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A much better view than a treadmill. And it allows you to have fun while you get fit.

We live our lives at fast forward and we’re always trying to carve out more time: time for family, time for yourself, time to meet the boss’ latest list of to-do items.  Somewhere towards the bottom of the list is fitness; the things we’ll do to reach our “perfect” selves.

Eye roll.

We can do better than that.  Here are 10 sane tips for living a healthy life.

Food is the most important aspect of fitness. We need to eat well, lots of fruits and vegetables and lean protein and not a lot of junk.  The biggest way we control how we look is by what we put in our body.  Don’t give me the excuse that fast food is faster than home cooking.  It’s not; be smart, educate yourself if you need to, and start eating healthy, mostly at home.

Sleep is the second most important aspect of fitness. Our body does a lot of rest and recovery while we’re sleeping.  It sets us up to have great days where we feel focused and are able to get things done.  The flip side of that, sleep deprivation, leaves us foggy, irritable, and lots more likely to skip a workout or blow our diets.  When you’re tired, will power is so much harder to come by.  Focus on a good night’s sleep and your body will thank you.

Keep track of your weight in the way that works best for you. You might hear “weigh yourself daily.”  You might hear “throw your scale out the window.”  Maybe it’s working with a favorite pair of jeans as a barometer.  Whatever your method, have a barometer/measuring stick that you can use to know when you’re gaining weight and when you’re doing just fine.  And yes, if you need to ignore this step to stay happy, that’s okay.

Do what resonates with you.  If the idea of running a 5K sounds intriguing, sign up for one.  Does a yoga class tempt you?  Take it.  Whatever appeals to you is worth trying.  Give it more than one session before you make a final decision.  If it’s fun, keep going; if it’s awful, chalk it up to a learning experience and try something else.

Ruts are stupid. If all you ever do is run laps in your neighborhood, you’re not accomplishing much. When was the last time you increased your weights during your lifting workout?  Even better, when is the last time you completely revamped your lifting workout?  Is there really any point to being able to do a plank for five minutes?  Keep changing things up to keep your body progressing.   You’ll be likelier to avoid injury and you’ll keep those muscles stimulated and toned.

Sane people focus on flexibility. Training yourself into a tightened mass of muscle is a great way to cause backaches and injuries.  Make sure you’re keeping your range of motion as you train.  Remember to work your body in all directions to keep it fluid and pain-free. Consider adding in a yoga or Pilates class to keep your body happy.

Hydration matters. Getting enough water every day is important.  That doesn’t necessarily mean drinking 64 ounces religiously, because water you digest through food counts too.  But you need to train yourself to make sure you’re getting enough fluids.  There’s a great hydration calculator here.

Check in regularly with your doctor. This takes about two hours per year (including travel time and flipping through bad magazines in the waiting room), so make sure you get yourself checked annually by your doctor.  Even better, bring a list of questions with you to her office and discuss them point-by-point. There is nothing too little to mention and it will give your doctor a better understanding of your health and concerns.  We all know someone who caught something major from a routine check.  Doctors save lives; use them.

You’re supposed to have fun. If the idea of going to the gym just seems so crushing you can’t bear it, it might be time to try something new.  We  should enjoy our workouts.  We should find them stimulating.  Maybe it’s time to join a basketball league or maybe this means taking walks around a local lake.  Whatever floats your boat, go for it.  It really is okay to have fun and will make it more likely that you actually do it.

Don’t train in a vacuum. Friends and family are a great way to stay fit and mingle with your community.  Grab the family and head to the park for a great day of play or maybe you and a girlfriend can go to a Zumba class together.  Put your little guy in a stroller and let him enjoy the view while you run along behind him.  To be truly healthy, you’ll need to include the people around you, and why wouldn’t you?  It’s good for them too.

So there you go, 10 sane tips to live a healthy and fit life.  Please feel free to add your ideas below.  It would be great to share with readers.

Cheers,

Lisa

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