As most people begin crawling their way back into the world after more than a year and a half of quarantine, it’s important to begin taking stock of our health and become more fit in a meaningful way. Lots of us are probably eager to lose the “quarantine fifteen,” but you should also be focused on your mental and physical health in broader ways, beyond weight loss. It’s been a very difficult time, and it’s been easy to get sucked into a particularly sedentary lifestyle, working overtime on our laptops and forgetting all about the separation between the office and home – mostly because it’s become nonexistent as of late. As the rest of this year hopefully proves to be a more fruitful and calm one, the following are a few tips to help you not just look healthy but feel healthier through smart and efficient fitness routines.
Walk More
This seems like such a no-brainer. However, if you’re like most people, you probably didn’t get a chance to just walk around a bit last year, especially during the summer months when wearing a mask made you extra sweaty and caused you to break out. Of course, wearing a mask is a small price to pay for staying healthy and keeping others safe. But now, given that most of us have been vaccinated, or at least the science has definitively proven that you can walk outside without a mask, the prospect of taking long, languorous walks this summer seems a lot nicer. Walking helps to get your heart rate up, and it’s one of those exercises that will give you a nice, healthy glow even if you’re not moving at a fast pace. Not to mention, it will help you get toned with seemingly minimal effort.
Keep Yourself Accountable
The past year has upended our sense of time, routine, and well, many other things. Trying to change your schedule around as we step into a semi-normal way of life is hard, and you will need as many tools at your disposal to help keep you organized and motivated. Apps are recommended for this purpose, and the workouts at Spartan-apps.com can also help attest to their effectiveness. A fitness app is a great way to connect to a wider community of people who share similar health goals, and give you a much-needed dose of motivation even when you’re feeling a bit down in the doldrums. Other ways of keeping yourself accountable and mentally clear are journaling, and jotting down your workouts in a planner to make sure that you meet your goal.
Get Enough Sleep
They don’t call it “beauty sleep” for nothing. Everyone needs a different amount of sleep, but the important thing is that you get anywhere between six to eight hours of rest every night. You need to have your body recharge after a long workday, and sleeping well is a crucial way of doing just that. If you’re unable to get the full eight hours of sleep during the night for whatever reason, try to fit in a short nap in the early afternoon to give yourself a chance to rest. This will keep your mind sharp and will help with other issues that may affect your wellbeing, such as anxiety.
Ditch the Junk Food
Reaching for a plate of creamy pasta, or a bag of jelly beans once in a while when you’re stressed is absolutely fine. After all, they don’t call it comfort food for nothing. However, you should also stick to healthy, smaller portions, and cut out the mindless snacking. Too much rich and heavy or sugar food is terrible for your health and will leave you feeling sluggish and bloated. If you want to look and feel better, then try not to overindulge in lots of unhealthy food throughout your day.
Forgive Yourself of Any Slip-Ups
While things are getting better, it’s still a stressful time for so many. If you’ve had a slip-up and neglected to exercise, or ate too much junk food in one day, then don’t beat yourself up. Let it go and accept that everyone needs a cheat day every once in a while. It’s important to not stress over every little thing, and prioritize your mental health instead.
Looking and feeling healthy is a matter of taking some easy, actionable steps to prioritize your wellbeing, and getting a regular fitness regimen in order. Don’t bite off more than you can chew – literally and figuratively – and do what you can to stay motivated. Also, remember that being healthy is about more than simply losing weight; you need to take care of your mental health, stay active, sleep well, and practice other good habits to meet your goals.