While trying to think of a catchy first sentence to this article about the relationship between fitness and health, it occurred to this author that the two elements of one’s life are much like a recipe. That is, they are the ingredients to your recipe for good overall health. Alone, they might “taste” alright, but when paired, they create something truly amazing.
For individuals seeking to lose weight and get into shape, a renewed emphasis on both fitness and health is crucial. The next logical question – where should you begin?
What is Health?
What is health, really? It is important that we make its definition clear. From this point forward, the word health will be used in this article to describe the general condition of one’s mind, body, and spirit.
Using this definition, it becomes clear that quality nutrition must lie at the center of good health. Without it, good overall fitness and health simply cannot be achieved.
The easiest way for a person seeking to lose weight to reform their diet is to reverse the typical train of thought dieters often encounter. Rather than thinking about your diet in terms of what you cannot eat, try employing the far less limiting strategy of thinking about how much you CAN eat. There are hundreds of thousands of healthy recipes that are as equally delicious as their unhealthy cousins. Dieting is as much a battle of perception as it is one of not eating unhealthy foods. If you start with reforming your diet, you will be one-step closer to good fitness and health.
A Boost from Fitness
Did you know that incorporating even a small amount of additional physical activity into your daily routine could have a rather noticeable impact on the pace of your weight loss? Yes, it is true; your worst enemy – exercise – can provide an added boost to your weight loss efforts.
To take advantage of the benefits of exercising on a daily basis, pick an activity that you enjoy. Activities ranging from walking around the block, to running several miles, or even playing outside with your children or grandchildren have the power to speed up your weight loss. But that’s not all.
Regular exercise helps your body get to, and maintain, its peak levels of fitness and health. Engaging in added physical activity causes your body to burn more calories than it otherwise would. When combined with a diet centered on a healthy meal plan, the effects are magnified many times over.
Go For It!
When you think about it, all that you lose by implementing a better diet and daily exercise into your routine are the extra calories and pounds of body weight. These should be easy sacrifices to make in order to promote a lifestyle of improved fitness and health.