It is evident that difficult periods in our lives spark a lot of negative feelings, which pose a risk to our mental health. We might feel demotivated and feel unwilling to do anything that requires energy or focus. But it is especially during these times that we should strive to stay fit physically and mentally.
In this article, we discuss ways to help stay fit to boost our motivation and feel better during hard times.
1. Exercise consistently
Physical exercise is a proven way to increase life quality and boost mental wellbeing regardless of gender and age. Beyond keeping body fitness, exercising reduces the risk of getting and controlling diseases like diabetes, heart diseases and HBP among others.
Even as gyms start opening up after the pandemic has ended, the need to observe social distance is still important. You can ensure that you are observing this by adopting alternative exercises such as cycling around your neighborhood. Or why not build your own personal gym at home with all the right gym equipment that will support you in your workout routines. This way, you do not need to drive to your gym building, instead you can exercise whenever you feel like it just in the next room. This will motivate you to workout more and stay active.
2. Eat a balanced diet and avoid alcohol
As the saying goes, we are what we eat. It is simply what we eat that determines how fit we shall be. Bad eating habits such as taking in too much sugar and fat could bring you weight issues on top of causing diabetes, obesity and other life-threatening diseases. In addition, your immunity is lowered when the body can’t get enough nutrients from what you eat.
Ensure you take adequate proteins such as meat and cereals, carbohydrates such as wheat, and plenty of different vegetables. Taking different fruits, especially citrus fruits like oranges, are good immune boosters. In addition, drink a lot of water and avoid alcohol since it will likely lower your immunity.
3. Avoid stress and relax
The truth is that the pandemic has brought its fair share of frustrations and stressors. For starters, the fear of a possible infection and the pain that comes with it could be too much to take in, not to mention the economic hardships that have come along with it. To some extent, social distancing could make anyone feel lonely hence more vulnerable to stress. What is worse is that stress can be a cause of several diseases such as depression, high blood pressure and cardiac problems.
It is very important to manage stress through engaging in constructive activities. For example, you can engage in artwork, cooking, or take an online class among others. Another one of these hobbies could be about taking care of plants as a way of reducing stress. No worries if your room is dark, grow lights can provide artificial lights needed for growing plants inside. Additionally, spending time with your family and sharing what you feel is a good way to keep your mental health in check.
4. Ensure you get sufficient sleep
The standard sleeping hours according to medical experts should not be less than 7 hours a day for an adult. By sleeping sufficiently, you allow your body to relax and reenergize after a long day’s work. It is also a perfect chance for your brain to rest.
Exercising and sticking to a balanced diet without getting enough sleep can’t bear keeping you fit. Not allowing your body enough rest can leave you feeling weak and with low moods and possibly lead to other conditions such as stress and fatigue. Ensure that you are logging off your day early enough so that you can give yourself ample time to catch some sleep.
Conclusion
Undoubtedly, staying fit is a safety measure not only during low days but throughout your life. The above-discussed ways to stay fit are important to prevent yourself from any of the diseases associated with the lack of it. However, if you are fighting a certain disease, it is essential to get regular medical checkups and to stick to your medication.