A question commonly asked by people is: “What is the ideal fitness regimen”? The first step is identifying what it means to be healthy. From there, we are able to understand and acknowledge our goal and can make a plan to achieve it. To be healthy, one must have a balanced physical, mental and emotional well-being, which includes having balanced energy levels throughout the day, getting good sleep, keeping a healthy body weight, and developing emotional resilience (1).
Sleep is very important, since it allows our bodies to rest, relax, and restore energy for the following day. One should typically aim for at least seven to eight hours of sleep per night (2). However, it is well known that achieving this amount of sleep is difficult, especially as a student. Because of this, one should also pay attention to their quality of sleep. An easy way to improve the quality of sleep is to avoid using screens about an hour before going to bed or to use blue light glasses (3). One’s routine before going to bed is also important, as it sets up how well somebody is going to sleep. Lastly, creating a calm, quiet and dark environment to sleep in is ideal. Such surroundings ensure the best sleep possible, allowing people to maximize their rest and recovery.
The second category is nutrition. Having a balanced diet with whole foods (vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, and whole grains) maintains one’s physical health: protein helps build muscle, carbohydrates provide energy, and fibers aid digestive health. Making sure to eat an appropriate amount of food and listening to one’s body when it is hungry is also key to health. Poor nutrition and underconsumption of food can lead to many negative side-effects, including fatigue, weakness, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and depression (4).
The next category is exercise and fitness. Exercising is a key component to staying healthy. According to the Mayo Clinic, the ideal exercise routine involves exercising at least 300 minutes per week (5). This regimen should include cardio exercises, such as walking, running, and biking, at least three times a week. One should also incorporate strength training into their program at least twice a week to build muscle. Finally, one should have recovery time at least twice a week to help prevent injuries and to reduce soreness and inflammation in the muscles. Recovery can be accomplished by stretching, doing yoga, and foam rolling. These three aspects of exercise form the ideal fitness regimen needed to stay in shape.
The final category needed for a healthy lifestyle is taking care of one’s mental health. Mental and emotional health ties together all of the previous topics. To improve mental and emotional health, it is immensely helpful that one achieves everything above: having a proper sleep schedule, eating well, and exercising regularly (6). Staying socially connected and maintaining a social network also greatly benefits your mental and emotional well-being (6). Making sure to spend time on your hobbies and meditating or practicing mindfulness can also help to reduce stress.
These four categories comprise what it means to be healthy. Addressing each of these categories and making sure that they are fulfilled is what it means to be a healthy person. It may be difficult, but it pays off in the long run to be healthy. Best of luck to you, and stay healthy!
Bibliography:
Felman, Adam. “What Is Good Health?” Medicalnewstoday.com, Medical News Today, 20 Apr. 2020, Retrieved from www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/150999#:~:text=In%201948%2C%20the%20World%20Health,absence%20of%20disease%20or%20infirmity.%E2%80%9D. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024. (1)
“6 Steps to Better Sleep.” Mayo Clinic, 2022, Retrieved from www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/sleep/art-20048379#:~:text=The%20recommended%20amount%20of%20sleep,your%20body’s%20sleep%2Dwake%20cycle. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024. (2)
Office, CAO. “Creating a Sleep Routine – 6 Steps to Better Sleep.” Wustl.edu, 4 May 2020, Retrieved from hr.wustl.edu/creating-a-sleep-routine-6-steps-to-better-sleep/#:~:text=Keep%20the%20noise%20level%20low,to%20two%20hours%20before%20bedtime. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024. (3)
US), Medicine, et al. “Overview of Health and Diet in America.” Nih.gov, National Academies Press (US), 2024, Retrieved from www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK209844/#:~:text=The%20poor%20diets%20and%20sedentary,HHS%2FUSDA%2C%202005a). Accessed 1 Oct. 2024. (4)
“5 Steps to Start a Fitness Program.” Mayo Clinic, 2023, Retrieved from www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/fitness/art-20048269#:~:text=Get%20at%20least%20150%20minutes,most%20days%20of%20the%20week. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024. (5)
“Emotional Wellness Toolkit.” National Institutes of Health (NIH), 7 Apr. 2017, Retrieved from www.nih.gov/health-information/emotional-wellness-toolkit. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024. (6)
Erickson, Britt E. “Personalized Nutrition Industry Takes Off.” Chemical & Engineering News, American Chemical Society, 2021, Retrieved from cen.acs.org/food/food-science/Personalized-nutrition-industry-takes-off/99/i44. Accessed 20 Oct. 2024. (Image 1)
WHWS Gosnells. “Why It Is Important to Get on Top of Your Mental Health Early – Women’s Health & Wellbeing Services.” Women’s Health & Wellbeing Services, 20 Dec. 2021, Retrieved from whws.org.au/why-it-is-important-to-get-on-top-of-your-mental-health-early/. Accessed 20 Oct. 2024. (Image 2)
Modi, Juhi. “Why Do Exercise Needs Vary between Individuals? – BuzzRx.” Buzzrx, Buzzrx.com, 7 June 2022, Retrieved from www.buzzrx.com/blog/why-do-exercise-needs-vary-between-individuals. Accessed 20 Oct. 2024. (Image 3)