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3 Things Fit People Do Differently

By on December 7, 2015
PJ hiking

By PJ Wren

There are lessons to be learned from our fit brothers and sisters. Habits that are consistent, across the board, with healthy people. Routines and tendencies that can be great examples and tips to the less “naturally inclined to be fit”.

1/ Fit people do not cruise parking lots.
You will never find a fit person driving around the parking lot at the grocery store trying to find a spot closer to the front door. Actually, I could go even a step further and say that most fit people wouldn’t even be in a car to begin with. They’d be walking, bag in hand to the store, smile on their face.

Why? Because they love to move their body.

They truly aren’t thinking about Health Canada’s recommendations that we should be getting 2.5 hours of activity a week. They aren’t thinking about all the awesome health benefits that their walks will give them (like preventing chronic diseases, prolonging their independence, decreasing their stress and improving their quality of life).

They are, quite simply, enjoying the act of walking and moving their body.

What I think, however, is even more important to note – fit people do not count their walks as exercise. A walk is simply a mode of transportation for them, or a chance to get some fresh air, or an opportunity to walk the dog. Their “exercise” will take place later when they fit in their real workout that makes them sweat and challenges them past their comfort zone.

2/ Fit people do not use food as a reward.
People who are fit enjoy eating clean, but they aren’t martyrs either. They, too, can enjoy pizza and chocolate chip cookies. But, what they won’t do is reward their “good behaviour” through the week with a binge night at the buffet table, or pub on the weekend.

There is no self-talk, no negative connotation with food.

Food, to fit people, is there to fuel their body – and good, wholesome food does just that. That is the “reward” unto itself.

3/ Fit people do not have excuses.
Give a fit person a busy week and she, or he, will still find the time to:

1) Prep their meals and menu plan for the week ahead
2) Move their body as much as possible through the day
3) Get their workouts in
4) Get enough sleep

There will be no excuses (or whining) about why they can’t and why they aren’t going to, and this is not because they are super human. It is simply because these habits are ingrained into their routines.

Fit people create solutions, not excuses.

If you want to create new healthy habit, experts recommend that you start with one and grow from there. On average it takes 66 days to cement a new habit into our grey matter, and it’s these habits that we now know are the true bits and pieces behind staying active and healthy.

Not willpower, or self-control.

It’s making these new activities become second nature to us, so that even when life does throw us a curveball, like packed schedules, it doesn’t phase you. Your workout is just as much as part of your life is turning out the lights are. Learned, ingrained into the muscle and now instinctive.

 

PJ_Wren_headshotPJ Wren is the tough-love trainer for the not-so-tough. She specializes in over-40 fitness and is the creator of the “Over 40: How to Become a Better Fat-Burning Machine” course. www.fitnesswithpj.com

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