to follow these little practices, you can stay fit long-term.
Here are 5 small habits to help you kickstart your healthy lifestyle!
Sleep Well
The average adult needs at least 7 to 8 hours of shut-eye each night to be fully functional. Sleep gives your body time to recover from the stress encountered during the day. It also gives your body time to build and repair muscles worked up during exercise.
In general, sleeping well makes you happier and more energetic. When you feel good and refreshed, you’re more likely to follow through with your plans to exercise. But if you don’t sleep well, you’re more likely to find excuses to skip it altogether.
You are also more likely to crave something that will give you a quick energy boost. You might turn to junk food and sugary drinks, which further affect your fitness, and not in a good way.
Exercising while experiencing a lack of sleep is detrimental to your health as well. It increases your risk of injury and also affects your body’s ability to build and repair itself.
I know you’re busy working long hours, taking care of kids, or going to school, but as much as possible, try to sleep well. Trust me, your body will thank you for it later.
Get Active
Another small habit you should try is to be active every day. It’s not always about going to the gym. Little things like taking a walk with your dog, taking the stairs instead of the elevator if you can, or standing often if you sit down a lot during the day, count as well.
Something you can do when you have little time and don’t want to do intensive exercises is dance. It’s fun, it makes your heart beat faster, and it gives your muscles a workout. Put on your favorite tunes and get moving. You’ll break a sweat and find yourself in a better mood!
Look for the little things you can do during your day to get more active. It doesn’t matter if it’s just jogging around your backyard or doing some short stretches while dinner is cooking, every little thing counts.
Eat Healthy
Eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to go on a restrictive diet or drastically change your eating habits (unless you have very bad eating habits). It’s really all about being mindful about what you eat. Try to eat more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, and fewer junky, processed, and sweetened foods. Also, drink a lot of water.
I love ice cream and potato chips just as much as anyone, but I try to cut back on them or look for healthier alternatives. For instance, instead of chips, choose low-fat popcorn, which is less salty and healthier. I also look for healthier ice creams and find it’s easy enough to make healthy versions on your own!
Try to have a balanced diet and eat a variety of healthy food to keep your body well-nourished. Eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to stick with a boring diet, not at all. You just need to sit down, take a look at what you eat daily, and see if you’re eating way too much junk or processed foods.
Tip: Take a look at the contents of your fridge. What can you say about it, and what are the products you can swap for healthier alternatives?
Try HIIT
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) basically means doing high-intensity exercises for short intervals, followed by longer periods of rest or low-intensity exercises, and switching back and forth between the two. This method helps you get fit, builds up stamina and endurance, and burns a lot of fat. In fact, the fat-burning effect can last up to 24 hours after your workout!
Tips:
- You can do this for 10 minutes when starting out. Over time, you can go for 20+ minutes.
- Make sure to stay hydrated during these workouts.
- Due to the intensity, you should avoid doing HIIT workouts 2 days in a row.
For beginners, it’s recommended that you start easy with this because overdoing it also has its downsides. Even doing it once a week can give such a good workout. Add this to your weekly workout routine and start small, but as with any exercise, talk to your doctor first before trying this out.
Schedule Exercise
Making exercise a part of your schedule increases your chances of actually doing it. Planning to exercise at the same time each day helps you build up the habit.
Look for ways to make it fun so you start to look forward to it. You can do dance exercises or get an exercise partner. Get your workout clothes and shoes ready the night before; put them on your bedside table so it’s the first thing you see in the morning.
Yes, there will be days you wake up late or have so much to do that there isn’t much time for exercise; there’s no shame there. You just have to look for ways to integrate it into your daily activities. For example, instead of driving to the office, you can briskly walk there, or take the stairs instead of an elevator.
Getting and Staying Fit Is Possible
So there you have it, five small habits to help you get fit. Incorporate them into your life, and you’ll find each one can add up and contribute to a healthy and fit lifestyle that you can maintain long-term.
Which ones do you already practice? Do you have any more little habits to add to this list? I’d love to hear about them so let me know in the comments!