Staying healthy is critically important to living a longer, more energized life. There are many ways to stay healthy, but some of the most accessible are exercising and maintaining a good diet. These will benefit you both mentally and physically. 

Proper exercise is incredibly valuable to one’s well-being. Before you start, you should take time to stretch your muscles to reduce the risk of injury. If your muscles are not stretched properly, you could do more harm than good to yourself when you work out. As a whole, stretching makes you more flexible, increasing your range of motion in the muscles being stretched. It decreases the resistance of muscles, which allows for better exercise with less risk. Additionally, stretching can improve posture and help reduce or manage stress. 

Some stretches are better for certain activities than others. For running, calf raises can strengthen the muscles in your lower legs, building endurance. To do so, lift your heels up, balancing on your toes, then go back down to standing. Repeat this for as long as necessary. This stretch loosens your muscles and is a great starting stretch before lower body exercises. If you are going for a run, perhaps you could take a warm-up lap. Running a smaller amount at first will help prevent your leg muscles from tearing. These warm-up techniques can reduce the possibility of injuring yourself while working out. 

Working out can help you define your figure and become stronger, but it also has other physiological and mental health benefits. Exercising increases serotonin production, a chemical that aids sleep, digestion, and happiness. Longer and heavier workouts produce extra dopamine, as well, which can also increase productivity. Some of the unseen physical benefits include increasing metabolism and weight gain or loss, depending on the types of workouts performed and the end goal. 

Being healthy doesn’t solely come from good fitness; maintaining a healthy diet is just as important. A healthy diet can be found in fibers, proteins, fruits, and vegetables. The fiber in grains provide a feeling of fullness without too many calories. They help lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of some chronic diseases. Proteins function as the base for bones, muscles, skin, enzymes, and vitamins, in addition to being great sources of iron and zinc. Fruits are great sources of Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin C, and Folic acid. Vegetables, similar to grains, are a great source of dietary fiber and helpful vitamins. Dairy has large levels of calcium and protein, two groups necessary for building and maintaining bone structure.  

Keeping fit is important to maintaining a healthy lifestyle throughout one’s life. Stretching, exercising, and eating right are some of the best ways to stay healthy and active. Proper nutrition is great for building proteins and obtaining crucial vitamins. Working out helps strengthen those proteins through practice. When you nurture and care for your body, you are far more likely to live a long, happy life with less risk of permanent or chronic injuries and diseases.