It’s tempting to look at the fittest person we know and be jealous of their impressive body shape and youthful look.
Is there some magic combo of workouts and dieting that gives them such an impressive build?
Did they cut sugar from their diet completely?
Or are they including greens in every meal?
Or maybe they just have money to spend on one-to-one sessions with a personal trainer. A body like that must have been trained by a professional, right?
Well, I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to burn holes in your wallet to lose weight or be healthy.
You can lose weight AND get fit without spending too much time in the gym, or waste money on organic food and expensive sugar-free snack bars.
When done right, adopting a healthy lifestyle can save you a lot of money in the long run.
It does, however, take a little bit of self-discipline and consistency.
Healthy people are not healthy because they dieted or stuck to a workout for a month or two. They are healthy because they implemented life-changing habits into their daily routines.
Here are three things fit people do consistently that keep them youthful, healthy and in great shape.
Healthy People Are Mindful of What They Eat
Healthy people are super mindful of the food they put in their mouths. They do this by eating a well-balanced diet, controlling meal portions and stirring away from high-sugar junk food.
Food contributes greatly to your overall health. Eating healthy can help reduce the risk of certain conditions like diabetes and heart diseases.
You don’t have to spend money on a nutritionist to make personalized meal plans for you.
It doesn't take one to be super knowledgeable in diet and nutrition to eat healthy either.
Just look at your eating habits. Identify the things that you know for a fact are not good for you and cut back on them.
For example, we know that coke and sweets are bad for us. Likewise, too much alcohol is detrimental to one's health.
Start with the basics.
Here are some great tips on how you can eat more healthily:
Take control of your shopping and meals. Make a weekly meal plan and write a grocery list before you go shopping.
Fill your fridge, pantry and snack box with healthy choices of food.
Never skip a healthy breakfast. Having protein and fats in the morning helps you stay full and helps prevent you from snacking later in the day.
Keep healthy snacks nearby. Some healthy snacks include; homemade granola, trail mix, nut butter, a piece of fruit, vegetable sticks (try them with hummus - yum!), cottage cheese on crackers, etc.
Be creative with your food! Eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring. You can find tons of delicious healthy recipes on Pinterest.
Eating more than you need can also be bad for you. You can practice this by avoiding eating in front of a screen or while standing.
Your diet should look like a rainbow. Include a variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts and proteins in the food you eat.
Just as it is important to eat well, you should also drink water like you mean it.
Keeping yourself hydrated at all times is important to staying healthy. Your body will also need more water as you start being more active.
Not drinking enough water, especially when you work out, will leave you at risk of fatigue, irritability and kidney stones. So don't neglect this!
When you start implementing healthy eating habits into your daily routine, it is usually followed by a motivation to exercise.
Healthy People Have Fit Bodies Because They Exercise Regularly
Part of being fit all the time is including body workouts into your daily routine.
Exercise does a lot more than just getting you in shape for the beach. It improves your mood, boosts your energy level and helps reduce stress.
Here are some tips that can help you make exercise fun and easy to do:
Find comfortable fitness clothes and shoes.
Choose a gym schedule or fitness routine that doesn’t clash with your other responsibilities.
Select exercise activities you’re likely to enjoy; if you don’t enjoy running and instead enjoy cycling, then it makes more sense for you to cycle!
Pick the gym days that work for you (even weekends if you can’t commit to all the weekdays).
Make sure to include warm-ups in your exercise.
Bring exercise equipment with you when you go to work or dentist appointments: a resistance band, a small dumbbell, etc.
If you can’t go to the gym, then you can equip your house with fitness equipment.
Pair together routine activities. For example, you can brush your teeth while standing on one leg.
Set reasonable, achievable fitness goals that won't set you up for failure.
Staying fit also includes caring for your mental health. This might include:
Keeping supportive friends and staying away from toxic people.
Practicing daily gratitude.
Reading regularly.
Take control of your screen time (TV, phone, etc.).
Healthy People Sleep Smarter
Healthy people take their sleep extra seriously.
Have a look at your sleeping schedule. Do you sleep at 1 o'clock in the morning? If you're sleeping less than 7 hours, then you are fighting a losing battle.
The night is designed for sleep. There has been proven studies that staying up late can be bad for your health. You can check our blog about sleep undermining your gains, to learn more.
Here are some great tips to prepare yourself for early sleep at night:
Turn off electronics such as your phone, tablet or TV hours leading up to bedtime.
Only use dim lights hours before sleep.
Stay clear from negativity such as stressful topics, arguments, news, etc.
Write a list of things you need or want to do tomorrow. This helps to put your mind at ease.
Writing in your journal, practicing gratitude and deep breathing are all good ways for reducing stress and preparing your mind for sleep.
There you have it, three healthy habits fit people do - and how you can start implementing them into your life!
If you have any further suggestions of healthy habits that worked for you, I'd love to hear them down in the comments!
Or if you need help with some of the challenges that are preventing you from practicing these habits, send me a message and we can have a chat :) You can also reach out to us through Facebook or Instagram.
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