Special Feature: Products Sally Recommends

10 things you need to lead a more active lifestyle

We should all be leading more active lifestyles. Exercising has myriad health benefits; not only does it help to keep us physically fit, but it also improves our mental health, increases our lifespan, and even helps to take your mind off vices like smoking when you’re trying to quit. There’s no doubt that leading an active lifestyle is beneficial, then, but many don’t know where to start when making this change. Here are 10 things you’re going to need if you want to get active and improve your health!

1. An open mind

The first thing you need to realize about leading a more healthy, active lifestyle is that you don’t need to join a gym. If you don’t enjoy walking outside, you don’t even need to leave the house to exercise; you can build muscle, cardiovascular health, and endurance all from the comfort of your living room. All you need is access to a YouTube tutorial or a set of instructions online, the time to complete the workout, and the motivation to do so. That’s it!

2. Good nutrition

It’s said that weight loss is 70 percent diet and 30 percent exercise. That rings true, and it’s why you need to look after your nutrition. Your meals should be healthy, balanced, and nutritious; there’s no room for junk food in your new healthy regimen! In addition, your kitchen environment itself needs to be efficient and intuitive to help you prepare meals properly. Consider installing a custom kitchen in order to make sure your food preparation environment looks exactly how you want it to.

3. Decent workout gear

You don’t need to break the bank when it comes to picking up good workout gear, but it’s also important not to skimp on quality. If you buy the wrong gear, you could risk injuring yourself or forcing yourself through a sub-optimal workout. Make sure you buy clothing that fits well and feels snug without rubbing or causing you pain. Don’t worry about how you look; most people won’t be looking your way anyway, and those who do should mind their own business!

4. Dedication

Just going for a run every week or two isn’t going to help you achieve lasting results, unfortunately. If you want to make a serious positive change in your life, then it’s very important to show dedication and commitment to your new workout regime. It won’t be easy; adjusting to changes in your life means you might have to give up other creature comforts. However, once you’ve been exercising for a solid week or two, you’ll likely begin to view your regime as second nature!

5. Goals

Just exercising for exercise’s sake will only get you so far. You need to set yourself concrete, achievable, and realistic goals. If your goal is weight loss, then don’t go overboard; aim to lose around half a kilogram to a kilogram per week. Any more than this and you risk overdoing it and damaging your health, but any less and you’re likely not working quite hard enough. Whatever your goal may be - whether it’s building muscle mass, losing weight, or setting new personal bests - make it realistic.

6. Pets

Alright, so you don’t strictly speaking “need” pets to lead a more active lifestyle. However, they can be an excellent way to get moving, especially if you decide to opt for a dog (always adopt from a shelter, remember!). Pets don’t just help you get active because they motivate you to move, though. They can also be great mood-boosters and mental health boons in and of themselves, which will encourage you to get moving simply through an injection of serotonin.

7. Motivation

If you’re having trouble motivating yourself to exercise, try setting yourself a goal that’s extraneous to your own weight loss. For example, why not train for a half-marathon to raise money for charity? Alternatively, you could set an arbitrary goal. For example, why not say to yourself “if I lose X amount of weight in three weeks, I can treat myself with a meal”? Any way you choose, motivation is important if you want to keep going on your active health journey.

8. Breaks

Don’t overdo it. This is the number one rule of exercise, and when you’re “in the zone”, it can be hard to heed it. However, if you exercise too much, you could do lasting damage to your body. Stick to a healthy, restrained amount of exercise and make sure you don’t push yourself too far past your limit. Doing so could prevent you from exercising again for a long time, meaning that you’ll undo all the hard work you’ve been building up over the last few weeks and months.

9. Accompaniment

Many people find exercise difficult if they’re not doing something else simultaneously. If you’re working out from home, we’d recommend pairing your routine with a good TV show or a movie. When you’re out and about - running, for example, or hitting the gym - then a great podcast can work wonders. Music is good for exercising, but if it’s just not working for you, don’t worry - there’s bound to be something else that gets your blood pumping.

10. A buddy

Working out is much easier if you manage to find someone alongside whom you can run or lift. Having a friend there helps you to stay on-task, keeps you motivated, and gives you company for those grueling sessions where you feel like giving up. You can spot one another in the gym if you’re lifting weights, time each other if you’re running, or just chat to while away the minutes while you’re sweating it out. Mark our words - everything is better with friends! 





Note: This information was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the businesses in question before making your plans.

Share this article with a friend:

Free eNewsletter SignUp

Sally's Place on Facebook    Sally Bernstein on Instagram    Sally Bernstein at Linked In




Global Resources

Handmade Chocolates, Lillie Belle Farms

Food411 Food Directory