What an undertaking it is to try and explain all of the different ways to get fit in the space of just one article. The different forms of exercise that can be used to get fit alone could fill volumes. Although the space is limited, I’ll do my best to illustrate as many different ways to get fit as possible, so that you have the information you need to get into the best shape of your life!
Exercise is of course at the top of the list of ways to get fit, and it should be at the top of your “to-do” list of ways to get fit. Any exercise is preferable to “little” or “none” at all.
Walking, jogging, running, swimming, lifting weights, yoga, tennis, skiing, ice-skating, stair-climbing, boxing, jumping rope, cycling, calisthenics, aerobics, golf, roller-blading, dancing, gardening, housecleaning, and even sex are all forms of exercise. This list is by no means complete!
Whatever gets you up and “moving” can be considered exercise as long as you’re doing the ‘work’ of moving your body, and not just riding around the neighborhood in your car! How well any exercise will work to get you fit depends on how often you engage in that activity, the duration, and the physical intensity of the activity. Choose exercise activities that you really like and you’re more likely to continue doing for long-lasting fitness.
You can exercise at home with home exercise equipment and exercise videos. You can even take small exercise equipment with you to the office, or take a walk around the parking lot, or better yet, run up a few flights of stairs during breaks at work.
If you prefer the company of other people who are also working on getting and staying fit, consider a gym membership. Gyms are certainly a worthwhile investment because they have professional-level equipment for members to use. Gyms are also staffed with fitness experts who can help you in planning the best work-out routine for your goal to get fit and ensure that you’re doing exercises properly.
Hiring a personal trainer is also worth considering if you’re serious about getting fit. Personal trainers have the training and knowledge to formulate an exercise routine that is personalized to the level of fitness you have now, and your fitness goals.
Any article on the different ways to get fit that fails to mention the importance of a healthy diet is an egregious failure. If you do not eat right, no amount of exercise will be able to make you fit.
Making “unhealthy” food choices has many health implications. You’re likely to put on weight you don’t need and that increases your risks for medical conditions and diseases. A poor diet leaves your immune system “open to attacks” from the germs and viruses that cause colds and the flu. If your body doesn’t have the “fuel” it needs to function: it will begin “robbing” it from such things as your muscles, leaving you weak and unable to engage in the exercise needed for “optimum” fitness. A bad diet can also affect your psyche because the level of hormones needed to enhance our moods just won’t be there.
Getting at least 7 hours of sleep every night is also important to getting fit. Too many of us are walking around sleep-deprived. Not getting the rest your body needs nightly to rest and repair its systems increases the likelihood of illnesses which would side-line you from getting that all important exercise at the top of your list to get fit.
Exercise, eating right, and the proper amount of rest are the “keys” to get and stay fit.
