99% of Fit People Swear by the Same Few Habits
Stick to them and watch your fitness pursuit become effortless
Fitness isn’t about celebrity workout programs, fad diets, gimmicky exercises, or fat-loss pills.
It’s about adhering to a handful of simple habits — for months, years, and decades. But the fitness industry won’t tell you this.
Why would it?
The words “Habits” and “Consistency” sell for $0 dollars.
But peddling lie-fuelled products and preying on peoples’ aspirations? That will get millions of people to shell out billions of dollars on the regular.
I’ve bashed the fitness industry enough. Let’s get to what this article’s really about.
The Only Three Things Fitness Burns Down To
Sleep, nutrition, and physical activity. That’s it.
Nail these three and you’re set for life — and none of them have to be complicated either.
First, Sleep
- Sleep at least 8 hours every night.
- Establish a sleep schedule based on your preferences and conveniences and stick to it.
- Get off all electronic devices at least an hour before bed — the emanating blue light disrupts sleep.
- Choose a relaxing pre-bed activity — meditation, reading, talking to your family, a steamy shower.
- Limit daytime naps to 30 minutes, so your night sleep isn’t affected.
Coming to Nutrition
- Prefer whole foods such as meat, eggs, nuts, vegetables, and fruits over processed junk like donuts, pizzas, and big macs.
- Eat more protein — it not only repairs tissues and prevents muscle loss, but also satiates you better. Here are 43 of the best sources.
- Follow the 80–20 rule for sustainable eating — get 80% of your calories from healthy foods and use the rest to eat whatever you want.
- Drink at least 3 liters of water every day.
- Avoid the sugar+fat combo like the plague— while both sugars and saturated fats are bad, their combo (literally) takes the cake.
And Finally Physical Activity
Explore and stick to a physically demanding activity you enjoy — brisk walking, lifting weights, boxing, swimming, basketball. The list is endless.
During the rest of the day, stay active — this can account for up to a whopping 50% of your daily energy expenditure.
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Get up and stretch from time to time.
- Get a standing desk to prevent long hours of sitting.
- Cycle or walk instead of driving to nearby places.
- Track your steps and aim to smash ramping goals.
- Stroll while talking on the phone.
The Right (And the Wrong) Way to Perceive Fitness
For most people, fitness is a seasonal pursuit or short-term fix.
Getting married? Better get in shape. Summer coming up? Get (back) a six-pack to flaunt on the beach. Clothes have gotten too tight? Maybe shed some weight. Overdid the booze and now have a paunch to show for it? Google “How to lose belly fat?”
It’s a simple algorithm — start, either get “some” results or give up entirely, stop, and slowly slid back to the starting point. Rinse and repeat.
But fitness isn’t a periodic sine wave, it’s a sharp, unwavering, straight line.
Summer or winter. Motivated or bored. Busy or free. Days or years. Marriage or divorce. Fit people stick to their fitness regimes — or at least try their best.
And even if they fall off track, they get back on track as soon as possible.
On this side of the sun, the algorithm is even simpler — start and never stop.
If Fitness Isn’t a Priority, It Isn’t for You
In life, you can’t achieve what you don’t deem as important — fitness is no exception.
If eating healthy, staying physically active, and sleeping amply are after-thoughts, you won’t get or be fit. As simple as that.
And no, don’t cite the “I don’t have time” excuse. If fitness is a priority, you can and will find the time.
You’ll wake up earlier to work out. Instead of infi-scrolling your ex’s IG feed, you’ll be fast asleep. Instead of waiting in McDonald's drive-through for a cholesterol-laden mac, you’ll cook yourself a berry-laden oatmeal.
We’re all mortals with limited energies bound by the same 24 hours — if even the most successful folks find it possible to squeeze fitness into their routines, why can’t you?
“We have more ability than willpower, and it is often an excuse to ourselves that we imagine things are impossible.”
— Francois De La Rochefoucauld
