Maintaining a fit physique is key to a healthy heart and mind.
From our very first steps on this planet, humans and animals have engaged our bodies in our journey through life. We learned to walk, then run, and used that to play.
As we humans grow older, we often lose that sense of play. We grow accustomed to sitting long hours at work, to return home to lounge around even more. This leads to a groggy body and a sluggish mind.
The best way to circumvent this issue is to develop healthy fitness habits at a young age. It really doesn’t take that much, but the benefits are enormous.
Read on for more tips to start your new journey today!
1. Early Bird Walks
Find yourself hitting the snooze button each morning? Need just a few more minutes to feel rested?
That ends now.
Professor James Gangwisch of Columbia University published a study on how the snooze button is harmful to a full night’s rest. One-use alarms are great, he explains, but hitting the snooze button cuts short our 45-minute cycles, adding stress to our bodies.
Instead, when your alarm sounds off, hop out of bed and into your tennis shoes. We’re going for a 30-minute walk.
Walking in the morning, on an empty stomach, jumpstarts your metabolism for the day. This reset will reduce a high blood-pressure and high cholesterol levels.
Plus, it’s a great time to reflect and look ahead to your plan for the day.
2. Strength Training
Weightlifting is not just for bodybuilders.
Lifting three of four times your bodyweight might be, but that’s not what we’ll be aiming for. For our fitness habits, we’ll be focusing on light to moderate weights. Something that allows you to repeat an exercise 20-30 times in a set. We’re not looking to build muscle by stressing out the tissue, just one the
This will tone and refine your muscles for definition, not mass. Read more on strength training exercises in another of our articles.
3. Stretching
Keeping a flexible body is as important to your fitness habits as exercise is.
All that pumping and contracting builds up acid in the muscle tissue needs to be released. It doesn’t matter what you do–yoga, pilates–just get your body relaxed with some gentle stretching.
Once you get a flow going, stretching is a wonderful time to let your mind relax, as well. It’s a great time to get in some meditation!
4. Nutrition
What you put into your body is as important as what you do with it.
It’s great to enjoy deliciously prepared meals once in a while, but your food really needs to be about your nutrition. Stick to whole, unprocessed foods with minimal preparation and you’ll be well on your way.
Click to learn more–nutrition is a vast subject that’s best broken down into chunks.
5. Enjoyment
Beyond all that, it’s important to enjoy your fitness journey.
Most people correlate fitness with the gym and working out. But there’s so much more out there.
- Join a casual sports team, like kickball
- Scout out the local hiking trails
- Grab a friend and check out a spin-cycle class
- Boogie on down with some swing dancing
- Spend a date on the lake with a rowboat-for-two
Remember to keep that child-like spirit alive with fresh, fun activities!
Fitness Habits for You
Your fitness journey is unique. Find what excites you to best maintain an active, healthy body and keep a fresh mind.
Estilo Tendances has a host of lifestyle articles to help keep you on track. Look out for more of our fitness, diet, and beauty tips!
