Obesity is becoming a larger problem not only among adults but children as well. Our lifestyles do not always permit us to have the time and/or energy to fit in exercise to our daily routine. Eating habits have conformed to what is easy and convenient, not what is healthy. People are bombarded by a plethora of information on exercise and fitness from numerous sources. Many do not have the time to gather all of the information in order to establish a solid workout routine to improve their fitness. This is a problem because an individual’s overall fitness can affect their health.
So what do I mean by overall fitness? In my opinion, overall fitness is comprised of three factors: activity, diet, and motivation. Activity is essentially how active you are. Do you exercise regularly, play sports, or take part in some sort of activity that could be designated as exercise? Weight lifting, biking, swimming, running, playing basketball, or taking a yoga class would all fall under activity in overall fitness. Although, it is not limited to these activities mentioned. The more active you are, the better your overall fitness will be.
The second component is diet. People tend to sometimes claim ignorance on this aspect. Many people tell me, “I just don’t know how to eat healthy.” Eating healthy in large part is simply common sense. I think the average person knows that grilled chicken and vegetables is healthier than eating a hamburger and fries. We sometimes say we don’t know when we really do. Calorie consumption and portion control are also two key elements in an individual’s diet. Nutrition facts on the items we buy will help with these two elements. Many times the serving portions are smaller than most of us are probably used to. The key is not to totally deprive yourself of everything because then you set yourself up for failure. You can eat desserts, french fries, and pizza but the key is doing it in moderation.
The last component of overall fitness is motivation. This is probably the most important component of the three. Why you ask? Well think about it, if you are not motivated to exercise and eat right, then how are you going to improve your fitness? The two most difficult aspects to motivation are getting started and staying consistent. Many people will keep putting off exercising or changing their diet. The key is to just start it. You don’t have to do it on the first day of the week or month. You can start right now.
The second aspect of motivation is staying consistent. Now that you have chosen to start exercising and eating right, it’s time to maintain it. Incorporate eating healthy and exercising into your daily routine. Make it part of your day just like working or going to school is. If you set a routine, you will be more likely to follow it.
All of these aspects of your overall fitness of course can be broken down even further. It’s important to focus on each one of these and try to improve each of them. If you can do that, you’re well on your way to improving your overall fitness.
