You may believe that as long as you exercise consistently, you will stay in shape and maintain your quality of life as you age. While it’s true that exercise will improve your health and well-being, staying physically fit is just one piece of the puzzle. Even at your peak fitness, you may be lacking in other areas that affect your overall health.
Regular exercise is essential to keep your body healthy. It strengthens your heart and reduces the risk of heart disease, hypertension, and stroke. It can improve bone density and joint health, reducing your risk of osteoporosis and arthritis. Exercise increases muscle strength and endurance, which reduces the risk of injury. The list goes on regarding its benefits, such as boosting your immunity, improving lung capacity and efficiency, and managing or reducing your risks of chronic health issues like type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and obesity.
Finding activities you enjoy and doing enough exercise is vital for improving your physical health. Overdoing it can lead to burnout and injury, making staying consistent difficult. However, striking the right balance of rest, aerobic, flexibility, and strength training will have your future self profusely thanking your today self for your healthy habit. So, what else must you do to stay fit?
Fueling Your Body
Reaching your peak physical health and staying fit over time is more than just exercising most days of the week. It also doesn’t mean you can eat anything you want because you do activities that burn extra calories. Foods such as junk food and sweets typically have low nutritional value and contain excess sugar, sodium, and fat. Although they provide energy for your body, they lack key nutrients for your body to run optimally.
You don’t have to give up your favorite foods and treats to fuel your body. Instead, they become foods that you indulge in occasionally. Most of your meals and snacks should be rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats. As a result, your body will get the nutrients it needs to support itself and your overall energy level. Not only will you feel better, but you will also feel energized to accomplish your day-to-day work and play activities.
Equally important is staying hydrated. You may have heard that you should drink eight glasses of water daily. However, it does not consider your specific needs. Factors like weight, pregnancy, gender, activity level, and diet can affect the amount of water you need. Soda, fruit juices, and other drinks have some water but extra calories. They can be enjoyed occasionally, but drinking plenty of water is the best way to stay hydrated.
Preventive Healthcare
Exercising is undoubtedly essential for your overall health and well-being. However, it’s also important to take some preemptive care. Visit your doctor for a yearly physical to check your blood work and discuss any concerns about your health. Addressing issues early can help resolve them before they become significant health concerns.
Women should also visit a gynecologist for an annual examination to screen for certain cancers and monitor their reproductive health. Other tests, such as colonoscopies, bone density, hearing, and cancer screenings, are important as you age. Keeping your immunity shots up to date is critical for preventing certain health issues. Your doctor can help determine which vaccines are appropriate for you based on your health and lifestyle.
Visiting your dentist at least twice a year for cleaning and a yearly x-ray can help keep your teeth healthy. If you have trouble with your teeth, you may not be chewing your food correctly. Chewing your food properly is essential for maintaining good digestive health and ensuring your body absorbs nutrients.
A yearly eye appointment is recommended to check your eye health. This is especially important if you wear glasses or contact lenses. Your eye doctor also looks for early signs of glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration.
Preventive health is important to staying fit because it can address health issues early, keep you healthy, and help maintain your quality of life.
A Healthy Mind in A Healthy Body
Taking care of your body by eating a variety of foods, maintaining a healthy weight, and exercising consistently is essential to staying fit. It is also vital to maintaining your mental health. Exercise alone has many benefits to your mental health, such as improving your mood, reducing stress, and boosting your confidence and cognition. It contributes to a better sense of yourself and the world around you. It can promote a more positive outlook on life and increase feelings of happiness, thereby improving your quality of life.
However, no matter how consistently you exercise, you must do more to keep your mind fit and in a good place. Unfortunately, poor mental health can affect your motivation and your relationships with yourself and others. It can lead to negative thoughts, more stress, and isolation.
Beyond exercise, staying fit also means engaging in activities that challenge your mind. Puzzles, reading, and learning new skills are ways to keep your cognitive mind sharp and always thinking and solving problems. Learning to manage stress outside of exercise, whether by meditating, breathing exercises or taking a break, can help decrease your chances of chronic stress negatively impacting your health.
Taking care of your mind and body is essential for staying fit, maintaining your quality of life, and enjoying the things that bring you joy.
Stay Active Socially
Humans are social beings, and positive relationships are vital. Friends and close family help reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness. Healthy relationships also provide support during difficult times and help you feel like you belong.
Who you choose to hang out with can affect your well-being. One-sided relationships and toxic people are not healthy for you. Instead, it would be best to nurture relationships with those who respect your boundaries and give as much as they receive from you.
It can be hard to maintain your relationships. Your time is precious, and you may crave time to unwind between all your obligations. However, falling into that trap only isolates you. You don’t have to get together with your friends and family all the time, but you should occasionally make time for those important to you to check in and enjoy each other’s company. Not only will you have a good time, it will help you stay fit and improve your mental state.
Have A Purpose
Having a sense of purpose means knowing what drives you, what gives your life meaning, and what you consider important. It means identifying your motivations and goals that guide future decisions and actions. It’s more than personal satisfaction. It’s fulfilling a desire to contribute to something larger than yourself through your work, relationships, or a cause.
Engaging in meaningful activities, such as volunteering for a cause dear to you, hobbies, or pursuing things that interest you, can enhance your sense of purpose. Living with purpose gives you a more profound sense of fulfillment because your actions align with what you find meaningful.
A strong sense of purpose can make you more resilient to challenges and setbacks. With purpose, you can maintain motivation to persevere through difficult times because you’re working towards something that matters to you. Your purpose can connect you to others, and you may positively impact their lives.
Your purpose is linked to your self-worth and identity. Knowing your values and goals will give you a clearer vision of what you want to accomplish. As a result, you’ll boost your confidence and give your life meaning.
The Takeaway
Consistently exercising is only one piece of the puzzle to staying fit for life. Managing your mental state and stress and continuously challenging yourself helps maintain your cognitive health. Staying social enables you to stay connected with those important to you and provide support when needed. Finding purpose in your life will give you a sense of contributing to something larger than yourself. Together, these things help you achieve your best self, which lets you put your best foot forward in everything you do. Investing in yourself and staying fit will lead to greater satisfaction in your life.
FitTrend’s mission is to help you along your self-improvement journey, promote an active lifestyle, and help you achieve your goals. Our journal can help you track your workouts, weight, mood, calories, and more. Also, FitTrend allows you to connect supported gadgets to your account to make it easier for you to update your journal automatically. Create your account today and start using FitTrend for free!
Disclaimer: No content on this site should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
