Keep Yourself Healthy by Putting Fitness First Arthritis, diabetes, debilitating back pain, swollen limbs, and what not – the unhealthy living habits of the modern age are catching up to us with age. Many of these health problems have no cure, and once we have them, we can only manage their symptoms and live a somewhat lessened life. This is the reason why we should make fitness first our mantra and start managing our health. The hard part is starting. But once you have started and are seeing the benefits, following a fitness plan becomes a joy in itself. The best fitness plan encompasses a healthy diet, a workout that is reasonable and that you can stick to as well as some basic lifestyle rules such as sufficient sleep. Bad habits such as staring at computer and mobile phone screens for long hours will also need to be addressed as these cause eyestrain, neck strain and may also lead to headaches and irritability. Exercise as a Habit The most important part of exercising is doing it daily. When you start, you will constantly feel like letting it go for a day or two, but the moment you stop you are guaranteed to find it much harder to pick it up again. To really make fitness a part of your life and be honest to your fitness first mantra, you need to keep at it. Do it every day for at least a month. Once you’re past the hurdle of a month, just knowing you can do it will give you a motivation boost and you will want to keep exercising. Choosing Your Exercise Choose a form of exercise that you enjoy doing. For instance, some people enjoy a nice long walk in the park while others like running, many join yoga or dance classes because being in a structured group where they have paid money and made friends gives additional motivation to turn up. Exercise has health benefits over dieting; it helps with keeping your muscles developed, your mind fit, and has positive effects on your mood as well. While a nutritious diet is important, it is not the only important part of a proper fitness regime. The most important thing is, no matter what you choose, keep fitness first in your mind and keep working at it.