8 Ways to a Healthier, Fit Life

I sound like a broken record, but I really can’t stop talking about overall wellness and the things you can do to stay healthy, not just fit. As I’ve continued on my own fitness journey, I’ve sustained injuries that have put me out for months. Here are a few tips that I incorporate into my fitness regime that I hope may be helpful for you:

1. Hydrate, often – Such a no-brainer, but if you’re like me, drinking water is such a chore and there’s always room for improvement when it comes to water consumption. Staying hydrated has tons of benefits including faster recovery, fewer muscle cramps, improved concentration and performance, and the list goes on. Bottom line, drink more water. I always keep a water bottle at my desk for easy access and carry a bottle wherever I go. I also like to add some of the flavored water enhancers to liven things up when I’m absolutely bored with water.

yoga-deepstretch

2. Stretch – Another no brainer, but something I’m guilty of skipping and as a result, really messed my body up. Now, I like to stretch before a workout and really focus on my problem areas (hips, legs, and ankles). I have a love-hate relationship with the foam roller and a tennis ball. You can find a cheap foam roller at Ross or TJ Maxx to keep at home. It’ll definitely come in handy. On days I don’t workout, I’ll do a little bit of yoga before bedtime or while I watch Netflix. Multi-tasking for the win! For my day job, I sit all day at a desk and a few stretches do come in handy to release tension I have in my back, shoulder, and neck. If you don’t know how to stretch or what stretches help, definitely look into taking a few deep stretch classes and adopt what you learn into your stretching repertoire.

Photo cred: Kileen from cutenlittle.com

Photo cred: Kileen from cutenlittle.com

3. Massages – Sports massages are so good for you. After subjecting the body to some grueling workouts, some TLC will do the mind and body good. Massage therapists will work out the kinks you aren’t even aware of and help your body recover even faster. Sports massages can help prevent injury, speed recovery, increase range of motion, and  more. Check out one sports massage review I wrote recently.

4.  Rest – As someone who is always on-the-go, I have to make sure to schedule rest days. Otherwise, I risk overtraining and burning out. If you can’t subconsciously take a break, sometimes “scheduling” it helps.

5. Cross training – Challenging the body by doing different workouts is a great way to become stronger and train your body to be more resilient. Being fit is about finding a balance between strength, flexibility, and cardio. Too much of one thing is only going to hinder your progress. I definitely make it a point to hit weights, a spin class or some form of cardio, and a really awesome deep stretch yoga class to hit the trifecta.

6. Using the right gear – This point specifically refers to shoes. There are specific shoes for running, crossfit, weight training, cross training, etc. Shoes aren’t just be a fashion statement (as much as I do coordinate my outfits), but are also designed to help your performance for whatever workout you are dong. There is a certain shoe fitted for every activity and I have a few in rotation for running, circuit training, and an everyday shoe. I’ve rolled my ankles more than once when trying to do interval training in running shoes. Not a fun experience.

7. Nutrition – I’m not a nutritionist or a dietician, but I would like to speak from personal experience about food. I don’t follow a certain diet. Instead, I try to eat appropriate portions and make healthy choices. I’m not about starving myself and I’ll indulge when I want to indulge (hello….that’s why this is Deep Fried Fit). Whatever works for you, aim for something that is sustainable and will make you happy. And most importantly, forgive yourself when you do cheat. It’s all about balance.

thera-gesic

8. Muscle creams – Personally, I really like rubbing in a muscle cream, like Thera-Gesic, into my legs or lower back after a run or  hard workout. The cream does a great job of alleviating soreness the next day and has done wonders when my hip is giving me issues. What I really love is being to apply multiple levels and increase the intensity of the cream as needed. It has a wintergreen, menthol smell to it, so I usually do it only when I’m home. Unlike some other creams,  it’s greaseless and doesn’t stain my clothes or leave any weird residue on my clothes or hands. Just don’t apply after a hot shower… I learned that one the hard way.

After testing the product multiple times over a few months, I’ve teamed up with the makers of Thera-Gesic to offer a fun giveaway. One winner will received $100 Visa Gift Card and a six month supply of Thera-Gesic. Two runner ups will each receive a six month supply of the miracle cream. To enter, see below. Good luck!

***Contest Closed*** Thank you to everyone who participated.

WINNERS:

  1. Julie W. – Grand Prize

     

  2. Cass S.– Runner Up
  3. Janet W. – Runner Up

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This is a sponsored post brought to you by Thera-Gesic. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Comments

  1. That sexy thermogenic cream, though. HAHAHA. Ugh I always forget to stretch– thank you for sharing these tips!

    1. Author

      Stretching is the most tedious and the struggle is real, but it’s so good for you. Thanks for reading Stephanie!

  2. I have been doing so much work to hydrate my body during the day and workouts. I find it so hard to just drink so much water!

  3. love what you said under the nutrition piece! as a dietitian, I’m constantly working with clients to understand the importance of making behavioral changes that are sustainable and avoid all restrictive diets!

    1. Author

      Thank you! I went through a summer where I had a really restrictive diet and I was miserable!!! It just wasn’t worth not being to see my friends because so many social events revolve around food and drinks. Thanks for reading 🙂

    1. Author

      Thank you!!! I could use any of kind of massage, any day.

  4. Am I the grand prize winner of the giveaway. It says Julie W. I was wondering.

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