With May 7th being National Fitness Day, it’s a great reminder for people of all ages to assess their health habits – including both diet and exercise. So how are your habits contributing to overall health, fitness, and wellness?

Kim Bielak founded National Fitness Day in 2017 with the goal of dedicating an entire day to sharing the message about how necessary fitness is for healthy living.

Why National Fitness Day Is Important

Why does it matter if we have a day set aside to talk about fitness? The Standard American Diet is causing many people to be sick and overweight. These trends are taking a toll on society and causing many people to miss out on activities that they enjoy. If you aren’t in good physical shape, there are limits to hobbies and work opportunities.

The best way to celebrate National Fitness Day is to work out and look at ways to integrate healthier fitness routines into your schedule. Additionally, May is an excellent month for you to share these messages with your family and friends.

Health and Fitness Simplified: Tips for a Better Lifestyle

Everyone knows that diet and exercise are the key factors to living a healthy, vibrant life. But it can be a challenge to prioritize these things when you are busy with responsibilities at home and work. If you are having a hard time maintaining the healthy lifestyle that you desire, start small with incremental changes. Significant life changes can be challenging to maintain. But on the other hand, these small habits add up to create great results that will have a lasting impact in the future.

Ideally, focus on a variety of habits that support your physical, mental, and emotional health. When you are working on all of these areas of your life, it results in a better dynamic overall.

1. Establish a Routine: Every time you need to make a decision, there is a risk that you might not follow through with your desired habits. Instead of trying to decide your workout routine on the spot, plan ahead, so you always know what to do when you are getting started. Simplifying these decisions makes it easier to stay consistent with your chosen habits.
2. Write Down Specific Goals: Most people focus their goals on the end results, such as a certain number of pounds they want to lose. While it’s good to look forward to future results, goal setting is much more effective when tracking behaviors that will help you reach the destination. For example, instead of setting a goal to lose 30 pounds, set a goal to work out 4x a week and count your macros.
3. Find Activities You Love: Do you find it boring or tedious to run on the treadmill every day? Instead of forcing yourself to do something that you dislike, look for ways to make the workouts more fun and engaging. One option is to join a fitness class or hire a personal trainer, so you have other people to share the experience with.
4. Start Small: It’s not realistic for a person to go from couch potato to running marathons. Instead of hurting yourself in the beginning because you are overtraining, it’s better to start with incremental steps that can form momentum.
5. Get Back on the Horse: There is a saying to “get back on the horse” after a failure. If you have any setbacks or slip-ups, then recognize that it’s part of the change process. Don’t beat yourself up. Instead, recommit to starting fresh again. Work on behavior change, and you will find it easier to stay consistent going forward.
6. Prioritize Mindset: What do you think when it’s time to start your workout? If you have thoughts like “I don’t want to go to the gym” or “I’m too tired to exercise,” your mindset will add another barrier to your efforts. Choose a few simple affirmations that help you keep your head in the game, such as “I move my body every day” or “it feels great to exercise.”
7. Don’t Forget Your Diet: While a good fitness routine is essential, don’t underestimate how much your diet plays a role in your overall results. If you want to improve your fitness, it’s necessary to be proactive about choosing the right foods. Cut the processed junk and stick with natural, whole-food ingredients, and you’ll see the fat melting away.
8. Track Your Progress: Tracking your food and exercise sessions help you see how consistent you are with these new habits. If needed, find someone who can help you stay accountable for your personal commitments.

Effort and Commitment to Your Goals

Mindset is key to helping you stay on track with these goals. It takes commitment and effort to fit in a workout instead of watching a movie. There are temptations throughout the day that can hinder your fitness and health goals, so you need to decide right now to implement the necessary changes.

You won’t be perfect on this journey. We all have times when we eat too much cake at a birthday party or feel too tired to work out. But if you keep your eye on the prize and continue to recommit, you will experience positive results in the long run.

National Fitness Day is a great time to refocus your efforts and evaluate your progress for the year. Personalize your daily habits to prioritize the things that matter most. Building and maintaining a good fitness routine is worth the effort because you will be in a better mood, have more energy, and enjoy fun activities that allow you to strengthen memories with the people that you love.

Celebrate National Fitness Day with a New Gym Membership

What are your thoughts about National Fitness Day? Are you ready to recommit to your fitness goals? Having a quality gym makes a difference because it gives you access to equipment, classes, and a community that will help you stay on track. You are invited to join Fitness Nation today and see how our team is helping people of all ages live healthy, vibrant lifestyles.