How To Stay Fit In 2022
When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, staying fit is among the top five. In a survey conducted by YouGov America, one-quarter of the respondents stated that staying fit is their prime goal in 2022. A new year is like a chapter opening in your book of life. It prompts us to create changes and make better decisions. Staying fit has become a crucial facet of our lives, especially with the advent COVID 19 pandemic. The last two years have changed our perception of the essence of prioritizing our health and fitness. Well, if staying fit is one of your resolutions this year, power to you. We are here to champion you with expert tips and techniques to ensure you stay fit all year long. Below are ten ways of how to stay fit in 2022.
Exercise Regularly
Physical exercise is one of the proven ways of staying fit. The American Heart organization recommends engaging in 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week coupled with atleast two sessions of core muscle strengthening. Not only does exercising help you stay fit, but it improves your overall mood and helps you reduce stress which is a crucial aspect of your health. Working out can boost your dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins, which promote overall fitness. While we all know that physical movement is key, demotivating factors like busy schedules can get in the way. Well, fear not, for below is a breakdown of some easy and practical exercises that you can squeeze in your exercises
- Invite your friend/colleague for a 30-minute walk during your lunch break
- Keep yourself active doing strength training exercises using kettlebells or hand weights while watching TV
- Create a habit of jumping rope first thing in the morning for 15 minutes and in the evening
- Squeeze in 10 minutes to do squats during your break times.
Eat A Balanced Diet
Establishing and maintaining a healthy diet is crucial to your fitness journey. Ensure that your plate has fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and proteins to keep your body fueled up and nourished. Dr. Rekha B. Kumar from the New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and an assistant professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine recommends consuming proteins in the morning to regulate our blood sugar and hunger hormones to control our appetite. Protein shakes, Greek yogurt, and Egg-white omelets are perfect examples. Eating this food helps you avoid consuming too many sugars, significantly affecting your health and fitness. Also, eating a balanced diet ensures you continue fighting off COVID-19 and other underlying conditions.
Eating on a calorie deficit
Nutritionists recommend consuming whole foods to cut on sugar and calorie intake. Packing your plate with foods rich in fiber, vitamins, and other essential vitamins is crucial to staying healthy. Single-ingredient foods reduce your diet consumption of added sugars, fatty acids, and processed foods. Consuming single ingredient foods contributes to being lean and healthy. Consumption of unhealthy foods reduces immunity, and one is vulnerable to diseases.
Get enough sleep
Numerous studies show that failure to get eight hours of sleep each night leads to destructive habits. We are all guilty of staying glued in our phones way past bedtime and, in the process, end snacking more the appropriate amount. In effect, we mess up our digestion which inhibits our physical fitness. Neurologists recommend establishing a regular morning and night routine to prioritize our sleep. So if you want to stay fit, avoid being glued to your phone past bedtime.
Drink more water
Keeping your body hydrated is key to staying fit. Also, water helps us stabilize our blood sugar thus and starves off the hunger hormones, which is critical to controlling our appetite. Drinking more water helps us revitalize our bodies from sweat during exercise and releases harmful toxins in our bodies. Multiple studies show that drinking water before eating is an effective method in weight management and staying fit. You can also supplement your water intake by eating fruits and vegetables with high water content.
Practice Self-care
Self-care is imperative for maintaining a healthy and fit body. Establishing a work-life balance helps immensely reduce stress to avoid a range of illnesses, digestive issues, and cardiac difficulties that are bad for your body. As the year progresses, focus on meditation, indulge in things you love, set healthy boundaries, practice spirituality, taking walks to minimize stress’s adverse effects on the body. Practicing self-care can reduce burnout, anxiety, and other psychological problems that we experience daily in our lives.
Seek for help
To stay fit, one must balance mental, emotional, and physical wellness. It is essential to speak up and seek help when dealing with difficulties from this perspective. Keeping your feelings and emotions pent up inside can lead to severe issues such as sleep issues, eating disorders, and even psychical discomfort, which can long-term affect your fitness. Learn to communicate your feelings and emotions or seek a healthy way to express things challenging to confide in someone, such as art, journaling, etc.
Practice Yoga and Pilates
If you cannot access the gym or have enough time to engage in a good workout session, yoga is a good form of exercise to stay fit. Yoga helps one get in tune with their body and inner self. This exercise balances the physical, mental, and spiritual self to achieve a peaceful body and mind. The physical aspect of yoga promotes a healthy physical body, increasing flexibility, body tone, and muscle strength.
On the other hand, yoga clears off my mind, manages stress and anxiety levels, keeping me relaxed. Additionally, yoga improves respiration, energy, and vitality. On the spiritual level, yoga has helped me be mindful of other people’s feelings and always show acts of kindness. Yoga helps the muscles relax, ligaments stretch, and ultimate body balance, boosting immunity and promoting lung health.
Get vaccinated
The last two years have been significantly disrupted by the COVID-19 and have provided the push we need to be fit and healthy. With new variants emerging every day, getting the COVID 19 vaccine and booster is crucial if you are eligible. Covid 19 is a life-threatening disease that led to millions of people’s deaths and the emergence of a range of long-term health complications.
Practice the COVID -19 preventive measures
COVID -19 is an airborne virus that spreads through tiny droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can also stay on plastic and stainless steel for 72 hours. Therefore it is of paramount importance to observe the preventive measures recommended by WHO: frequent disinfecting and cleaning of surfaces to reduce the spread of the virus. Regular cleaning of surfaces also adds up as a form of workout. The truth of the matter is that this virus knows no boundaries, and it has disrupted everyone’s life. Many people are fighting for their lives in isolation wards, while others have lost their loved ones. Medical officers work around the clock and live apart from their families to contain this pandemic. It is, therefore, our collective duty to adhere to the set guidelines.
The coronavirus shouldn’t stop people from working out. In fact, it’s advisable to do regular exercises to strengthen one’s health and immunity. When working out, it’s always best to still wear face masks, especially when outdoors or in public places. Make sure to wear medical-grade KN95 masks to ensure full protection from the virus while staying fit.
Whether you are seeking to lose weight, toning your body, quitting addictive drinking, or smoking, sticking to the tips will help you achieve your goals. Staying fit is a conscious decision that requires dedication and effort to achieve your goals. However, at the bottom line, the most important thing is to start and embrace your fitness journey through getting enough sleep, eating a well-balanced diet, physical exercise, and reducing stress.
Pinstripe Magazine Staff
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