Any type of regular or physical activity can improve your fitness and health. The most important thing you can do is keep moving. Exercising should be a part of your daily schedule like brushing your teeth or sleeping. You can do it in gym class, on a sports team, or you can do it by yourself. Keep these following tips in mind:

Stay positive and have fun

A mental, but good, attitude is very important. Find something that you enjoy or have fun with. If you choose something you like, you are more likely to stay in it longer. A lot of people like to exercise with a friend or two, which is fine, so try to find a family member or friend(s). Listen to music while you exercise! It can give you something to focus on while also giving you an upbeat tune to keep you going.

One Step at a Time

Small changes can add up to better fitness. For example, ride a bike or walk instead of getting a ride. Of course, there is always that one friend that lives five hours away, so it is okay to get a ride sometimes. Get on or off the bus a couple of blocks away, then start running or walking the rest of the way. Instead of taking an elevator or escalator, take the stairs. Remember, change doesn’t happen over night, or even in a few weeks. It will take a while before you start noticing major results.

Get Your Heart Pumping

If you want to push yourself, do some aerobic activity that makes you breathe harder and increases your heart rate. This is the best exercise because it helps your heart and lungs work better and it increases your fitness level! Examples of aerobic activities are basketball, running, or swimming. If you don’t have a good place in or around your home to run, go somewhere like a gym or local park, just somewhere with a trail.  Try to go for a long, fast-paced walk or a light jog if you aren’t in great shape. You don’t always have to do sprints or hard, 1-2 mile runs, simply do something small each day.

Warm-Up

Easy exercises or mild stretching before doing any physical activity warms your muscles up and may help protect against injury. Stretching makes your muscles and joints more flexible too. It is also important to stretch out after you exercise to cool down your muscles.

Motivation and Mindset

You have to understand that you have to try to motivate yourself, and you have to be doing things for the right reasons. If you simply want to have a healthier lifestyle, you have to understand that “cheat days/meals” are absolutely acceptable. You shouldn’t make yourself think that you can’t have anything that you want because of the calories or sugar. Find a balance in your meals. Fruits/veggies with protein is a great meal, but fix some potatoes without worrying about the carbs, have a small desert if you want it. There is nothing wrong with eating something that satisfies your taste buds! If you are wanting to go the gym to build a good figure, understand that you may not see results for a few months. You may notice a little weight loss and muscle gaining, but nothing drastic early on.

Motivation is key, but its not always there. You don’t have to feel motivated immediately, just turn on some music and remind yourself why you are doing this. If you are a girl, you may want to put on some cute clothes to make yourself feel more motivated. Something that can help you is to find a workout buddy. You can push, motivate, and encourage each other.

Your goal should be to do some type of exercise every day. It is best to do some kind of aerobic activity without stopping for at least 20 to 30 minutes each time. Do the activity as often as possible, but don’t exercise to the point of pain. Know your body and its limits!

A healthy lifestyle

In addition to exercise, making just a few other changes in your life can help keep you healthy, such as

• Watch less TV or spend less time playing computer or video games. (Use this time to exercise instead!) Or exercise while watching TV (for example, sit on the floor and do sit-ups and stretches; use hand weights; or use a stationary bike, treadmill, or stair climber). You could also do simple exercises during commercial breaks.
• Eat 3 healthy meals a day, including foods like fruits, vegetables, dairy, and protein.
• Make sure you drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after any exercise (water is best but flavored sports drinks can be used if they do not contain a lot of sugar). This will help replace what you lose when you sweat.
• Drink fewer sugary drinks. Buy water flavoring packets if that helps.
• Eat less junk food and fast food. (They’re often full of fat, cholesterol, salt, and sugar.) Remember that it doesn’t mean
• Get about 8 hours of sleep every night.