Friday, April 12, 2013

Habits of Fit People


Ever wonder how people become fit, especially those who you know were over weight, work full time, have kids but somehow managed to lose 50-100 lbs and keep it off?

Well I will tell you from experience, they do a few things differently then the masses.  Their outlook on life and working out is different than those who are couch potatoes.


Fit people do not make excuses.  There are no excuses.  An excuse is just you procrastinating. There will always be something that COULD stand in your way. You have to decide if you WANT to let that stand in your way.


Fit people make goals and keep them.  At the beginning of every work out, your goal is to finish, whether it is a run, a video or a set of workouts at the gym.  You have a CHOICE to finish or GIVE UP, when you start to get out of breath, your body starts aching, your mind is telling you that you just cannot continue   At that moment, reach down deep and DO NOT GIVE UP. Barter with yourself. If you could hear my internal dialogue while running, it is HILARIOUS. I say things like "If you run to that stop sign, you can do 5 less push ups, if you walk you have to do 5 more" You will be shocked at how YOU can push yourself.  Keep your goals and you will see results.

Fit people find their flaws motivating. Use your flaws to motivate yourself. I know that I am never happy when I gain weight in my mid section. It drives me insane when my belly is not flat. I think I am "fat" now I am far from it, but my mind reverts back to those days when i was heavy. That motivates me to work out harder and to get my butt out of bed in the morning to do my work out. I know that as long as long as I am doing some sort of work out a day, that my belly will go back to the way I want it, in no time at all. So instead of letting that flaw get you down, let it motivate you to do something about it.

Which leads me to persistence  Be persistent in your work outs. Do not let ANYONE tell you, that it is okay to skip, if you have a work out plan.  That is them trying to derail you. Stay persistent and keep pushing on. Persistence ALWAYS pays off.

Fit people always keep healthy snacks around them. I always have something healthy to snack on, as I never know when hunger will strike me and i never want to be caught off guard. Fit people keep healthy things around so they are not tempted with the snack machine or fast food.

Fit people keep a food/work out journal.  If you are not accountable to yourself then who will you be accountable too?  Food/work out journals (I love loseit.com, you can invite friends too) help you see every morsel that goes into your mouth, and every calorie that you burn. Any time I have ever started to gain my some weight back I realize I have stopped inputting into my food/workout journal. Be accountable to yourself!


Everything fit people  eat serves a purpose.  I love protein shakes like Shakeology or Isopure. They fuel me through my work outs. Protein is for my muscles, Carbs are for my  energy, Produce (fruits and veggies) are  for vitamins, minerals and antioxidants  Always ask yourself "what the food will do for you" before you eat it. If it will only make your fat, then choose something else. Fit people make Smart choices


Even fit people take rest days. Know when to rest.  I am guilty of working out 7 days a week. But there are those days that I am exhausted  my muscles are sore and I just really need a break.  I take that break. I may go for a walk, or ride the stationary bike while watching a movie, but I take a break from my normal hard core routine and let my body rest. Some days I even nap (gasp)


Fit people do not skip a work out (except on your already schedule rest day)  fit people take their work outs seriously and schedule them into their day. I schedule mine as soon as I wake in the morning  No I am not a morning person, but it is the only time in my day that I can consistently work out. It is the only time that other things do not pop up to give me an excuse not to work out. My only excuse in the morning is being lazy and not getting out of bed, which is when the persistence kicks in :D


Give work outs your undivided attention.   I make everyone leave the living room so I can work out, mainly because I usually am working out in my PJ's and no one needs to see me doing a work out in boy shorts and a sports bra (nice image huh?). But I also do it so I have no distractions. If someone tries to talk to me while I am working out, they get ignored. If I go for a run, I am focused on my breathing, my body's movements and the song that is rocking through my head phones. Listen to your body and pay attention to you, so you can be the best version of you!


Fit people push through stress, frustration and let downs. Fit people get stresses, have busy lives, reach a plateau, get exhausted  bored with their work outs and just frustrated at times,  The difference is they push through, they use that
excuse" to become more determined to do better, to find a different work out that works better or is more fun. I change up my work outs daily. I use my work outs as my stress and frustration reducer. Push through and you will not regret it!


Fit people do not look at work outs  or eating right as work but as a way of life. They do not feel complete without a work out. It is like brushing your teeth or taking a bath, fit people cannot go a day without it. Even if you have a rest day, you still work on eating right. It is a lifestyle change not a diet. Lifestyle changes are what works and sticks, diets do not.

Fit people do not give up. They push through, they make healthy habits and they continue to better themselves.

Will you choose to be a fit person or a couch potato???

Have a very fit day!





3 comments:

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    1. Love that you shared statistic!

      Thanks so much and

      Cheers to being healthy!!!!

      Delete
  2. I would definitely choose to be a fit person than be a couch potato. Do you know how unhealthy it is and how much it increases our mortality rate? By 110%, and that is a report published by the Lancet Medical Journal. It's been said that it has become pandemic and that people should really start living healthy and exercising more. So, cheers to wheatgrass, protein shakes, and exercising for keeping us healthy! =D

    Erlinda Lilly

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