How can I stay fit? What does it mean to stay fit? Why should I stay fit?
These are questions that many people struggle with every day, especially those in Nigeria, where many people find it difficult to balance staying fit in everyday life.
Staying fit as a Nigerian is essential for your daily activities
Unfortunately, most of us struggle with staying fit as Nigerians because we don’t know how important it is to our well-being and happiness.
In this article, I will share ten ways to stay fit and maintain healthy habits. Hopefully, you’ll be able to implement at least one of these tips into your daily routine!
Table of Contents
Ten Important Reasons for Staying Fit
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Fitness improves confidence
Fitness improves confidence
When you look good, you feel good. When you feel good, your confidence improves. And when your confidence improves, you tend to take on more challenging tasks and succeed at them.
That’s the power of fitness! You’ll be happier if you’re fit. You’ll be healthier if you’re fit. You’ll have better relationships with friends and family if you’re fit.
It doesn’t hurt that people will think better of you if they see that all of your energy is spent on staying healthy instead of trying to impress others with an expensive car or clothes.
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Happiness and fitness go hand in hand
Fitness brings happiness
Numerous studies have found a strong correlation between happiness and fitness. In other words, the happier you are, the more likely you are to be physically active.
The more physically active you are, the happier you are. This is because physical activity releases endorphins, which make us feel good, and allows us to spend time with friends or family members who may live nearby.
Moreover, we tend to make better food choices when exercising because we’re hungrier and less tempted by less healthy foods.
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It alleviates depression
According to the World Health Organization, depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Staying fit and active can help alleviate depression symptoms. Exercise releases endorphins, which have mood-boosting effects. It also helps improve sleep, which can be negatively affected by depression.
Plus, being physically active gives you a sense of accomplishment and can help take your mind off of negative thoughts.
Getting enough exercise can make it easier for people with depression to carry out everyday tasks.
The added energy from physical activity may make it easier for someone with depression to get through the day and feel more motivated about life.
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Exercise can help you sleep better
Getting enough exercise can be difficult, especially if you have a busy lifestyle. But making time for fitness is important for your overall health.
Exercise can help improve your sleep quality by helping you fall asleep faster and deepening your sleep. For example, in one study, the best predictor of whether someone had insomnia was not the severity of their condition but how much they exercised.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, plus muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days per week.
CDC also recommends that adults should limit sedentary behaviours like sitting, lying down, watching TV, playing video games, or other screen-based entertainment.
Read Also: How to Sleep Well and Sleep Enough in Nigeria
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You will have more energy
You will have more energy when you are physically fit and have a healthy lifestyle. As a result, you will feel better and have more stamina to do the things you enjoy. You will also be able to think more clearly and be more productive at work or school.
Exercise boosts your mood and reduces stress levels. It releases endorphins which make you feel happy. In addition, staying fit can improve your relationships with other people by making you calmer and more patient.
You will have lower blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease. In addition, maintaining a healthy weight is important for reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, high cholesterol, arthritis, cancer, asthma and depression.
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Staying fit will keep the weight off
Staying fit will keep the weight off
Maintaining a healthy weight is important for overall health and can help reduce your risk for developing obesity-related chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
Also, staying fit will help you keep the weight off and avoid the yo-yo dieting cycle. Getting exercise releases endorphins which make you feel happy.
Staying fit will help with your mental state. Mental health is just as important as physical health, so we must take care of our minds by staying active and getting plenty of exercises.
Read Also: Easy Ways to Improve Health and Fitness Through Healthy Outdoor Activity
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Good sleep prevents heart disease
Getting enough sleep is important for your overall health, but it’s especially critical if you want to avoid heart disease. That’s because when you don’t get enough sleep, your body produces more of the stress hormone cortisol.
This hormone can increase your blood pressure and constrict your blood vessels, both of which are risk factors for heart disease. So aim for seven to eight hours of sleep each night.
If you’re working late or out on the town, try to go to bed at your normal time and catch up on sleep tomorrow morning. In addition, regular exercise will help improve your mood.
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Training with others boosts motivation
Exercising with friends or family can help keep you accountable and motivated to stick with your fitness goals.
You can encourage each other, push each other to new levels, and have fun while getting healthy together. Investing in professional coaching is worth it.
Professional coaches know how to get the most out of their clients, so they may be able to help you stay on track better than trying on your own. They also have access to advanced training techniques that might not be available elsewhere.
It’s important to remember that people are different, and what works for one person may not work for another.
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Staying fit reduces stress
You have more energy and endurance to get through your day when you’re physically fit. You’re also better able to handle physical and mental stress. That’s because exercise releases endorphins, which have mood-boosting properties.
Furthermore, dealing with stress makes it easier for the body to heal itself. Exercise is great for improving memory: Studies show that people who exercise at least once a week improved their memory test performance by up to 20%.
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Being active makes it easier to maintain a healthy weight
Being active helps burn calories and can help you maintain a healthy weight. Plus, when you’re active, your body releases endorphins, which have mood-boosting effects.
Being active doesn’t have to mean going to the gym – there are plenty of ways to be active that are fun and don’t require much time or effort. For example, bike riding is a great way to enjoy the outdoors while getting some exercise at the same time.
It’s also a good idea to incorporate physical activity into your workday by taking frequent breaks from sitting down and walking around every hour.
Conclusion
Staying fit is a huge determinant factor in your physical and mental outlook. There is more to staying fit than you can ever think.
As a Nigerian, there is a crucial need to keep your body, soul and spirit fit. Even if limited facilities support staying fit, you must create ways and structures that ensure fitness in your everyday life.
These ten important reasons to stay fit in your everyday life as a Nigerian will positively push you to take immediate action on staying fit.
Have you found this post helpful? What is the next step you are planning to take? We can connect on Whatsapp and talk about it.
About the Author
Damola Adetoro is a mental health advocate, willing and passionate to be a voice for teenagers and young adults suffering from mental health conditions. I choose the path of writing because it is a means to reach out and be an impact where my voice cannot get to.
About Author
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