Is fitness a priority in your life? It should be. It affects how you feel, your health, your energy level, your mood and even how you look. While it takes some time to carve out time to get fit, the longer you put forth the effort, the faster you’ll get other tasks accomplished, due to increased energy. It isn’t just about losing weight, because if you’re thin, yet sickly, you aren’t functioning your best either.
Start by making small changes.
It’s all about lifestyle, not just one big push to eat healthy and exercise for a week. You can’t change the effect of years of bad habits with a week of good ones. Start by making a small change, like vowing to get more exercise and doing something about that daily, whether it’s exercising five to ten minutes several times a day, taking the stairs instead of the elevator or making the effort to walk a half hour a day. Choose something that you know you’ll do consistently, no matter how small, to increase your exercise—-then do it.
Double your benefits by doubling your changes.
Giving up bad habits is the hardest, especially if those habits are addictive, like nicotine, sugar, drugs or alcohol. If you’re tackling a big change, replace that bad habit with a good one. Instead of stopping at the local bar for drink after work, go to the gym. Get the benefits of relaxation from exercise or meditation rather than drugs, legal or otherwise. Have healthy foods available so you don’t reach for ones that have added sugar.
Boost your efforts by getting plenty of sleep.
We’re a nation where burning the candle at both ends is honored and working to the point of mental exhaustion applauded. Not only does that affect your health, but it also affects your productivity and can cause weight gain. It can cause burnout that ultimately leads to a reduction in your productivity and shoddy work. Lack of sleep can also cause a hormonal imbalance in the hunger/satiety hormones, leaving you feeling hungry all the time.
- Build on the changes you made. Create a notification in your phone every month or two that reminds you to up your game. If you’re walking ten minutes every day, increase it to twenty or walk several times a day.
- Drink more water. It may seem simple, but it’s extremely important. Mild dehydration can affect all parts of your body, including the brain. Increase the amount of water you drink daily or sip it throughout the day and watch your energy level rise.
- A few simple changes can make a world of difference. Have healthy snacks, like fruit, vegetables and nuts on hand and avoid food with added sugar. Increase your servings of vegetables and add fatty fish to your diet once a week to feel your best.
- When you make your health a priority, you’re doing it for your employer, your family and yourself. Your family needs you healthy and getting fit makes you more efficient at work. Most of all, every person deserves to feel their best, including you.
For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness