Look good, feel good. This statement holds itself true in every aspect. Most of us do not care to pay much attention to our physical fitness and hence do not make any extra effort in this regard. Physical fitness does not mean being thin or having the ideal body mass index (BMI) but ofcourse, when you’re trying to keep yourself physically fit, you end up getting your body in shape too. Adopting a healthy lifestyle not only keeps the inside of your body healthy but also contributes towards a better physical appearance. This is therefore one of the added benefits and for the majority of people the only incentive to keep them going.
Determination is the key factor in achieving any goal, be it your career, your studies or your personal life. Hence, the first thing required by a person who is planning to adopt a healthy lifestyle is determination and endurance. One must understand that sacrifices will have to be made and although it might seem tough in the beginning, once your body gets acclimatized to the whole new system, it becomes more of a habit and less of a burden and you start enjoying every bit of it.
You are what you eat. Believe in this and you will never touch junk food again. A lot of people start off by going on a strict/crash diet where they not only stop eating the junk but also the essential nutrients that are required for proper body functioning. This is extremely unhealthy and should not be practiced at any cost. Ideally, one should begin by cutting down the intake of excessive salt, sugar, fatty food and fast food and incorporating more fiber as a part of their daily diet. Fiber cannot be digested by the human body and therefore adds bulk to the food serving the function of keeping your stomach full for longer periods and therefore helping you avoid those snack nibbles every now and then. It also keeps the inside of your digestive tract healthy and relieves constipation. Whole wheat bread is the best option for people wanting to switch to this mode of lifestyle while avoiding rice as much as possible.
Once major but healthy changes in the diet have been made, the next focus should be towards boosting your stamina which can be achieved through regular exercise. This does not necessarily mean that you join a gym and start working out. A lot of good things that we hardly pay attention to, are free of cost and easily available. A regular walk in the park opposite your house is an excellent option. Try not to over-do the exercise or exert yourself too much because this will only make things worse. Start off slow and steady and then work towards increasing the duration of exercise by 5 minutes per week. An increase in frequency is not usually as beneficial as a steady increase in duration. A 30-40 minute work-out 4-5 days a week is ideal.
Modifications in the lifestyle need not be made overnight and should not be tried either because that can lead to frustration and the person eventually ends up quitting in a couple of days, This is a gradual process and it needs both, your time and effort but one thing I can guarantee is that it pays off and it pays off well. So why wait, start now!
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