Whether you’re just beginning your fitness journey or making your return after falling off track, getting back to the basics of fitness is the best place to start. Your health and fitness truly doesn’t have to be complicated, it just requires a few basic principles. You know what they say: work smarter, not harder.
What are the Basics of Fitness?
The basics of fitness help you set the stage for a healthy lifestyle. They are foundational principles and habits to support your health. If you’re a newbie to fitness, starting with these basics is your best bet at achieving a successful journey. If you’re making your fitness comeback, establish these basics as you work your way back to where you left off. These are the basics of fitness to initially focus on:
- Hydration
- Sleep
- Movement
- Nutrition
- Bonus: Workouts
These five basic principles are the foundation of health and fitness.
How to Get Back to the Basics of Fitness
Getting back to basics of fitness includes these five fundamental habits:
- Hydration– Drinking enough water is the first step to establishing your fitness journey. Adequate water intake is essential to flush out toxins, lubricate your joints and tissues, transfer nutrients to your cells, and more. It’s a foundational necessity for optimal health. Note: during times of activity or sweating, it’s important to increase your water intake even higher.
- Sleep– Second to hydration, sleep is critical for your health and fitness. Without adequate sleep, many bodily processes are negatively affected, including: muscular system, brain function, metabolic function, and more. As a result, many fitness goals, such as weight loss, strength gain, and muscle building are hard to come by.
- Movement- Daily movement isn’t strenuous or intense. It simply means getting your body up and moving. Examples of daily movement include: stretching, walking, yoga, taking the stairs, etc. Moving your body regularly is an incredibly beneficial (and highly underrated) habit to create a healthy mind and body.
- Nutrition- The foods you eat have a powerful impact on your health and fitness goals. While I don’t believe in extremely restrictive diets, I highly recommend implementing the 80/20 rule, which says: eat whole, nutrient-dense foods 80% of the time and enjoy indulgent foods 20% of the time. Be sure to consume a healthy balance of protein, carbs, and fat at every meal.
- Bonus: Workouts- While consistent workouts are very beneficial to your health and fitness, I consider them a bonus, as they aren’t a necessity to improve health. That said, workouts often serve as an advantageous tool to reach your fitness goals. If you can schedule workouts in addition to your daily movement, you will likely reach your goals more efficiently.
The basics of fitness are the first steps to pursuing a healthy lifestyle and achieving a variety of fitness goals, including: fat loss, muscle gain, strength gain, and more. Use these foundations to establish your new health and fitness routine.
