10 Things Really Fit People Do to Stay in Shape

6 min read

key takeaways:
  • Healthy people make fitness a habit and do not treat it as an arduous task to put off till the end of the day.
  • Lifestyle changes can mean eating healthier, sleeping better, hiking with your friends or cycling to work.
  • Do not set unrealistic goals for yourself. Instead set targets you can achieve regularly because consistency is the key to fitness.
DAILY HABITS

Health and fitness is a mega-industry. But with so many creators and content online it’s difficult to find what works for you. More often than not what you see online is the end result, which leaves you wondering how these people even got there. But don’t worry, we’re 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 don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Just do what they did.

The problem here is that viewers think there’s some magic formula they don’t 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.

Did you know?

39%The popularity of meal replacement shakes is on the rise.  A recent market research report reveals that nearly 4 in 10 Americans use performance and nutrition drinks as a breakfast substitute.

1. Healthy people eat a balanced diet full of nutrients

Staying fit is not about taking on insane diets.

But this doesn’t just refer to people starving themselves.

It's also not about the people who are willing to follow the current fad, whether that’s keto diets, protein water, or any other lifestyle choice that isn’t 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 they’re 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 you’re hungry and you don’t 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 it’s 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 you’re super enthusiastic about working out one day and spend an hour at the gym, but give up the next day you’re not helping your case.

On the other hand, if you’re 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 don’t need to suffer to stay healthy.

Exercise isn’t 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 “right” way to stay fit.

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3. Healthy People Surround Themselves With Positive People

It can be extremely different to remain self-motivated.

Whether you’re eating healthy, avoiding junk food, cutting down on alcohol, or taking out time to exercise there will be times you’ll 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 you’re 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 isn’t something you’re 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 hour’s 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 don’t have something you are passionate about, it’s 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 don’t have something you’re passionate about, you’ll 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 that’s real to them.

Something they are passionate about.

How to Create A New Healthy Habits 

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.

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 University’s 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 don’t use the same tactics for our personal goals.

Fit people don’t try and reinvent the wheel.

They take practices that work and apply them to their lives to see immediate results.

Did you know?

Getting through the complete cycle takes 90 minutes, so you get 5 cycles in seven and a half hours, and 6 cycles in 9 hours.

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 that’s 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 you’re going to get to the finish line is always more beneficial than simply focusing on the end result.

You can’t 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.

Start small and build it up

There is no reason to jump into the deep end of the pool on your first day.

It doesn’t bring any benefits and it will actually hurt your overall progress.

When you’re trying to manage a lot of work, whether that’s 20 tasks a day, or two hours of exercise you will quickly get frustrated.

Because routines like that aren’t sustainable.

So you’ll start big on a day when you’re feeling really motivated.

And maybe it’ll last a few days or even a week, but eventually you’ll have to stop.

That isn’t because you didn’t push yourself enough but because you pushed yourself too much.

Plan Realistically

It doesn’t matter how badly you want to go to the gym every day.

If you’re working two jobs, have children, or any other responsibilities your free time is limited.

You need to start by recognizing this.

Don’t 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 you’re never going to do it.

And if your work day ends at 8pm chances are you’re 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 you’re an entrepreneur who is constantly hustling, you might think that staying healthy is one luxury you can’t afford.

However, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Staying fit and well can boost your productivity, improve your mood, boost your metabolism, and help you sleep better. 

Be Open To Change

If you come up with a plan, follow it for a few weeks, and realize that it isn’t working, be open to throwing it out the window.

Fitness and health require a personalized approach.

And you probably won’t 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 don’t 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 you’re not satisfied.

Be Careful

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 aren’t for more than three days.

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 don’t 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.

That’s 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 don’t 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 aren’t 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, that’s better than being miserable for a long time.

When you’ve 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.

That’s perfectly natural.

There’s a reason most people do better in guided programs with others who are going through a similar journey.

Self-motivation is hard and it’s easy to swap out that run for a quick nap when the only person keeping you accountable is you.

That’s why we designed the 21-day Transformation Program.

Fitness doesn’t 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 you’ll see your health and habits transform.

Disclaimer: The LYFE Fuel blog is for informational purposes only. The information does not serve as a replacement for professional medical advice or treatment. We kindly ask you not to ignore professional medical advice because of any information you’ve read on https://lyfefuel.com/. If you have any concerns about your health, please consult a physician or appropriate health care expert.