5 Physical Habits That Boost Your Fitness

So, not to call anyone out *cough* it’s me *cough*, but how many times have you told yourself – I’ll start working out on Monday….and than Monday comes and goes with not a drop of sweat to be seen?Having the desire to get fit and getting excited about how good you’ll look is what gets many people started on their health and fitness journey. However, the hard part is taking action on these desires and turning them into reality. So, if you’re ready to put in the work required to reach your fitness goals, here are five physical habits you can cultivate in order to boost your motivation and energy.

Habit 1 – Get Plenty Of Sleep

Unfortunately a lot of people, including myself – it’s about 30 minutes past my bedtime lol –  make the mistake of not getting enough sleep every night. Lack of sleep reduces your energy levels, limits muscle development, and can lead to weight gain. When you get into the habit of getting six or more hours of quality sleep every night, you’ll avoid these negatives and enjoy better energy levels.

Habit 2 – Have At Least One Rest Day Per Week

Exercising too hard and too long without sufficient rest is a serious issue that many exercisers have engaged in at one point or another in their fitness journeys. It’s vital that you avoid over-exercising because the notion of ‘more is better’ does not always apply in the case of physical fitness. When you workout continuously without resting, the only results you’ll get are burnout and decreased performance. Therefore, make sure to give your body the rest it needs to recuperate by taking at least one full day to rest and relax each week.

Habit 3 – Take Action Daily

When you take action that moves you towards a specific goal every day, it becomes ingrained in your mind. It also allows you to gain momentum when working towards that goal and have much greater success with it. Therefore, make it a habit to do a physical activity every day that moves you towards your fitness goals. This can include your regular workouts or activities throughout the day such as walking to the grocery store instead of driving, avoiding the elevator and taking the stairs, cycling to work or jogging for a few minutes each day. Wanting to be healthier is not just a six month stint. It’s a lifestyle change!

Habit 4 – Try New Things

When you fail to enjoy your workout sessions, you start seeing your routines as a burdensome task instead of an enjoyable activity. When this happens, you’ll start to put less effort into your workouts and are also more likely to quit completely. Therefore, make sure you’re trying new physical activities regularly to maintain fun in your workout routines. This variety will prevent your workouts from becoming boring and also offers the added advantage of allowing you to enhance areas of your fitness that you wouldn’t normally focus on.

Habit 5 – Walk More

Walking is something that we can all do more of without exerting too much effort. Although simple, the act of walking is an effective way to boost your overall fitness levels. It has many benefits which include strengthening your heart, burning calories, toning your muscles, improving muscle endurance, regulating your blood glucose levels and protecting against a range of illnesses.

No matter what your fitness goals, these five habits will help you achieve them. So have another read and if you’re not currently practicing all five, start implementing them today.