Kicking bad habits and taking care of your health plays an important role in our lives. To improve our body composition we need to stay healthy and fit by eliminating stress caused by our hectic daily responsibilities and schedules. People tend to get scared or de-motivated because they think they have to make a huge shift in their routines in order to achieve and maintain this, but it’s the little things that count. There’s a plethora of little things you can do every day to get your body composition right and become health-conscious. Here are 7 great tips for improving your body composition and health.
1. Kick The Bad(est) Habits
Maybe you won’t manage to kick them all. However, to improve body composition you’ll have to leave those that impede your progress the most, such as smoking, excessive alcohol, and unsafe sex. To kick them would be a great decision and is worthwhile if you want to embrace a healthier lifestyle, even though it might take you some time. The fact is that there’s no way to consume any of these things in a way that’s healthy. On the other hand, certain habits like junk food, sugar, caffeine, and alcohol are not that bad. However, if taken too far they can become a problem in the blink of an eye. Practice these habits on a once-in-a-while basis or in moderation, and keep most of your choices healthful and mindful.
2. Eat Regularly and Healthfully
Nutrition is a major element in the health equation and your body composition. You need to eat well and not skip important meals, because fitness goals such as muscular development, weight loss, and any other fitness goals for that matter, depend on your diet. A balanced intake of fresh protein, clean carbohydrates, and healthy fats will provide you the energy for reaching your fitness goals.
Foods you should include in your overall diet are whole grains and as many fresh fruits available. Eat beans, fish, poultry, and tofu, as they are great sources of lean protein, snack on whole foods like nuts, vegetables and fruit, and avoid foods with excessive fat, hidden sugars, or artificial sweeteners. You should also try not to overeat and stop when full to give your body a chance to digest the food.
3. Regular Exercise
If you don’t have enough time to hit the gym or take a morning run, even a 20-minute walk will do you good and improve your overall health. Try to free up some time in your schedule and spend it exercising to better your body composition. Strength training will make your muscles stronger, cardio helps to strengthen lungs and the heart, while stretching will improve your flexibility and reduce the risk of injury. If you’re putting a lot of effort in bringing your body composition to the desired level (lose or gain weight), you should know whether you’re making progress or not. To help your, you can install a simple but effective Body Measurement Tracker to track your fitness progress.
4. Rest and Sleep
Both of our physical and mental health are tremendously affected by sleep. Therefore, to improve our body composition we need to get our sleep! Lack of sleep affects our motor skills, memory, concentration, mood, metabolism, and increases the levels of stress hormones. It can also have a negative impact on our cardiovascular health and immune system. Thus, it is crucial to have at least 7 hours of sleep and allow the body to repair and heal itself. It clears the mind and releases tension and stress.
5. Hydration
The human body is composed of an average of 60% of water. Therefore, water and why you should stay hydrated doesn’t need its importance emphasized any further. We do get it from fresh foods, but the healthiest drink for a healthy body will always be plain, clean, and fresh water. Water cleans the body from toxins, flushing them out through urine and sweat, and acts as our body’s natural cleanser. All of these will have a tremendous impact upon our overall body composition.
6. Make a Plan
Don’t allow yourself to get up in the morning and not know what to do during the day. As for your general health and workouts, set a daily, weekly, or monthly plan and it’ll make a huge difference. Always know when and what to eat and do. Arrange your activities in such a way to have enough exercise and enough time to rest and recover. Set up a routine and incorporate different exercise styles so you will always enjoy yourself and maintain your motivation. You wouldn’t like to stop exercising just because it became boring, it doesn’t have to be that way.
7. Battle the Stress
Stress is what causes various health issues, from digestive problems to heart trouble. The issue is, people either don’t realize this or don’t know how to manage it. Stress can be reduced through exercise, yoga sessions, meditation, time spent in nature, and doing the things you love. Managing stress is vital in achieving your body composition goals. Take breaks whenever you can (days off, mini-vacations, and vacations), don’t overwork, and spend time with the people who support you.
When viewing the big picture, it’s important to be consistent and moderate. You’ll risk relapsing into old bad habits if you try to make too many changes at once. Instead, make one change at a time and incorporate different lifestyle choices into your daily routine to achieve and maintain a good body composure and health.
