5 habits really fit people practice daily
/
We all know a person who effortlessly seems to always stay in shape. Their weight hardly fluctuates, they appear to eat whatever they want, and they rarely talk, complain or obsess over their looks. How do they do it? Is it all because they were lucky enough to win the “good genes” genetic lottery or is it because they have a different approach to keeping themselves fit?
Often its habits they have been practicing for a long time – and habits they’ve perfected over the majority of their life without even realizing it. Can we learn those habits and apply them to our lives to make them work for us too? The answer is yes but you have to be open to making these habits a lifestyle reality in order to pay off. For some, it can be developing habits you’re not used to and for others it’s a change of attitude. Either way, embracing these habits may mean the difference between getting in shape or staying out of shape – it’s your choice.
Here are 5 habits really fit people practice daily:
1. They don’t compare their body to others
When a person keeps themselves really fit, they know deep down, they look good. They also realize all of us come in different sizes and shapes. Maybe they’re not built like a Victoria Secret’s model with incredibly long arms and legs, but they’ve learned to love themselves for other attributes they have that are just as beautiful and attractive.
2. They don’t go on diet after diet after diet
Very few really fit people are fit because of trying out one fad diet after another over the years. They’ve learned the secret of avoiding the dieting merry-go-round of diets promising fast, easy weight loss that may work short-term but long-term are hard to follow resulting in weight lost being regained.
Make healthy eating a habit and your weapon against weight gain. Use it as a tool to becoming fit and in shape. That’s it. You don’t need the latest and greatest fad diet – fads come and go. When you eat a well-balanced diet consisting of healthy foods, there’s no reason to eat in a manner that is unnatural and possibly detrimental to your health.
3. They actually enjoy exercising
People who stay in shape look forward to working out not only because it helps them look good but also because it makes them feel good. If they miss a workout, they begin to get antsy and even a little grumpy. They know the euphoric feeling of how a good workout can reduce stress and anxiety. In addition it boosts energy while releasing those feel-good endorphins putting them in a positive mood. If they miss a workout, it really kind of ruins their day.
The key is to find a type of exercise you enjoy doing. Everyone has their workout likes and dislikes. If you hate running but enjoy walking, then walk. If you just can’t bring yourself to work out in the mornings but evenings are better, then do that. Do whatever it takes to make it a long-term habit.
4. They understand you don’t have to eat a perfect diet all the time
As a dietitian, I have known almost no one, including myself, who eats a 100% perfect diet at all times. If you try to eat perfectly – eating only healthy foods while avoiding all unhealthy foods – you’ll end up making yourself miserable. In the obesity-promoting environment we all live in, it’s extremely difficult to do so anyway. By setting eating standards unrealistically high, it sets you up for failure and frustration causing undue emotional stress.
Allowing yourself to cheat every now and then frees you up to realize you can have your (small) piece of cake and eat it too without it completely undoing your healthy eating habits. This leads to less feelings of deprivation and thinking you can never ever again have your favorite dessert. However, keep the focus on eating healthy at least 80-90% of the time while allowing small bites of not-so-healthy foods every once in awhile.
5. They make keeping fit and healthy one of their top priorities
Some people just naturally know what it takes to be healthy and in shape. Or at least it seems so. Or maybe they have learned to prioritize and balance a healthy lifestyle amongst all the other important things in their lives like their family, job, being active in the community, etc.
These are the people who, no matter what, still manage to make fitness an almost daily habit ranking high on their to-do lists. Because of their commitment to working out, they almost always find time to exercise and hardly ever give in to excuses of why they can’t. It takes work, dedication, effort and a strong desire to consistently make it happen.
All of us can be the best we are meant to be by doing what it takes to get fit and to stay fit over the course of our lives. Tell yourself “I can do this” and obtain support from people who genuinely care about your efforts to be a fit, healthy person.