Have you ever noticed how some people can train, stay fit and maintain their “feel-great” weight with ease, while others get stuck in an endless loop of weight loss and weight gain and falling off the fitness wagon?
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Sure, you know how important it is to exercise regularly. But leading a fit lifestyle takes a lot more than just lifting weights at the gym. Here are 10 routine habits that fit people tend to have in common. Try to implement these habits in your own life, because these simple habits work.
1. They Eat Breakfast
It’s commonly said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. People who are fit take this refrain seriously. They eat breakfast because they know the many benefits it offers, like providing the energy needed to get up and get active. Skipping breakfast can leave you feeling drained throughout the day, and that feeling is often what keeps people from going to the gym or working out as intensely as they can. Spare yourself the excuse and give your body the fuel it needs.
2. They Stretch
Fit people don’t neglect to stretch after a workout, and will make sure to stretch after any strenuous physical activity, or even throughout the day. Do side twists in your office chair or shoulder exercises while you chat at the water cooler. Stop to stretch before and after working out, as well as when you get up in the morning or get ready to perform a repetitive task. You’ll be more willing to keep up your fitness routine if you’re feeling limber.
3. They Sit Up Tall
Slouching can happen as a result of weak muscles, while also making them even weaker. Fit people a strong core and back tend to have better posture in general, but they also seem to have more confidence, allowing them to sit tall. Strength begets strength, and people who care about growing stronger and living a more fit life routinely sit tall in straight-back chairs, on backless benches, or on exercise balls. That’s because they know slouching will cause muscles to weaken and relax in positions that add strain and pressure to the body, and they’re used to sitting tall and proud. To improve your posture, your health, and your level of fitness, try practicing some posture-correction exercises.
4. They Find Fun Ways To Exercise
Fit people stay fit because they genuinely enjoy being active. Whether it’s the bodybuilder who looks forward to his grueling weightlifting sessions, or the runner who can’t wait to go for a jog outdoors, or the athlete who thrives on the competition, there’s got to be something about your workouts that you enjoy, or else you won’t stick to them. Furthermore, fit people tend to be active even when they aren’t “working out,” supplementing their gym workouts with sports, swimming a few laps in the pool for fun, biking around the city with friends or throwing a frisbee around at the beach.
5. They Don’t Stress
Stress can lead to skipped workouts, a poor diet, and weight gain. We all know that exercising can help reduce stress, but many people who are in good shape also have stress-reducing techniques, too. Whether it’s yoga or spending time talking with a friend over coffee, stress-reducing techniques play a vital and regular role in keeping you both mentally and physically fit. Because exercise is such a wonderful stress reliever, you’ll find fit people tend to be more relaxed and happy overall — which leads to even better fitness. Now that’s a wonderful habit-cycle you want to get into!
6. They Don’t ‘Diet’
It’s a lifestyle, not a diet, for truly fit people, who know not to deprive themselves regularly of foods that they crave. While fit people eat a generally very healthy diet, you’ll notice that they also don’t mind indulging every once and a while.
7. They Eat Real Food
A fit person may indulge every now and then, but most of the time, they opt for whole foods that are chock-full of nutrients. A fit person is more likely to cook for themselves, and prepare fresh clean-eating foods that are full of vegetables, fruits, complex carbs and lean proteins.
8. They Get Enough Sleep
To a fit person, sleep is just as important as diet, exercise and being active. Fit people sleep enough to have the energy they need to be active and for their bodies to replenish as needed. If you ask a fit person about the secret to their health, chances are they’ll you they get a good night’s sleep.
9. They Keep A Schedule
Most fit people have a general daily or weekly routine, and it’s not just about fitness. Fit people tend to keep structured schedules as a matter of self-discipline and organization. Not only do fit people tend to have scheduled blocks of time for working out (and they stick to them), but they make their schedule an un-breakable habit. Having a routine makes it easy to stick to a fit lifestyle, as your likely to stick to your good habits.
10. They Don’t Do It For A Number On The Scale
Successfully fit people don’t look at exercise as a weight-loss method. Instead, they gauge the effectiveness of their training program on improvements in strength and performance — not on how much weight they’re losing. Those who are consistently fit understand that fitness is about being happy and healthy overall. They care about feeling strong, confident and capable — not how much they way or whether they can squeeze into a size zero. You’ll be far happier and way more successful if you adopt this mind-set towards fitness.