What if you could get in the best shape of your life without restriction, fad diets, and endless hours in the gym? The truth is that achieving your health and fitness goals shouldn’t require extreme measures. While this approach may initially work for some, research shows that extreme diets and restrictive behaviors often backfire, resulting in weight gain and other adverse health effects such as poor mental health and body image. Instead, the data shows that long-term success and lasting change occur over time. Yes, transforming your body (and mind) requires consistency. However, it doesn’t have to be difficult! In fact, by making a few simple adjustments to your lifestyle and routine, you can adopt healthy habits that will help you achieve your goals now, and for years to come! Read on for all you need to know.
12 Healthy Habits That Will Help You Get Into The Best Shape Ever
#1 Set Intrinsic Goals
So you want to get (and stay) in the best shape of your life? First, consider your driving force. While we all have aesthetic goals, it’s important to ensure that your motivation is meaningful and self-driven. Doing it for yourself (rather than for external validation) leads to more sustainable habits and greater adherence to your goals. Known as intrinsic motivation, this type of motivation focuses on internal rewards such as personal growth, health, and well-being. When you adopt this mindset, you’re more likely to achieve your goals, maintain your fitness and dietary habits over the long term, and even enjoy the journey!
#2 Move Your Body Everyday
Incorporating daily physical activity into your routine doesn’t mean spending hours at the gym. While planned workouts are a key part of a consistent fitness routine, getting more movement can also be as simple as increasing your daily steps, or activities such as hiking, biking, and even cleaning or gardening. The important thing is to move your body on a regular basis, and when possible, aim for 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week.
Regular movement will not only support your aesthetic goals of weight loss and muscle building, but it will also benefit cardiovascular health, mood, energy, and overall well-being. To help keep you motivated, make staying active easy and accessible. Store a gym bag in your car with some workout gear, keep our Strength Kit in your desk drawer at work, and always have a pair of sneakers nearby! Remember that even small increments of activity add up! So, aim to squeeze as much movement into your day as possible — it all counts.
#3 Always Read The Ingredient Label
Being mindful of what you consume is one of the easiest ways to improve your health, and it starts with reading ingredient labels. Different from dieting and restriction, this practice is about making informed choices and understanding what you’re putting into your body. By examining labels, you can avoid hidden sugars, unhealthy fats, and artificial additives that can derail your progress and health goals. Focus on ingredients that contain real, whole foods in their least processed state. There’s research to suggest that individuals who read food labels tend to have healthier diets and lower body mass indexes.
RELATED: Decoding Food Labels: Your Ultimate Food Label Guide for Making Healthier Choices
#4 Cook More At Home
If you’re eating out, chances are you’re consuming much more sugar, sodium, and refined oils than you bargained for. Commonly added to most takeout foods and prepared dishes, additives are used to enhance the taste in many meals — even seemingly healthy ones. While the occasional restaurant meal isn’t going to derail your goals, preparing the bulk of your meals at home is a much healthier solution. It will give you control over the ingredients and cooking methods, and lead to healthier eating habits, including consuming fewer calories, sugar, and fat compared to those who eat out regularly.
#5 Take Rest Days
We often think that getting into the best shape requires hardcore workouts and endless hours at the gym. However, rest days are an essential component of any effective fitness regimen that can significantly enhance your results. Taking time to recover not only allows your muscles to rebuild and grow, but also prevents overuse injuries, burnout, and chronic inflammation. Be sure to schedule rest days just as you would exercise, including active recovery activities such as yin yoga, mobility exercises, gentle stretching, and even a massage or acupuncture treatment!
#6 Balance Your Plate
Incorporating a balance of macronutrients — proteins, carbohydrates, and fats — into your meals is crucial for achieving optimal health and fitness. Rather than cut out food groups or restrict your diet, aim to create well-rounded meals that provide the essential nutrients your body needs. Fill half your plate with a variety of colorful vegetables and fruits, a quarter with lean proteins, and the remaining portion with whole grains and healthy fats. There’s research to show this approach supports muscle growth, regulates blood sugar levels, and boosts overall metabolic health. Think: the more diverse and nutrient-rich your plate, the better.
For personalized 1:1 nutrition coaching that’s covered by insurance, consider working with a FitOn Care Registered Dietitian. Easily schedule one-on-one care on your time, anywhere, and start working on your goals. Check your eligibility and schedule with an RD.
#7 Swap Cocktails for Mocktails
Try swapping out cocktails for mocktails. Rather than reaching for alcohol, which can cause inflammation and add empty calories, go for a refreshing mocktail made with fresh fruits, herbs, and sparkling water, or your favorite bubbly beverage. Not only are these non-alcoholic drinks lower in calories, but when mindfully made, they also avoid the negative health effects of alcohol and even boost health.
#8 Incorporate Resistance Training
Resistance training, such as lifting weights, using resistance bands, and even using your own body weight, is vital for building and maintaining muscle mass. Not only will it help you get stronger, but by building strength, you’ll also help to boost metabolism and improve overall body composition. Simply put, increasing your muscle mass helps your body become more efficient at burning calories — even when you’re not working out. Plus, resistance training can improve bone density, reduce the risk of injury, and enhance your everyday functional strength. Aim to include resistance exercises at least two to three times a week, whether you’re lifting weights at the gym, doing bodyweight exercises at home, or incorporating your favorite FitOn strength workouts into your regime.
#9 Eat Until You’re Satisfied (Not Stuffed)
How often do you listen to your body’s hunger and fullness cues while eating? This simple practice, known as “hara hachi bu,” is one of the best ways to prevent overeating and promote better digestion. In fact, this is a key practice among Blue Zone residents in Okinawa, Japan, some of the healthiest people in the world. Further research suggests that mindful eating — paying attention to how you feel while eating — can help regulate food intake and even improve weight management. Aim to eat until you’re satisfied, not stuffed, and use some of these cues to help guide your journey.
RELATED: 5 Powerful Reasons to Practice Mindful Eating For Better Health
#10 Eat for Longevity
Speaking of Blue Zone dieters, adopting dietary patterns from these areas — regions known for their high longevity rates — can promote a longer, healthier life. Longevity diets such as the Blue Zones diet and Mediterranean diet emphasize a balanced plate full of whole foods, including antioxidant-rich produce, fiber-rich whole grains, lean plant-based proteins (such as beans and legumes), and omega-rich healthy fats. Associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases and increased life expectancy, eating for longevity is one of the best ways to reach and maintain your fitness goals.
RELATED: Eating For Longevity: Top Tips For Eating Your Way to a Healthier Life
#11 Find Ways to Manage Stress
If you’re doing everything “right” yet struggling to get in shape, consider checking in with your stress levels. Chronic stress can do a number on your health and fitness progress, affecting everything from your eating habits, to your sleep, to your metabolism, and even your motivation. Find effective ways to manage stress, such as meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises. Shown to improve sleep, reduce inflammation, regulate blood sugar and blood pressure, and improve mental health, incorporating these practices into your daily routine is one of the best ways to stay fit both physically and mentally!
#12 Stay Consistent (Especially When You Want to Quit)
If you want to get in the best shape of your life, consistency will get you there. Think long-term and focus on integrating these healthy habits, even when it feels challenging. Remember that it’s not about staying consistent until you reach your goal, but rather it’s about making healthy habits a permanent part of your life. This will help to ensure that you not only achieve your health and fitness goals, but also maintain them!
RELATED: The Importance of Making Healthy Habits a Lifestyle
The Takeaway
Remember, getting in shape isn’t about perfection — it’s about making consistent, positive changes that lead to lasting results. Simple habits like setting intrinsic goals, moving your body daily, reading ingredient labels, cooking at home, taking rest days, and managing stress can make a huge difference in your journey. By focusing on these sustainable practices now, you can achieve and maintain peak fitness and health for years to come. Keep going, enjoy the process, and know that every little step counts.
