Just a few simple habits can make the difference between a fit person and a couch potato, an everyday worker and the outrageously successful.
That's because those simple habits work. And these ultra-fit examples are proof.
Fit People Don't Diet
Michelle Obama, champion of nutrition and physical activity (and owner of some of the most inspiring arms in America), knows that obsessing over every calorie is no way to live. "The truth is, being a healthy woman isn't about getting on a scale or measuring your waistline -- and we can't afford to think that way," she wrote in Women's Health in 2010. "Instead, we need to start focusing on what matters -- on how we feel, and how we feel about ourselves."
They Find A Way To Enjoy Exercise
Fitness is not one-size-fits-all -- and the fittest people understand that and dedicate the time to finding an exercise routine they actually enjoy. Bob Harper, devoted CrossFit fan, takes it to the next step: "For me, working out is a form of therapy, it's cathartic for me, it's a good stress reliever," he told Parade in 2013. "I know that when I go to the gym I am taking care of myself and I know I'll feel so much better afterwards."
They Don't Compare Their Bodies To Other People's Bodies
Bow down to Queen Bey! The singer/actress/mama/superstar's weight has fluctuated for a number of movie roles, but she knows where she's most comfortable -- and accepts it. "I feel best when I'm not really thin and not really heavy, when I'm still curvy," she told SELF. "I really believe that everyone is supposed to be different, and whatever is a natural weight for you is usually what looks best."
They Get Enough Sleep
Jillian Michaels, tough-as-nails trainer of Biggest Loser fame, considers a good night's sleep her secret weapon. Get "as much as you can," she told Spry Living: "Sleep is critical for a strong immune system, metabolism, anti aging -- the list goes on and on." And she's right: Skimping on sleep ups your risk for a number of serious health conditions. Plus, even just an extra hour of sleep can help your athletic performance. "I really do prioritize my sleep," she told Health magazine. "I get seven to eight hours a night."
They Cheat
Even the most fit know that a healthy-eating plan needs a little wiggle room. Jessica Biel values a "cheat" day: "When I'm working and I eat healthily all week, I then give myself one day -- usually Sunday -- when I eat what I want," she told Glamour UK. "You have to, otherwise your mind goes a little nutso."
They Make Fitness A Priority
We're all busy, but if you want to be fit you have to make time to work for it. The most fit people strike a balance between work and family obligations, social lives and exercise. In fact, it may be what differentiates the fittest folks from everyone else, boxing champ Laila Ali told Ebony:
I do my best to work out five days a week. There are times when I can only get in three days a week because I am traveling or just need rest due to a hectic schedule. But working out is always a priority and if I fall off due to my schedule, it is not long before I get back on track. People who are fit are the same as anyone else. The only difference is their level of commitment. If looking good and being fit was easy, everyone would do it! Most people don't want to put in the work or make the sacrifices needed in order to be fit.
They Eat Breakfast
"I never miss breakfast," track superstar Sanya Richards-Ross told HuffPost. "If I do I am the most grumpy person in the world." She's one of many high-profile breakfast lovers and onto to something more than a mood boost: Breakfast eaters have more energy, lower cholesterol and are leaner and all-around healthier than people who skip a morning meal.
They Find And Appreciate Support
Sometimes it's a significant-other-turned-workout-buddy. Other times it's a family member who knows not to push that second helping of dessert. But the fittest people know that a strong support system will help them stay on track in their health-minded efforts. One prime example: Fergie and hubby Josh Duhamel. "We motivate each other," Duhamel told PEOPLE. "She pushes me, and I push her. It's something that we've always done for each other, whether it's working out or in our life together. We're compatible in that way."
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