5 Ways To Improve Both Your Physical And Mental Fitness

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The day-to-day demands of your busy, hurried life aren’t always conducive to your highest level of physical and mental health, which is why it’s so important to carve out time in your busy schedule to keep your mind and body fit and healthy. Health and wellness are not passive endeavors. Rather, they require mindful and coordinated efforts to both establish and maintain. To adequately take care of yourself, make sure you incorporate each of these healthy habits that consider all aspects of your personal wellness.

SEE ALSO: 12 Benefits Of Chakra Balancing

Focus on nutrition

Both your brain and body have particular nutritional requirements to function at peak potential. When your diet veers into less-than-healthy territory, it may be harder to focus at work, you may find it hard to fall or stay asleep or it could even begin to affect your overall mood. It’s important to avoid foods that weigh you down, but it’s more important to shift your mindset into a space that is centered on how you can properly fuel your body. A diet rich in plant-based foods, lean proteins and gut-friendly grains best supports both your mind and body at once. For an added boost, consider supplementing with a few vitamins, minerals or adaptogenic herbs. Before starting a supplement regimen or lifestyle program, talk with your doctor, do your research on things like thrive reviews and get in tune with what your body needs to function well.

Get active

An alarmingly low percentage of adults get the recommended amount of exercise per week. Exercise does so much more than help you to maintain a stable weight. When you get your blood pumping, it gives your immune system a boost, works to regulate your sleep-wake cycle and floods your body with feel-good endorphins that support an elevated mood and ward off depression or anxiety. You don’t have to get an expensive gym membership to get active. Incorporate more physical activity into your daily routine by parking your car farther away from your destination, hosting meetings while walking around a park or biking to work instead of driving.

Introduce novelty

The only way just about anything really grows is by facing, and overcoming, a challenge. One of the primary contributors to stagnation or degenerative conditions such as muscle atrophy, feelings of social isolation and cases of the blues is a lack of exertion or novelty. It’s easy to get caught up in the ease of a passive routine, but both your mind and body crave a sense of newness. Stretch both your physical and mental muscles by trying new things whenever you can. Pick up a new puzzle, try out a new workout routine or strike up an interesting conversation with an old friend. The more you can challenge both your body and mind, the more likely you are to stay physically and mentally fit.

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Be social

Humans are social creatures and naturally crave connections with like minded others with whom to share the ups and downs of the human experience. Face-to-face interaction is best, but in the digital age it’s possible, and even simple, to fill your need for social connections with just a few clicks and swipes. The lack of a sense of belonging has more than just psychological consequences. Research has found that perceived isolation is associated with a weakened immune system, depressive symptoms, cognitive trouble and cardiovascular decline. Keeping your social lines open is crucial to maintain not only a healthy mind, but a healthy body, too.

Practice mindfulness

If the world seems to pass you by, or if it feels like you’re in the passenger’s seat more often than the driver’s, mindfulness may be the cure. This form of meditation is a crucial asset to overall personal wellness, as it discourages mindless action and encourages an intentional presence in each facet of your life.

By paying deliberate attention to your life, the goal is to achieve profound acceptance of your inner and outer world. Mindfulness calls for a presence and attention to your daily tasks that centers on what you can and cannot control, what sensations and emotions you are experiencing and brings your focus on what matters most in each moment. It isn’t always easy, but it facilitates a mind-body connection that only you can pilot–which can be incredibly empowering.