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The world is changing its ways rapidly. From ever migrating early age humans that were always on the move to ever sedentary beings on a chair, we have evolved into highly intellectual brains but reversed progress in terms of health and fitness.
Increasing average income and the advancement of technology have allowed almost every person to live a comfortable and fairly satisfactory life. However, this comfort may be creating more trouble than benefits in the body! Read on to know how you can incorporate health and fitness into every part of your lifestyle.
Physical fitness and health
When people think of health and fitness, extremes come to mind. Bodybuilders, yoga gurus, gymnasts, nutritionists and so much more! We end up contemplating every move and action, along with every bite that goes into our bodies. We end up looking for extreme diets and workout routines or following the latest trends by the so-called health and fitness coaches. With these sources, you may or may not find the right way but with the following information, you can surely begin a safe journey towards health and fitness.
Most individuals procrastinate on starting their physical fitness and health journey due to the fear of the unknown. A lot of people don’t know how to begin living a healthy lifestyle or become a fit person. Some start following detailed diets while others begin working out for hours every single day. This model of change is not sustainable and can cause burnout. Eventually leading you back to the life you were living before the wave of motivation had inspired you.
The good news is you need not adopt extreme measures to create a healthy and fit life for yourself. If you are not sure how much exercise is right or which diet fits well in your routine, start with the basics. There are multiple health and fitness apps and books available today to help you start your journey.
Most individuals don’t exercise at all and hence face joint problems, muscle, and heart troubles. You can start with at least 150 mins of mild workout per week and gradually work your way up. This gives your body enough time to heal from the sudden change and recover to do better.
There are many ways one can ensure health and fitness are a part of their life. The first step is understanding that both are two different concepts. Did you know that a person can be healthy but not fit, or be fit but not healthy? Both are types of physical form and the goal is to achieve a balanced state.
Let’s understand the difference between being healthy and being fit.
Difference between health and fitness
What is health?
According to the World Health Organization, an individual can be called healthy when they have attained complete physical, mental, and social well-being. This doesn’t mean the absence of illness or disease only. It is a holistic perspective that not just considers physical fitness but also other factors, such as quality of life and freedom from pain.
Health allows you to do more in every aspect. On a general note, people that are healthy find themselves in a better mood, spending more time doing things they enjoy and meeting people they enjoy the company of. These, in turn, help them be happy and mentally healthy. The cycle continues.
What is fitness?
Fitness is a physical attribute. It is concerned with the capacity and ability of one’s body, irrespective of other characteristics, such as mental health, struggles, etc. The parameters to judge one’s fitness may be their ability to do certain exercises and physical indicators such as heart rate, blood pressure, etc. It is important to remember that a fit person may not be considered healthy.
Importance of health and fitness in our life
Health and fitness play a significant role in our life. While quantifiable factors such as longevity of life and a capable physique are some visible benefits of being healthy and fit, some other motives also inspire people to work on it.
A major motivation to chase health and fitness is the freedom of choice, mobility, and action they bring with them. You don’t have to depend on anyone due to any health limitations. You can lead your life exactly in the direction of your choice.
How to bring health and fitness into our lifestyle?
When we decide to become healthy and fit, we must create attainable goals. Setting high standards that are difficult to achieve, end up exhausting us and making us feel like a failure. The initial stages of bringing a change can be difficult, so it’s better to create habits and not shift our routines completely.
One of the best things you can do is to let go of small mistakes you make in this journey. If you happen to miss a day of exercise or eat a slice of cake or have that extra cup of coffee, just accept that as an individual fact and not take it as a complete failure of your journey. Many people promote weight training, dieting, or yoga for health and fitness. You should find what suits you the best and then choose your way.
Here are 10 things to remember when focusing on health and fitness.
- Be patient with the journey. You will need time to make this shift in your life.
- There is no competition between you and others. The only competition is with yourself.
- Try new things and beat the boredom.
- Find what you have fun with and spend more time doing it.
- Get some kind of physical activity every day.
- Cook more often. Avoid ordering or eating out.
- Get enough and good quality sleep.
- Track your progress.
- Meditate for mental well-being and mindfulness.
- Talk to people that motivate and help you stay on track.
Key takeaways
- Fitness and health are two different things. Fitness is more focused on physical aspects, whereas health is a holistic approach.
- To be more fit, you must work on your bodily abilities and capacity. You may work out and change your diet to achieve better fitness.
- To be healthy, you may consider factors such as mental health, happiness, quality of life, etc.
- Liked this blog? Read next: Food and nutrition course | Everything you need to know
FAQs
Q1. Is achieving a healthy lifestyle very difficult?
Ans- Not at all. With consistency and patience, you can be healthy in no time.
Q2. Do you have to work out every single day to be fit?
Ans- You can decide how many days a week and hours you want to work out according to the level of fitness you wish to achieve.
Q3. People who exercise don’t fall sick. True or false?
Ans- You can be fit but still suffer from sickness or illness. To prevent illnesses, regular check-up and focusing on health is important.
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