6 Tips for a healthy and fit lifestyle

We all aspire to be healthy, disease-free, and be able to perform our daily activities with ease. We all wish that our bodies should be fit enough so that we can perform any task actively without pain. Maintaining fitness and health has now become extremely important these days. People today suffer from various lifestyle disorders like diabetes, hypertension, obesity, postural deformities, etc. which get complicated in later stages of life, if not looked after timely.

So here we present some essential tips on how to take care of your body and stay fit and healthy.

Table of Contents

1. Make a proper routine
2. The secret of fitness as described in yogic methods.
3. Some simple exercises that help you reduce extra fat.
4. Some recreational activities to keep you joyful and fit.
5. A good diet can create wonders.
6. Physical health and mental health go hand in hand.

Make a proper routine

A proper routine is a foremost tip to be healthy. The importance of proper routine is told in Ayurvedic Samhitas as Dinacharya.

• Wake up early. Try to wake up in the Brahmamuhurata (2 a.m. to 5 a.m.). As air is comparatively pure at this time, both mind and body get freshened up. Many yogis and those who practice meditation wake up during these hours.
• Drink at least two glasses of warm water in the morning as it eliminates toxicities from the body.
• Start your day with a morning walk, it will boost your energy, improve your mood, strengthen your muscles, improves cardiac health and make you stress-free.

The secret of fitness as described in yogic methods.

When it comes to the word fitness, various yoga asana come to our mind.  There are innumerable health benefits one can get if one performs yoga daily. It increases the flexibility of the body that prevents various postural deformities. It keeps your body in shape and prevents various disorders.

Here are some basic yoga asanas that you can perform daily.

• Pranayama

Sit in a quiet place. Fold your legs. Straighten your back and close your eyes. Inhale and hold your breath for some seconds or as long as you can. Finally, exhale and again hold your breath without any air in your lungs for as long as you comfortably can. Repeat this exercise for 15 minutes.

• Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
• Stand straight while keeping some distance between feet. The hands should hang along your body sides.
• Now inhale deeply raising both the arms upwards. Interlock your fingers.
• Elevate your heels and stand on your toes.  Stretch your body from feet to fingers of arms.
• Hold your breath in this position for 10 seconds.
• Exhale and release this pose. Repeat this cycle 7 to 10 times.

• Trikonasana
• Stand straight with your feet apart.
• Turn your right foot out at 90 degrees and left foot inwards at around 15 degrees.
• Now Inhale deeply, and as you exhale, bend the body to the right.
•  Lift your left hand in the air, while the right hand should be coming down towards the floor. Both arms should be in a straight line from each other.
• Turn your head slightly towards the left to look at your left arm
• Try to keep steady in the right pose and stretch as much as possible.
• After 2 to 3 breaths return to the original position. Repeat process for the other side.

Apart from these asanas, Suryanamaskar of 12 postures is also a very beneficial yogic practice that provides wholesome workout to the entire body.

Some simple exercises that help you reduce extra fat.

• Squats: It is a simple exercise you can perform at your home. In this exercise, you lower your hips while maintaining a straight back, from a standing position and then stand back up. It provides great leg workout. People perform various variations of this exercise. One must learn in the guidance of an expert initially and then do self practice.
• Push-ups: It an exercise that is done laying with palms, face and toes facing down, legs and back straight and straightening arms to push the body up and back down again.
• Cross Jacks: Stand with feet apart and extend your arms straight out with palms facing down.  Jump crossing your right arm and foot over your left. Continue alternating sides and repeat about 25 times.

Some Recreational Activities to keep you joyful and fit.

Here are some recreational activities that keep you healthy.

• Swimming: It is said to be a complete body exercise as it engages almost every major muscle, making a person use their arms, legs stomach, and torso. It improves strength, enhances fitness, increases the heart rate, helps to manage weight, and tones muscles. Moreover, staying in water pacifies your mind.

• Jogging: It is a form of running that involves a slow and steady approach. It develops muscle strength and enhances cardiovascular fitness, builds stronger bones, boosts the immune system, and facilitates weight loss.

• Cycling: It is one of the very popular activities these days. It is a very good option to lose weight. As you push down or pull up on the pedals, your metabolic rate improves as you are meeting resistance. Many people form cycling groups or clubs and do it as a group activity.

• Skipping: It is an enjoyable jumping. This activity is great for your overall fitness, Sometimes it is part of a warm-up or your main exercise.

 A good diet can create wonders.

Your foods decide your physique, so it is extremely important to have a good diet. One must drink a lot of water and eat green leafy vegetables. Include plenty of colourful fruits, proteins like lentils, grams, soybean, etc. in diet to get all the nutrients needed by your body. Avoid fast foods, junk foods and also fried foods. Green Tea is a wonderful beverage if you want to lose weight. One must also be careful about the tmings of food intake, you should not take midnight meals and proper spacing of meals should be followed.

Physical health and mental health go hand in hand

Stress, depression and anxiety are very common these days. Good mental health is a crucial part of fitness. One must try to remain calm and stress-free. Meditation is an excellent therapy to maintain good mental health. Regular practice of meditation along with pranayama can cure all the diseases. It increases mental well-being, concentration, and confidence that improve your overall performance in work, society, and home.

Remember, you well being impacts those around you as well and the most impacted is your family and your loved ones. So lead by example, become the role model that your children would like to follow. Fitness is not one size fits all, so set up your plan based on your routine and your body type, nurture yourself and set out on the path to happiness.