Not Just Exercise: 8 Essential Practices for Physical Well-Being

Health News
Written by Mony Shah
December 12, 2023

According to the McKinsey Health Institute, 96% of Americans consider physical health important. However, not everyone has the time to follow vigorous exercise regimes. Busy schedules, work commitments, and family responsibilities can often consume a significant part of your day, pushing the gym to the backseat as a result.

A daily workout is undoubtedly crucial for any adult, no matter their age. But there are other practices you can adopt to stay fit.

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8 Essential Practices for Physical Well-Being

Staying fit is not just about building muscle or getting into a size zero. It has a direct impact on your well-being and your ability to lead a happy and fulfilled life. Here are eight things you can do, apart from exercising, to lead a healthier life.

1. Have Well-Balanced Meals

The importance of a balanced diet for achieving optimum fitness cannot be stressed enough. Nutrients allow you to prevent and fight diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, cancer, and a range of other common health issues.

Besides, the food you consume helps generate the necessary energy you require to stay active and function at your best throughout the day. It is the primary source of proteins, vitamins, minerals, healthy fat, carbohydrates, and antioxidants for your body.

Therefore, include enough fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fish, lean meat, eggs, legumes, nuts, and dairy in your meals. Be mindful of the portion sizes. Overeating, even nutritious food, can produce more negative outcomes than positive ones. Planning your meals and having them on time is equally critical.

However, keep in mind that the right formula for a balanced diet could vary between individuals. It can depend on your age, current fitness level, health condition, and a variety of factors. So, getting advice from a nutritionist is ideal before following specific diet plans. To find a qualified professional, speak to your doctor or search Leadar’s professional database.

2. Avoid Unhealthy Foods

Taking nutritious meals will not help if you keep consuming unhealthy foods in between. Greasy fast food, sugary drinks, and sugar-laden snacks can deplete your energy and lead to numerous diseases in the long term.

If you are serious about your physical well-being, minimize the consumption of foods with trans fats and added sugar, and cut down on red meat and refined grains. Replace processed food and frozen meals with home-cooked dishes made with fresh produce. It is an excellent alternative to takeaways as well.

3. Stay Hydrated

Up to 60% of the average human body consists of water. Naturally, remaining hydrated is critical for you to function at your best.

Water allows your body to regulate the temperature, absorb nutrients, circulate oxygen, and protect your joints and sensitive tissues. It can even improve your metabolism, aid digestion, and boost focus, memory, and other cognitive activities.

Without enough of it, your physical functions can suffer—kidneys can fail, digestion can slow down, and you may experience physical issues that keep you from leading a healthy life. So, remember to drink enough water. Experts recommend around 11 to 15 cups a day.

4. Get Sufficient Sleep

Did you know that important healing and restorative processes take place during your slumber? In addition, sleep is imperative for memory, concentration, motor skills, metabolism, and emotional regulation—all critical aspects for an active individual.

It is also known to reduce inflammation, strengthen the immune system, and minimize the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and depression.

For optimum rest, aim for seven to eight hours of high-quality sleep and be mindful of sleep hygiene—establish a daily sleep routine and create an effective sleep environment with minimum disturbances.

5. Walk More

When you are pressed for time, walking can be a great option to integrate some much-needed physical activity into your daily routine.

Walking can boost circulation, endurance, joint function, heart health, and not to mention mood. In addition, it can help reduce weight, symptoms of depression, and the risk of chronic diseases.

How can you walk more? If you struggle to allocate an hour or so for brisk walking, the simplest thing to do is include more physical movement opportunities in your daily schedule.

For instance, when running errands, ditch the car and walk instead. Avoid prolonged sitting by getting up from your seat every 30 minutes to move about. Use your lunch break for a quick walk outdoors. It could be an excellent mood booster, too. Or, if you want, you can also use ems equipment after walking, in order to improve its effects even more.

6. Take Up More Chores

Household chores can help burn a surprising amount of calories—around 50,000 per month, to be precise. That is certainly a good enough reason for you to take up those dreaded chores.

Clean the house, wash the car, or do some gardening whenever you have spare time. You could benefit from a decent physical workout while getting some productive work done around the house.

7. Choose the Stairs

Climbing stairs is an excellent cardiovascular exercise, which can burn more calories than jogging. It can strengthen muscles and improve mobility, too, especially as you age.

So, if you want to stay fit, skip the conveniences of an elevator the next time you are presented with the option to take the stairs.

8. Do Yoga

Many people wrongly assume that the benefits of yoga are all about mental well-being. However, this ancient practice could have tremendous positive effects on your physical health as well.

The most obvious perks come from improving flexibility, balance, and muscle strength. But that’s not all—yoga can also help reduce inflammation, improve circulation, strengthen the immune system, and elevate brain functions.

If you are new to yoga, there are plenty of videos on YouTube to get you started. Alternatively, join a local class to benefit from a community environment. You can practice at home on your own once you learn the basics.

Wrapping Up

Staying fit is not just about daily exercise. There are many other practices essential for you to achieve physical well-being, especially if you lead a sedentary lifestyle. Adopting a balanced diet, avoiding unhealthy eating habits, remaining well hydrated, and getting enough sleep and rest can have a major impact on your health.

To improve physical activity, taking regular walks, engaging in household chores, using the stairs, and practicing yoga are perfect options to integrate into your daily routine.

Of course, these are not alternatives to exercising. Rather, they are important practices for physical well-being, which even those who follow a consistent fitness regime can benefit from.

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