Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Exercise
• Part 2 of 3: Eating healthy
• Part 3 of 3: Getting willpower and motivation
• Tips

Staying fit can greatly improve the quality of your life because you become a happier and healthier person. You will not only look and feel better, but you will also reduce the risk of all kinds of medical problems such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. There are many useful strategies for staying fit and healthy that can be followed with a little dedication and ambition.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Exercise

1. Go for a walk, jog, or bike ride. No matter how fast you go, these are important parts of a healthy lifestyle because they keep your muscles and blood flow active. If you want to spare your knees or have injuries, cycling is the best solution.
   • Start a daily walking, jogging, or cycling routine that fits the rest of your schedule (for example, go jogging at 6:00 am every day). After a while you can increase the distance, your speed and eventually the duration.
   • Try to walk as much as possible. For example, if you are shopping by car, park as far from the supermarket entrance as possible so that you have to walk a little extra.
   • Walk or cycle to work / school. If you live close enough to your work or school, that is a great opportunity to cycle or walk more.
   • When you jog, you have to run at least a mile to burn fat, but it is important that you determine the speed yourself.
2. Exercise at home. Not everyone has time to hit the gym, and you don't have to. You can easily do exercises at home. Some exercises you can do at home are:
   • Push-ups. Use your own weight to push you off the floor or wall to strengthen your upper body.
   • Sit-ups. Sit-ups can be done simply lying on the floor, or more complicated with a chair or gym ball.
   • Yoga. Yoga postures such as the "dog with the head down" or the "sun salutation" can easily be performed on the carpet or on a yoga mat.
3. Go to the gym. If you like the gym atmosphere and can afford a membership, this is a great place to get fit.
   • Use the machines for cardio training and weight training, but be careful not to lift too much. Use small weights and you will see that you make rapid progress.
   • Ask an instructor for advice on strength training.
4. Join a local sports club. If you don't like the gym that much, a sports team can be a great solution for getting out, moving and having fun! Many places have their own football, basketball, volleyball or tennis club.

Part 2 of 3: Eating healthy

1. Stop eating fast food. This is one of the most important parts of a healthy lifestyle. Many people deny it, but if you exercise and eat a lot of fast food you will not get fitter. That's because fast food is almost immediately converted into fat. Fast food contains little to no healthy nutrients and is full of sugar and salt. This causes your blood sugar level to drop after eating, making you tired and without energy. Things to avoid are:
   • Too Much Sugar: Candy, cookies, cake, pie, cereal, chocolate bars, and soda.
   • Too much fat: Meat products, butter, hardened oil (margarine), cheese and animal fats.
   • Too Much Cholesterol: Egg yolks, fried foods, and mayonnaise.
   • Avoid anything with: corn and glucose syrup, sweeteners and Monosodium Glutamate (MSG).
2. Eat healthy. It can be difficult to eat healthy and you may not have time to cook for yourself every day. But it is easy to make healthy choices in restaurants or delivery services. When you eat healthier, you get more energy and you become more productive, your digestive system works better and you become happier because your body gets the nutrients and vitamins it needs. Healthy things are:
   • Fresh fruits and vegetables: Apples, pears, bananas, cantaloupe, oranges, carrots, onions, broccoli, corn, etc. (Pay attention: only eat fresh fruit and vegetables, not from a can or a jar). You can bake vegetables in some olive oil for an even better taste. When making a salad, the more colors the better!
   • Organic meat: Poultry or beef for the necessary protein. Instead of frying it in butter, it is better to fry the meat in olive oil with some herbs. Fish is also an excellent choice.
   • Grains: Whole grain bread, oatmeal and whole grain pasta.
   • Healthy proteins: Tofu, soybeans, egg whites, nuts, fresh cheese and quinoa.
   • Fiber: Lentils, black beans, peas, pears, raspberries and oats.
3. Know the difference between complex and simple carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates consist of one or two molecules of sugar with little nutritional value. Complex carbohydrates consist of a longer chain of sugars but are rich in fiber and contain healthy vitamins and minerals.
   • Examples of simple carbohydrates: Sugar, syrup, jam, white bread, candy.
   • Examples of complex carbohydrates: Whole grains and vegetables.
4. Know when to eat. It is very important that you do not skip meals. Many people think that if you skip meals, you will lose weight, but that is not true.In fact, this only slows down your digestion and your body does not get enough nutrients. Here are some examples of healthy meals and snacks and when to eat them:
   • Light Breakfast: Egg whites (you can mix egg whites with vegetables such as onion or mushrooms, etc.) with a grapefruit and a brown toasted sandwich.
   • Mid-morning snack: Yoghurt with berries.
   • Lunch: A salad (be careful with the dressing!) With proteins (such as grilled chicken or turkey).
   • Afternoon snack: Apple, orange or banana with some almonds or a spoonful of peanut butter.
   • Dinner: Baked salmon with lemon, brown rice, and asparagus.
5. Drink lots of water. The human body consists of 50-66% water, and that needs to be refreshed all the time. Your body sweats out a lot of water, so that needs to be replenished.
   • How much water you should drink depends on your weight. To calculate how much you should drink, take your weight and divide it by 25. So if you weigh 80 kilos, you should drink 80: 25 = 3.2 liters of water per day.
   • When you exercise, you should drink even more water because you sweat a lot.

Part 3 of 3: Getting willpower and motivation

1. Stick to your plan. You know you can. You are the only one who can direct your own actions and willpower makes you happy!
   • Stick to a daily plan. If you have a set routine that you have to follow, it is much easier to maintain than if you only plan to exercise or eat a healthy diet.
2. Don't let others put you down. Don't be intimidated if you are working out with small weights at the gym and you see the person next to you lifting huge weights. Know that you are training at your own speed and that it is perfect for you. If you persist, you will achieve your own goals.
3. See if others want to join you. It can be very stimulating if someone else wants to get fit too. That extra motivation can be inspiring, and you build a bond together.
   • You can ask family members, friends, neighbors or colleagues.
4. Treat yourself. Set goals and reward yourself when you achieve them.
   • For example, if you've kept your resolve all week by eating a healthy diet and running for 30 minutes three times a week, you can have a small portion of your favorite snack or a glass of wine on Friday evening.
5. Believe in yourself. Don't care what others think. If you are determined and believe you can achieve your goal, you can!
   • Motivate yourself by loving getting fit want to be. You want to feel good, look good, be healthy… so you can do it!

Tips

• Don't overdo it. Start slowly and at your own level.