Have you ever heard the phrase you get out of life what you put in? This idea can be applied to many aspects of your life, and it is no different when your physical and mental health is concerned. Your body and mind need to be well maintained to keep in peak condition; otherwise, it can go downhill quickly. There are several ways to keep your body & mind in the best condition, starting with the three steps below.
#1 You Are What You Eat
Think about it for a minute. If you spend all day every day eating junk food and essentially putting rubbish into your body, you will end up feeling lethargic and flat very quickly, while healthier diets tend to give you that pick-me-up, leaving you feeling refreshed for longer. This is because they contain lots of useful nutrients and minerals that can give your body a boost with the fiber in fruit and vegetables, which take longer to break down, allowing your body to work at a more sensible pace and avoid crashing.
Try eating lean proteins such as turkey or non-fat Greek yogurt. They can keep you fuller for longer and can help when trying to build muscle, which is essential for maintaining fitness. Going back to the fiber, this can help to boost your metabolism and, as a result, improve digestion, helping your body to feel healthier inside and out.
#2 Get Moving Every Day
We are all aware that exercise is a crucial aspect of living well. But do you know how much exercise you need? Guidelines state that you need to get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise every week. Or, in contrast, 75 minutes of vigorous exercise. What shape this exercise takes, though, is completely up to you and your personal preference.
Some people love to spend an hour out and about on a daily run. Others prefer the gym arena and undertaking strength training. Ideally, you should be taking part in both aerobic exercise and strength training. However, if a run around the local park doesn’t take your fancy, you could choose to spend an hour in the pool instead, or taking it one step further and exploring the nearest rock climbing areas. As a general baseline, you should be doing at least 30 minutes a day. Not only will doing so aid your physical health, but it will also aid your mental wellbeing as exercise is proven to release those all-important endorphins.
#3 What About Rest?
Knowing when to rest is also an essential part of keeping your body and mind in the best possible shape as it gives you the chance to recharge and rebuild muscles. When you exercise, you create microscopic tears in your muscles that are repaired by fibroblasts while you are resting. This is a key part of the process as by giving your body time to repair itself, your muscles will get stronger. It can also have a beneficial effect mentally as it gives your brain that all-important time to switch off and recharge.
You’re not a machine, and you will have to stop at some point, so make time for rest. Otherwise, your body will take far longer to heal. Sleep is also an integral part of this, with many physicians recommending between 7and 9 hours per night. Part of getting fitter is psychological and physical, so it is important to look after every part of you or run the risk of everything working against each other. Sites like LevelUpNutrition.com offers advice on getting the best out of your body, helping you keep it in full working order so that you push yourself harder over time.
The last word
As previously mentioned, it is important to take your time when working out and trying to get fitter as not everything can be done in one go. Your body and mind both need time to adapt to a new regime and routine, so trying to force the issue can result in greater issues further down the line. Take it all one day at a time, and eventually, you will start to see genuine results.
