10 Things Really Fit People Do To Stay In Shape
Tejesh ReddyHealth and fitness is a mega-industry. But with so many creators and content online itβs difficult to find what works for you.Β
More often than not what you see online is the end result, which leaves you wondering how these people even got there.Β
But donβt worry, weβre going to break it down for you and give you the tools necessary to become healthy.
The good thing about modern media though is that whatever you want to do, a dozen people have already done it before you.
That means you donβt need to reinvent the wheel. Just do what they did.
The problem here is that viewers think thereβs some magic formula they donβt know about.
But, the truth is that staying healthy is about building routines that promote healthy habits.
So, here are the 10 things really fit people do to stay in shape.
1. Healthy People Eat A Balanced Diet Full Of Nutrients
Staying fit is not about taking on insane diets.
But this doesnβt just refer to people starving themselves.
It's also not about the people who are willing to follow the current fad, whether thatβs keto diets, protein water, or any other lifestyle choice that isnβt backed up by hard scientific facts.
From a nutritional standpoint, we intuitively know what our bodies need.
There are a certain number of essential vitamins and minerals you need to consume daily.
Fit people know what these requirements are and how theyβre going to meet them.
But it isn't enough to have just the end goal in mind.
You also have to plan every step up till that point.
Are you going to shop organic?
What markets will you go to?
When will you shop?
What does your meal planning and prepping look like?
Because when the moment comes where youβre hungry and you donβt feel like putting in all that effort - and that time will come - what preemptive planning will keep you on track?
A balanced diet full of nutrients is the key to staying healthy, and there are many nutrients that your body needs to stay healthy that are very difficult to get from food alone.
One of the best ways to eat a nutrient-rich diet is to eat a wide range of plant-based whole foods.
But, science shows that often it's still not enough.
One way to get the nutrients missing from diets is through an all-in-one nutrition shake and targeted supplements that fill the gaps.
2. Healthy People Exercise Regularly
Regular exercise is an important part of staying healthy, but itβs not just about staying thin.
Exercise helps reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and other chronic diseases.
Exercise also helps reduce stress, boost your mood, and improve memory, mental alertness, and coordination.
The key to making exercise a daily habit is to find something that you can enjoy and stick to.
That might be a steamy yoga session, a heavy pump at the gym or a run in nature.
The type of exercise you choose is less important that the consistency to maintain it.
If youβre super enthusiastic about working out one day and spend an hour at the gym, but give up the next day youβre not helping your case.
On the other hand, if youβre starting from scratch putting in 20 minutes a day will help you start your fitness journey.
Consistency is the key to fitness.
Another thing fit people realize is that you donβt need to suffer to stay healthy.
Exercise isnβt about dredging through a dozen pullups.
You can stay fit by participating in an activity you enjoy.
Whether you want to run, dance, play a sport, crossfit, or go to the gym. It is your prerogative.
There is no βrightβ way to stay fit.
3. Healthy People Surround Themselves With Positive People
It can be extremely different to remain self-motivated.
Whether youβre eating healthy, avoiding junk food, cutting down on alcohol, or taking out time to exercise there will be times youβll want to take the easier route.
Having people around you who understand and are on the same track as you can be the difference between sticking it out and giving up.
When youβre with a group of health oriented people your leisure time will reflect that and it will make it easier to stick to your goals.
You'll be less tempted by things that deter you from your goals because you'll be motivated to try new things aligned with the shared set of values of your community.
You may try out new restaurants with organic food, sign up for a race, go hiking, or even spend a few hours on a basketball court.
That way fitness isnβt something youβre going out of your way to ensure, but rather a natural part of your routine.
4. Healthy People Get Plenty of Sleep
Everyone knows sleep is a major factor in staying fit but not everyon puts this into practice.
But equally important to how long you sleep is how well you sleep.
To stay healthy, a healthy adult needs between 7 to 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep.
This is not the same as sleeping 4 hours through the night, an hourβs rest on the bus, and a two hour nap during the day.
There are four stages of sleep, N1, N2, N3 and REM. The final stage of the cycle is REM and is the type of sleep that makes you healthy, active, physically and mentally fit when you wake up.
If you want to wake up fully rested, plan your sleep in a way which allows you to wake up when the cycle ends as opposed to in the middle of one.
Fit people know to avoid naps and spend their day maximizing their productivity so they get good sleep at night. It also helps if you rest during the same hours every night.
5. Healthy People Live Life With Passion
When you have something you are passionate about, you have a reason to get up in the morning, a reason to get through the day, and a reason to go to bed at night.
If you donβt have something you are passionate about, itβs easy to get lost in the monotony of everyday life and feel like your life is meaningless.
You can be fierce and intelligent about your goals, but if you donβt have something youβre passionate about, youβll know how ephemeral your achievements really are.
Motivation drives us.
It gives us energy.
It motivates us to knock down our goals and exceed them. Healthy people build their motivation from something thatβs real to them.
Something they are passionate about.
7 Tips To Create New Healthy HabitsΒ
Now that we've outlined the key habits to keeping in fit and staying isn shape, it's time to create a plant that you can follow to be healthier and live longer.
When you choose to do something, you can do it long-term, but you'll need a plan to get you started.
1. It's Important To Set Clear Goals
Most people have abstract concepts of what fitness looks like to them.
Wanting to look like a certain person or reach a certain weight is not a constructive method to becoming or staying healthy.
The same goes for abstract goals like exercising daily.
What does that mean?
How long will you exercise every day?
What exercises are you going to do?
Do you want to strength train or do an aerobic workout?
Michelle Seger who is the director of Michigan Universityβs health department found that appearance-based motivation does not push people to work out past their early 20s.
So if you really want to become fit you need to set clear and achievable goals for yourself.
Measurable objectives or SMART goals is how businesses measure their progress.
Many entrepreneurs apply this strategy to their professional lives every day.
But we donβt use the same tactics for our personal goals.
Fit people donβt try and reinvent the wheel.
They take practices that work and apply them to their lives to see immediate results.
2. Process Motivates Progress
A really fit person may decide to go on a trek once every three months or participate in a marathon.
And when you see these people posting pictures of their accomplishments on Instagram you think thatβs where I want to get.
But the difference between you and them is that they set a clear goal months in advance and worked towards it.
Focusing on the process and breaking down how youβre going to get to the finish line is always more beneficial than simply focusing on the end result.
You canβt manifest success.
You have to work towards it every day.
And eventually those small steps build up to show progress.
So, evaluate what you want because at the end of the day the only way for you to remain motivated long-term is if a task brings you a tangible benefit.
3. Start Small And Build It Up Over Time
There is no reason to jump into the deep end of the pool on your first day.
It doesnβt bring any benefits and it will actually hurt your overall progress.
When youβre trying to manage a lot of work, whether thatβs 20 tasks a day, or two hours of exercise you will quickly get frustrated.
Because routines like that arenβt sustainable.
So youβll start big on a day when youβre feeling really motivated.
And maybe itβll last a few days or even a week, but eventually youβll have to stop.
That isnβt because you didnβt push yourself enough but because you pushed yourself too
4. Plan Realistically
It doesnβt matter how badly you want to go to the gym every day.
If youβre working two jobs, have children, or any other responsibilities your free time is limited.
You need to start by recognizing this.
Donβt try and overwork yourself.
When you honestly account for how much free time you have in a day you can start setting realistic goals.
Because if your plan is to get up at 6am and go for a run before you go to the office youβre never going to do it.
And if your work day ends at 8pm chances are youβre not driving straight to the gym after.
Focus on finding small periods of free time and fitting in activities that you can actually sustain most days out of the week.
If youβre an entrepreneur who is constantly hustling, you might think that staying healthy is one luxury you canβt afford.
However, that couldnβt be further from the truth.
Staying fit and well can boost your productivity, improve your mood, boost your metabolism, and help you sleep better.
5. Be Open To Change
If you come up with a plan, follow it for a few weeks, and realize that it isnβt working, be open to throwing it out the window.
Fitness and health require a personalized approach.
And you probably wonβt find all the answers the first time you try something.
Adapting and changing your plan as you go is your best bet to becoming and staying healthy.
If a friend recommends resistance training donβt be afraid to give it a shot.
And if you find a new organic supplement product give it a go and wait to see results.
Give new strategies the time and space to show results but be willing to dispose of them if youβre not satisfied.
6. Get Enough Rest & Recovery
Pushing through is not always the best approach.
If you do struggle with illness or are having trouble breathing you should take a break.
Don't be so hard on yourself and keep in mind that healthy living is a lifelong commitment that takes time to develop.
Remember to reward yourself as you go and take breaks when you need them.
Try to set a general rule and make sure the gaps between sessions arenβt for more than three days.
7. Embrace The Journey and Have Fun!
Healthy people are happy people.
Healthy people are not complacent or merely satisfied with their lives.
They are always striving to improve themselves.
They are always striving to improve their health.
They are striving to improve their relationships.
They are striving to improve their career.
They are striving to improve their financial situation.
They are striving to improve their social situation.
Healthy people are directed toward doing things that cause them to be happy.
They give their time and effort to activities that cause them to be healthy and happy.
They passionately exercise.
They eat a varied diet of vegetables, fruits and whole grains.
They take regular time care of their bodies and spend time with others who they enjoy close company with.
They donβt have heavy stressors placed on them.
They go to bed early and get up early.
They are optimistic, happy, and positive about their lives.
They are personal to themselves and they know who they are.
They live a long time.
They motivate and support each other.
Healthy people work hard to improve their lives.
They have goals, dreams, and aspirations.
Thatβs why they work so hard and dedicate so much of their lives.
As the old saying goes, a person who works hard in order to be unhappy will be miserable for a long time.
The problem is most people donβt work hard enough!
Most people put in minimal effort, work out until their muscles ache, and exercise until their joints hurt.
Then, once they get the results they want from these minimal efforts, they throw in the towel, frustrated that they arenβt getting any further.
Poor effort leads to poor results.
So, if you want to be fit, healthy and happy for decades to come, then stop the downward spiral of minimal effort and start working hard.
Stop the downward spiral of eating unhealthy, unhealthy food, watching television, consuming extra alcohol, doing nothing productive, etc.
Even if that means putting in minimal effort for a short while, thatβs better than being miserable for a long time.
When youβve had enough time is when you can make the change permanent.
Conclusion
You can know all these things and still not find the energy or motivation to push through that mental block.
Thatβs perfectly natural.
Thereβs a reason most people do better in guided programs with others who are going through a similar journey.
Self-motivation is hard and itβs easy to swap out that run for a quick nap when the only person keeping you accountable is you.
Thatβs why we designed the 21-day Transformation Program.
Fitness doesnβt have to be this frustrating and unreasonable goal.
When you have the support of expert coaching and a community that understands what it is like to be in your position, fitness and health become extremely achievable.
With every milestone you hit youβll see your health and habits transform.
Sign up today to take the first small step on your fitness journey.
