Staying both fit and healthy is extremely important for people of all ages, especially for the growing kids. For their body to work and respond well, one must hold on to positive health habits that can help them grow fit, strong, healthy and decrease the likely hood of getting obese or severely sick. It may seem that having a healthy lifestyle is not a big deal. That staying up all night for Netflix & chill while crunching on those yummy midnight snacks won’t cause any harm to our bodies. But deep down, we all know that it does nothing beneficial but give temporary satisfaction by fulfilling our temporary desires.
Difference in being fit and being healthy
Being fit and healthy does not necessarily mean that one must have 6 packs or must be skinny. Many people often misunderstand the meaning of being fit and of being healthy. You could be exercising daily and yet be unable to loose all the body fat. You could look fit and skinny and yet not have the energy to do tasks. Just because one appears to be fit does not mean that they are healthy, and just because one exercises regularly does not mean that they are physically fit.
A fit person may have the ability to perform athletic activities well or may appear good; showing abs and being skinny. But we can’t be sure of the fact that the person is as healthy as they look, for looks don’t define if one is fit and healthy. Having to push too much in their muscles while performing athletic activities, without having a proper healthy lifestyle can make these “fit” people wake up tired and nauseous as their health is not able to follow up with their physical activities.
On the other hand, a healthy person will have their systems such as nervous, muscular, lymphatic and hormonal working in an optimal way. In other words, their bodies will be functioning properly and they will have lots of energy to do tasks without getting tired easily. A healthy person will also have a good mental health and won’t easily get sick, for they have a great immune system.
How to be both fit and healthy at the same time?
To be fit and healthy, it is important to know the difference of these two. Once you get to know the differences it is easy to find ways to maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle. Some of the ways of being both fit and healthy at the same time are:
- Daily exercising:
Exercising regularly have many benefits and one of the key component is that it keeps our heart, lungs and muscles strong and healthy. Exercising doesn’t necessarily mean getting abs or being skinny. It would be enough exercise even if you go out a few weeks for simply a walk. According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, exercise is a necessary factor in our daily routine to remain fit and healthy. So, a 30 minutes of regular exercise can balance our hormones, manage stress, and manage weight to the best.
People with unhealthy lifestyles and obesity issues often complain of stagnant health, tiredness, fatigue, anxiety, frustration and stress. Exercising regularly not only reduces the risk of us getting obesity, but also helps to reduce the risk of injury by increasing the flexibility of a person, helps combat depression and reduces stress and frustration off your body.
- Maintaining a healthy diet:
Our body requires a stable amount of nutrition for it to function properly, and for that eating right is very important. The health issues and body needs are addressed properly when one eats the proper amount and type of food. Although many people assume that maintaining a healthy lifestyles and being fit means to avoid eating meals and only eat a frequent amount of food even after a tiring long day when it is not. It does not make you fit nor does it benefit the human body hence, it is not a healthy lifestyle.
According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, highly processed foods that contain artificial sweeteners or colors, hidden sugars or excessive fat must be avoided as much as possible as these are considered unhealthy for the body. It is more efficient to eat as many fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and make them a part of your overall diet. These benefit the body, making the immune system stronger, having less chance of getting severe diseases.
Along with eating properly, drinking at least 16 glasses of water daily is also essential to maintain a healthy digestive tract, energy and balance. Water is said to be detoxifying.
- Maintaining a proper sleeping schedule:
Without getting proper sleep, the brain will not be able to function properly. After spending a long day of attending meetings, working, dealing with stressful situations and running errands, it is always necessary to take a rest and recharge yourself for the upcoming day. Try to get at least 8 to 10 hours of sleep every night to let your body rejuvenate and recharge itself from the daily trauma. Even if you spent your day exercising and eating properly, the body always needs minimum 8 hours of rest as sleep affects our physical and mental health tremendously.
Lack of sleep adversely affects metabolism, mood, concentration, memory, motor skills, stress hormones and even the immune system and cardiovascular health. Getting enough sleep allows the body to heal and repair in a way the body simply cannot when a person is awake. So, instead of staying awake at night, always consider sleeping to get the maximum amount of sleep so your body can be energized for the coming day.
- Quitting unhealthy habits:
Quitting on bad habits is a very important part of having a healthy lifestyle. Habits such as smoking, using drugs, having unsafe sex, drinking alcohol, eating high sugar content food, caffeine and junk food are all unhealthy addiction which have no way of being “healthy”. Therefore if you are keen on wanting to lead a healthy lifestyle, these habits must be avoided or at the least must be used only once in a while as they contribute in harming the body the most along with health, emotional and mental issues even if it is able to satisfy our needs for the time.
- Reducing stress:
Stress can cause more severe problems than one can possibly expect. It can cause problems from heart trouble to digestive problems. While it is easy to get stressed due to daily activities, what people most often do not know is how to deal with it. Some of the ways to get rid of stress are exercising, meditating, doing the things that please you and avoid overworking.
Yoga is the most common method used for self-care, healing and exercising. It is said to be an art that connects the mind, body and soul in a string. In fact, researches show that yoga paired with meditation helps fight stress and depression to a great extend. These are said to improve one’s brain power, bringing bodily changes and positivity in life.
advantages of being fit and healthy
- Reduces dementia risk
- Reduces cancer risk
- Prevents muscle loss
- Improves digestion
- Reduces stress, depression and anxiety
- Improves your skin
- Enhances mental performance and work productivity
- Leads to being more creative and Intellectual
- Supplements self-confidence
In conclusion, it is important to maintain both a fit and healthy lifestyle as it benefits us a lot. So eat those salads you keep aside and turn your back for those extra chocolate bars. They may give you the satisfaction at the moment, but in the end, it is only going to harm your body. It’s easy to protect yourself against being unhealthy, you just need to set your priorities and have patience.
