Back when I was overweight (read about how I lost 100 pounds here) I would often wonder, what the hell were other people doing differently? What were they doing that they were healthy and fit, and I was obese and stuck? I spent forever following fit women on Instagram and pinning on Pinterest trying to figure out their healthy habits so that I could do the same.
For most of my life, I blamed my genetics. I thought I was destined and designed to be overweight. And I know so many other women feel the same way. But it could not be further from the truth! I know now that I am designed to be active and fit. But it took me forever to figure out how to get there.
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Over a couple of years, I finally started to figure out the secret. Which really isn’t a secret at all, to be honest. Long term, large weight loss comes from developing strong healthy habits. And there are certain habits that all fit women do almost every day. It is these fit habits that helped me lose 100 pounds and keep it off for over a year so far.
Ready to start living the fit lifestyle?
Healthy Habits Fit Women Do
If you want to be fit and healthy then you have to live the fit and healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately, you can’t eat a ton of crap and not exercise, and expect to have a trim figure. Just like you can’t expect to eat a ton of fat and salt, and not have heart problems later in life. Our bodies just don’t work that way. Developing a healthy routine will keep you feeling great not only today but in the long term as well.
Drink A Ton of Water
I drink a lot of water. Drinking water and staying properly hydrated is part of living a healthy lifestyle. It’s great for your skin, eyes, and brain health. Plus, drinking plenty of water removes bloat, helps keep your stomach full and so much more. Staying hydrated doesn’t have to be hard. You can check out my post here to learn simple and easy ways to keep your body hydrated throughout the day.
Wear A Fitness Tracker
Most fit women wear some type of fitness/activity tracker. Activity trackers give you a lot of data about your daily health. This makes it really easy to see how you’re doing as you adopt healthier habits. For example, most people aren’t burning as many calories as they think they are each day. Wearing an activity tracker allows you to easily track the calories you’re burning throughout the day so you can eat accordingly. I’ve tried a few fitness trackers over the past couple of years but my currently I’m a huge fan of the Garmin Forerunner 245.
Move Around
Fit women tend to move around a lot throughout the day. I’m always finding a way to get in extra steps or to simply just move around. To be honest, you don’t even need to be moving around that much. Recent studies have shown that simply standing up can have health benefits. This is especially important if you have a job that requires a lot of sitting. Taking standing breaks or short walks around the office will help keep your body active.
Eat Whole Foods
If I’m being perfectly honest, I don’t feel like I eat overly healthy. But I would say that on an average weekday (weekends tend to be different) about 75% of my food is healthy. I do my best throughout the week to eat clean, whole, plant-based foods. Basically, I try to eat food in its least processed form. Eating this way helps to limit the amount of fat, salt, and sugar entering my body. I do eat a small number of processed foods each day (hello, I’m human!) but it’s definitely limited.
Limit Alcohol
Most fit women limit how much alcohol they consume for a number of reasons. The number one reason being the excess calories and sugar in wine, beer, and spirits. But alcohol also contributes to bloat and feeling heavy which is not what you want on say, cardio day. Many fit women workout between 4-6 times a week so there is never really a good time to feel the negative effects of alcohol.
Exercise Anywhere
Fit women don’t need a gym to exercise. Most fit women will find a way to workout anywhere. So many people use the excuse that they can’t get to a gym or that they don’t have space at home to workout. But really, there is always a way to exercise and be active. Whether it be running outside, joining a team, going for a walk, yoga, doing a home workout, etc there is always something to do and fit women recognize that. I use the streaming service, Beachbody On Demand, so I can stream or download a workout and truly do it anywhere I wish. One of the best healthy habits you can develop is a fitness routine that doesn’t limit you. You can be active anywhere!
Stretch
Stretching every day is so important, especially if you are exercising regularly. And if you want to live the fit and healthy lifestyle, then you have to be exercising. But so many people forget about stretching. Or they forget to stretch both before and after a workout. Fit women know that stretching is really important for a healthy body and take a few minutes to stretch every day. Looking for simple stretches? Check out these pages:
- 8 Stretches You Should Do Each Morning
- 9 Easy Stretches For Lower Back and Hips
- 10 Simple Stretches Your Body Will Love
Go to bed early
Everyone knows that it’s important to get a good night’s rest. But what is equally important is the act of going to bed early. People who go to bed early tend to worry less, be more productive, and have an easier time maintaining a healthy weight. Going to bed early means more energy, and people who have more energy tend to be more active which makes maintaining a healthy weight easier. And I’m not making this up, there is real research here. Try going to bed before 10 pm and see what it does for your health.
What’s your favorite healthy habit? Share in the comments!
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- 3 Simple Things That Healthy People Who DON’T Diet Do Differently - 10/05/2024
