Fitness and Wellness is Healthy Habit #3. Did you miss #1?
When you think of fitness, do you think of sweat, exertion, and shortness of breath?
Have you ever thought that being fit also meant being skinny?
In short, do you think you have to put your body through extremes in order to be fit?
I did.
In fact, I used to think that in order to be fit, I had to run.
So I tried to be a runner.
I’d set little goals for myself: Run to that mailbox. Run for 3 minutes. Run 3 days a week.
No matter how much I ran, I still hated it.
Getting the motivation to run was a constant mental battle. Psyching myself up was almost more work than the actual running.
Here’s the good news: You don’t have to engage in an activity you don’t like in order to be fit!
All movement is good movement.
Hula hooping, jumping on the trampoline, yoga, hiking, roller skating – even walking the dog! – are all healthy ways to move your body.
And none of them are running.
Fitness by definition has three parts:
- Flexibility
- Cardio
- Strength
To have balanced fitness, you need to do a little bit of everything.
So walk the dog, do a yoga for toning video, add in some resistance band work – it all counts as fitness!
The beauty of fitness is that you can find an activity you enjoy that will also contribute to your overall wellness.
When you have a fitness activity you enjoy, it impacts your overall wellness.
For example, a walk in the woods is not only physical exercise but it can be:
- A time for reflection
- A release from stress
- An opportunity to spend time with a friend or significant other
- A life-giving joyful activity
So stop thinking you have to run (or whatever!) to be fit. Find activities you love that will improve your fitness and wellness at the same time.
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