You see them everywhere: in the coffee shop, at the grocery store, in yoga pants, making it look effortless. People that look fit, energetic and drinking the same latte that you are. What they heck are they doing differently?
Obtaining a fit and healthy lifestyle is just that, a lifestyle. It’s a daily commitment. It doesn’t have to be awful though, and once you’re on the right track, it can feel downright amazing. We never regret the healthy choices that we make.
Read ahead for the daily habits of fit people.
THEY PLAN THEIR EXERCISE
Think about your daily life, your work commitments, your social commitments. We don’t even think twice about skipping these things, as they are a priority for our lives. We have to work to make money, and we have to make social engagements because the people in our lives are important. The key here is that in order to build, and maintain, a healthy lifestyle, we need to make our health a priority, just like a work meeting. We tend to consider our health, and making ourselves a priority, a flexible appointment.
Fit people plan exercise into their weeks. I plan mine on Sunday. I look at my week and determine when I have a free hour each day or every other day to get in exercise. Once it is in my schedule, I have no excuses to miss it, just like I wouldn’t miss a work meeting. Making this time for yourself isn’t an indulgence, it’s an essential piece of taking care of yourself, your health and reaching your goals.
THEY UNDERSTAND THAT DAILY CHOICES MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Of course fit people want to indulge, eat cake and ice cream. And we DO. We just understand that we can’t do this everyday and still maintain our health. Fit people make decisions daily that affect their health in a positive way. They choose not to eat every sweet that is available to them, and they choose to fit in the exercise into their days, even when they don’t want to. They understand that in making the positive choice the majority of the time, then the times that they do skip a workout, or indulge in the treat food, it is a treat, and won’t derail them.
THEY GET REGULAR EXERCISE, EVEN WHEN THEY DON’T WANT TO
Speaking to point #1, not only do they schedule their exercise into their week, but fit people move often. We live a very sedentary life and it gets worse and worse as time goes on. Fit people make it a priority to move most days of the week. The second part of this, exercising even when they don’t want to, is a big one. There are times when the last thing in the world I want to do is exercise, even if it’s something that I usually love. Fit people move through that place, make themselves get that workout in, because they KNOW that they have never regretted a workout. They have only regretted the times they didn’t work out. Again, it’s about making health a priority. We don’t always want to go to work, but we do anyway.
THEY FOLLOW THE 80/20 RULE. EAT WELL 80% OF THE TIME, INDULGE 20%
Most fit people follow this rule, even if not consciously. For example, I understand that if I indulge daily, then that will end up adding up over time. I choose to eat healthy most of the week, and if I want a sweet, and I did well all week, then I treat myself with a small portion. This tends to make the treat not only very worth it, but you appreciate it more and enjoy it more than if you use treats as a regular occurrence. If you choose wisely 80% of the time, indulging 20% allows you to still enjoy the foods that you love, without the hit on your health. And will full enjoyment and no guilt.
THEY MAKE EXERCISE FUN
Fit people find exercise that they ENJOY. Sure, it’s not always going to be rainbows and sunshine, but most of the time, they are doing something that they enjoy. There is a multitude of options out there from walking, to different classes, to outdoor groups to boot camps. People that stick to regular exercise find something that they love to do, and that they look forward to. I don’t run, or do pilates, as those things do not make me happy. However, these forms of exercise may work for you. It may take some trial and error to find the thing that gets you excited, but stick with it, there is something out there for you!
THEY SURROUND THEMSELVES WITH LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE
This is my favorite of all time. Fit people surround themselves with other fit people. It speaks to the point above, to find something that you love. Most likely, you will connect with at least one or two others that love the same thing. Then wa-la! You have a workout buddy to help motivate you and vice versa. This is one of the biggest ways to help lifestyle changes stick. It can be a social endeavor. There are tons of groups out there that are hiking, walking, you name it. Again, it may take some courage to join a group where you know no-one, but chances are, most of the others are in the same boat, and you already have something in common!
THEY DON’T GIVE UP WHEN LIFE GETS BUSY
Fit people don’t use holidays, vacations or injuries to derail their health. Sure, like most people, fit people indulge during these times, but they maintain a balance. They find ways to incorporate some exercise, and aim to make healthy choices and to eat in balance. Indulging during these times of year, overeating and staying sedentary can add 5–10 pounds each year, which, ultimately can add up to 25–50 pounds over 5 years! Fit people understand that these aren’t times to make excuses to overindulge, instead they understand that it is not worth it most of the time.
While this may seem overwhelming for you if you don’t currently engage in these behaviors, there are ways to change your life one small step at a time to transform not only your body, but your lifestyle.
Originally published at www.realhealth-coaching.com on October 20, 2016.