Keeping Fit Involves More Than Just a Physical Focus
It only takes a quick search about “how to keep fit” to find multiple websites with information and/or products. Most advertise people with muscular bodies and big smiles.
Rarely do we see someone struggling, with little energy, and dreaming about a hot fudge sundae. But the truth is, that’s often reality.
Marketing portrays what result we hope to get, reality displays where we currently are.
It’s true that physically fit people also struggle with staying motivated and with wellness. This information applies to everyone. Let’s look at why.
The authentic fitness industry has more than only a physical focus and so does staying fit. Realizing this is part of the battle.
It’s hard to sustain physical success if you are silently struggling with your mental health or emotions. It’s exhausting.
A great start to a healthier lifestyle, and to keeping fit, is to recognize things that you need to stop doing. I mention this here so that you can apply it as we talk more about fitness and wellness.
For a successful whole health journey remember: the best way to kick bad habits is to replace them with something better.
In This Article
Eating and Hydration for Fitness
You’ll find these two topics all throughout the fitness industry. There’s a reason for that. They are important to physical fitness.
Eating right and staying hydrated help with clarity, mental health, and can keep you from having medical difficulties such as various diseases.
While this is true, we aren’t going to discuss the specifics about diet here. As I mentioned, there are plenty of awesome resources about eating healthy that are easy to find.
We’re going to focus on some ideas that might help you have a breakthrough. I used several of these to help turn my eating habits around.
When to Eat and Drink
One of the hardest things to change is eating habits. Let’s look at some ideas as to how to realistically focus on this.
You might find yourself aimlessly snacking when you’re bored, or if you convince yourself that you’re hungry.
First, ask yourself if you’re actually hungry or just killing time? The answer may be surprising because often we don’t consider this before reaching for a snack.
One of the best bad habits to break is not eating when you’re not hungry.
Another point is that you should never skip breakfast. Try to eat your largest meals earlier in the day. Depending on what type of plan you are trying to stick to, eating small meals throughout the day may be more beneficial.
It’s also a good rule not to eat or drink within three hours of bedtime. Not only is eating then going to bed bad practice but drinking right before bed can disrupt sound sleep.
Everyone can benefit from these ideas whether you have a regular exercise regimen or not.
No Scales, No Diets
This goes back to the idea that mindset has a huge impact on a successful journey.
When you focus on the wrong things, your outlook can suffer. If a number is your focus, then you usually end up hating the scale and having trouble with lasting progress.
Unless a physician has told you to lose a certain amount of weight for your health, goals can be set but should not monitored to the point of obsession.
Accept the mindset that you don’t always have to know a number. If you’re aware of what you’re eating and drinking, you know when you are likely gaining and losing.
The worst habits are created from the focus of watching the scale to see a few pounds change. Thanks to fluid retention and specific foods you eat, this can be one of the most defeating and annoying habits.
If you only have a few pounds to lose, you are likely not able to measure that accurately on a scale. There are too many factors that can readily change including the time of day you weigh.
Instead, you should take a baseline and check in monthly depending on how much weight you’re trying to lose. Use the scale only to make sure you’re trending in the right direction.
Weight loss diets are another idea that have grown by leaps and bounds as our country has experienced a greater population of people with obesity. However, diets can be restricting and bring on defeat also.
Again, if a conversation has taken place with your doctor and it is recommended that you change your eating habits for safety, then follow the suggestions. I’m talking about diet fads or whatever is “the newest thing” now.
I have watched many types of diets come and go over the years and even tried a few. Honestly, most don’t seem to work because they don’t become a lifestyle. The moment you return to previous eating habits, even a little, the weight usually returns.
Why do we keep punishing ourselves with diets? The mindset behind dieting is often that hopefully the next one will work. After hearing many, many stories and personally experiencing failed diets, it’s easy to realize the trouble is in the sustainability.
Following a plan that is too involved, time consuming, or too confusing easily gets diminished then officially dumped.
So that brings us to the point that changing eating habits for sustainability should be the goal rather than losing weight.
Willpower and Moderation
If diets are difficult and usually don’t bring long-term success, then what should we do?
Often, I hear the answer, “Have willpower.” That’s a broad statement that doesn’t explain how to take steps toward success.
One of the main points is not to deprive yourself. This creates a greater desire for the avoided item. Instead, have a small amount. This is a great reward method for your successes also.
I’m going to share a few ideas that have worked well with my patients over the years.
1. Food Journal
This may be an effort, but that’s exactly why it’s successful. Taking the time to journal what you eat before you eat it allows you to pause before eating. Look back over what you’ve eaten that day and assess your choices. This creates a visual that some people need. Sometimes we grab and forget, so a journal helps create reminders. Basically, it’s for awareness of what your bad habits may include.
2. Divide Small Portions
One suggestion I share often is to divide out all your bagged food into small portions. This includes snacks like potato chips, sweet snacks, and anything not individually wrapped. This creates success with moderation. Of course, only eating one portion at a time is recommended.
3. Serving Size
Another idea for moderation is to change the size plate you eat meals on. While this may seem simple, it discourages eating too much of a good thing. Over time, I have heard numerous comments about the amount of food people eat. They know it’s too much, admit it, but aren’t taking steps to change it. We are very fortunate to have plentiful portions, but it has created unhealthy habits. Being aware and making a change go together for success.
Remember, replacing bad habits with something better is how we bring change.
Stay Fit with Movement and Correct Recovery
Often people don’t like the word exercise. If you’re one that enjoys it as an outlet and stress reliever, then you are on a healthy journey to staying fit.
For those that haven’t taken the consistent leap, fear not, there are ways to get started and keep moving.
First, don’t call your movement exercise. If the term is associated with a negative mindset, skip it. The word, not the action.
Get moving in any way that you enjoy. Even walking to window shop is movement. Maybe just pick up the pace as you glance. Change the way you think of exercise and incorporate activities that involve others and pets.
An optimistic outlook creates ways to get moving and prove you can do it.
Once you have the hang of moving intentionally, add in some specific movements that target certain muscle groups. Basic bicep curls, squats, push-ups, and hamstring curls are a great way to get started.
If you are already actively working out or exercising, the following tips can still help keep it fresh.
Motivation For Fitness
An important factor in wellness is motivation. Understanding what motivates you is the first step.
Take some time to decide why you feel a push to get and stay fit. Perhaps you have a certain job that calls for better health. Maybe you want to stick around for your family and keeping fit is important.
It’s good to have an additional reason than to lose weight for appearance. When this is our only reason, we can easily feel overwhelmed and defeated if we don’t meet our goals.
If appearance is an important reason, then accompany this with the mindset that you will be doing your body a favor by creating sustainable wellness. Viewing yourself as whole—not just for appearance–can bring a greater realization of the importance of health.
A few other helpful hints to keep moving are to turn off your screens, use affirmations, and change up your routine.
1. Turn off your screens
We are often distracted for hours by access to the multiple screens we encounter. It has become natural to see screens everywhere, so much so, that we rarely think about the number we’re surrounded by. Try to recognize them as potential distractions and challenge yourself to have time without screens daily.
2. Use affirmations
This is an important way to use optimistic self-talk to change a negative mindset. We are surrounded by negativity daily and absorb much of it without even realizing. Take intentional steps to identify yourself as amazing and capable. Don’t wait on others to lean into agreeing with you. Take time to specifically focus on affirmations. This can create a healthy habit that you readily use throughout the day.
3. Change up your routine
Try not to focus on the same movement or fitness routine unless you are motivated to do so. If it doesn’t interest you, don’t do it. Instead of force yourself to take steps for staying fit, choose movement that you would rather take part in. This could be dancing for fun, walking with your pet, playing tag with a child, or cheering on your team. Make a point to add extra time on your feet and create new challenges for yourself, your friends, and your family.
Baby Steps are Fine
One of the most common complaints I hear is that it’s hard to get started. Almost 100% of people I have worked with say the same thing. The older we get, it’s an even greater challenge.
Some of the suggestions I share are as follows:
1. Start with short episodes, but start
One of the hardest things to do is convince yourself to get started when you try to exercise for 45 minutes or an hour out of the blue. While this is optimal, it’s better to start small and do something rather than continue to say, “I’ll do it” and not move.
2. Start at home if you feel better, but start
You know your motivation level and your habits. While it may not be a good idea to always stay home, starting a movement program may seem less intimidating in a familiar environment. After beginning, you can transition to a gym or group movement class later. Accountability is key and it’s often a great way to gain encouragement from others.
3. Listen to your body
Injury is a common situation with exercise. There is a misconception that injury comes mostly from lifting weights or over exertion. Actually, incorrect technique is one of the most common culprits of injury. To avoid injury, listen to your body. If you ever question if you are doing an activity correctly or safely, don’t attempt it until you find out. Also, stay attentive to signs that you may need physical healing in your body.
Keep Fit by Having Consistency
Consistency is an important part of staying fit. It’s often difficult to be motivated continuously; however, staying the course is what brings success.
While this is true, don’t be too hard on yourself. Find ways to alter your plan if you can’t go to the gym or work out every time you try.
Substitute another activity that you can build into your day. Setting daily intentions is a great way to keep stepping and have measurable success.
If time is the challenge, get creative with your movement, but don’t stop.
For example, I have always walked quite a bit at work, so I didn’t feel like that activity alone was challenging enough. Some days, I added in exercise time by participating with patients during instruction when able. I even added ankle weights when I walked from patient room to room.
These examples may not fit your lifestyle, but you can likely come up with ways to challenge yourself that do. Think outside the box.
Another area to address with consistency is recovery. For most of us the basic—but needed—recovery time is sleep. Your body recovers nightly when you sleep, so don’t deprive yourself of enough sleep time.
Also, regarding recovery, if you challenge yourself with harder workouts, it’s important to change muscle groups daily to allow recovery. If you like cross training or group fitness, consider alternating days to allows adequate rest time.
In addition, paying attention to chronic injuries and focusing on any limitations is important for keeping fit.
Other Areas to Consider for Keeping Fit
I mentioned earlier that mindset is a very important part of staying fit. The truth is, we need to keep the view that our whole body contributes to our fitness success to better understand body awareness. This includes strength and flexibility as well as endurance and balance.
Every part of the body has its own role, and wellness of each area should be considered to truly keep fit.
I always teach that balance is imperative, and this is no different.
Mental Wellness
Our thoughts create our emotions, actions, and habits, so it’s crucial that we spend some time focused on our mental health.
Mindfulness is a very important part of creating mental wellness. Slowing down, taking intentional time, and rejuvenating are all things that contribute to mental well-being.
It’s difficult to stay the course with physical fitness goals if we are not in a healthy place mentally. Even the most physically fit person can have challenges in sustainability if they are not balanced mentally.
Spiritual Wellness
Spiritual wellness doesn’t always get the attention it should where whole health is considered.
This type of wellness can include a variety of methods, but I address this as belief in being a part of something bigger.
By increasing the focus of our place on Earth, it helps us stay grounded and humble. It can create a more optimistic outlook.
This encourages a greater wellness that naturally encompasses all areas of our being. It can help with greater desire to stay balanced and keep fit.
Emotional Wellness
Another area of our whole being that should get attention to stay balanced is emotional health. As with other ideas mentioned, a focus on emotional wellness contributes to keeping fit.
This is one area that can quickly change to the detriment if we don’t address it intentionally. Steps taken to create and maintain emotional balance can allow greater fitness success overall.
Although challenging, there are ways to control your emotions and have greater success.
Final Thoughts About Keeping Fit
As we have reviewed the different areas of fitness, one point should have become apparent. A well-rounded person is healthier overall than a physically fit person that ignores other areas of their health.
Keeping fit is often addressed as physical with a pinpoint focus rather than seeing it as one part of the whole. A wider view can promote better understanding of overall wellness.
Spending time focused on each area—not only physical fitness—will likely create an experience for a higher degree of wellness.