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4 Ways You Can Balance Fitness and Self-Care
Blog post written by Sheila Olson from FitSheila.com
Committing to a healthier lifestyle often involves getting active. However, it’s important to recognize that being fit is only one aspect of self-care. This is especially true given that modern schedules sometimes limit our free time. With that in mind, here are some ways you can invest in self-care while still following a fitter lifestyle.
Accommodating a Busy Schedule
Life gets busy. As adults, we deal with many responsibilities and have to juggle them with our interests and ambitions. When the goal is to be fit, it can be easy for other parts of our lives to get in the way. One approach to accommodate a busy schedule is organization. Create a schedule that you can plan for the long term. While you may not be able to stick to it, setting days you can devote to working out and resting can make finding time less stressful.
Another useful strategy is choosing exercises you enjoy. It can make working out feel less like another responsibility. There’s a variety of exercises to get you moving and fit. You could try dance lessons, hiking in nature, and swimming, or give yourself more balance through yoga.
Give Yourself Breaks
A hectic modern life can often feel like a hostile environment. However, when you’re pursuing a fitter lifestyle, it’s important to give yourself time to rest and recuperate. Taking rest days and finding ways to wind down can have many physical benefits and may help you avoid burnout. You can have active rest days where you go for a walk or bike ride or just wind down at home or with friends. Self-care can bring joy into your days so that you don’t feel restless when taking breaks. Binge-watch your favorite show, catch-up with loved ones at a coffee shop, or even deal with some house chores. Whatever you choose, avoid feeling guilty that you’re missing out. You deserve rest, and your body will be thankful for it.
Practice Basic Self-Care
In addition to rest, good self-care means finding time for the basics. When dealing with a congested schedule, it can be hard to find the right balance, but the basics offer additional protection against burnout and poor health. First and foremost, get enough sleep. Our bodies need at least seven hours of sleep for overall wellness. It’s also a critical part of post-workout recovery, as it allows our bodies to heal. Nutrition and hydration are also important to health. Being physically active could mean that you already have a well-defined diet, but make sure that you are giving your body the nutrients it needs for a balanced state.
Vary Your Workouts
If fitness is a goal for you, it’s important to avoid overtraining. Even with rest days, you may push your body too hard. This can have a harmful effect on wellness and lead to a variety of health issues, including disordered sleeping and greater susceptibility to illness. Moderation is essential, but variation can be surprisingly beneficial as well. Instead of going to the gym daily and devoting your energies to the same exercises, or upping the intensity of your workouts, look to change up your routines. Focus your sessions on different parts of your body and adopt new workouts to pursue this. You could bike, dance, hike, or swim to ease the strain on your legs while giving yourself a new and gentler way to focus on those muscles. Lift weights? You could opt for kickboxing. Even playing a sport can potentially give you fulfilling workouts. By developing a more balanced workout regimen, you can avoid creating the psychological impression that your exercises need more. Ultimately, you may find that your healthier lifestyle becomes more sustainable and compatible with the overriding need for broader self-care.
Being fit takes a lot of effort and organization, and it also needs investment in self-care. By supporting your mental and physical health, you will feel refreshed and recharged. This can put you in the right state of mind to fulfill whatever fitness goals you have in the long term.
Working with a personal trainer is great, but working with the right trainer is better. Whether you are looking to lose weight, tone up, or simply improve your quality of life, a RightFit Personal Trainer will help you set and achieve all your fitness goals. You have nothing to lose, and a better life to gain. Start today, take the survey and find your RightFit Personal Trainer.