How many hours a day do you spend sitting down? Maybe you have an office job or spend many evenings in front of the TV watching your favorite series. All of this does not help you achieve your goal of getting fit. Did you know that when you sit still for more than 2 hours in a row, it affects your metabolism? They even say that sitting still is almost as bad for your health as smoking. This needs to change! Getting fit is actually much easier than you think. With a few simple tips, you will be on the right track in no time.

Invest in your health

A fit lifestyle is associated with good and healthy nutrition, more movement combined with exercise, and making time for relaxation. All these components make you feel strong, healthy, and fit throughout the day. It improves your overall health. Especially with a busy lifestyle or a job where you sit a lot, it is extra important to pay enough attention to this. Additionally, a healthy lifestyle reduces the risk of overweight, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, or type 2 diabetes. Enough reason to start today and get fit.

5 Tips to Get Fitter

Every beginning is difficult. Yet, you get fit by making small adjustments to your lifestyle. Try to maintain this (almost) every day. If you keep it up long enough, you will make it a habit, and eventually, you won’t have to think about it anymore. It then becomes part of your lifestyle.

1. Move for 30 minutes (in a row) each day

Moving for 30 minutes a day is the foundation for getting fit. You have the freedom to choose how you want to move. Think of biking to school or work, walking with a friend, finishing household chores in one go, making your garden weed-free, or doing a circuit training session at Circle-Fit. The most important thing during the 30 minutes of movement is that your heart rate is just a bit higher than when you are at rest. You will notice that this also works relaxing and reduces stress.

2. Stand up every hour from the couch or chair

Whether it's at work or when you're watching TV in the evening, make sure you get moving every hour or shake yourself loose. Smartwatches can often be set so that you receive a reminder every hour, or you can set a timer yourself. Watching a series? Try to move after each episode. Time for a meeting? Hold the meeting while walking or opt for standing meetings. Try to avoid sitting still for more than 2 hours at a time. Every little bit helps to get fit.

3. Work on your fitness

You really have to put in the effort when you want to get fit. Interval training increases your heart rate. This also activates your fat metabolism and increases oxygen uptake. And let’s be honest, a better fitness level comes in handy in most everyday activities. Do you find it difficult to work on your fitness or are you not a fan of cardio training? Then try a circuit training. By doing different exercises directly in a row, you work on your fitness while simultaneously building muscle strength. Let that be tip 4 for getting fit.

4. Build muscle strength with strength training

Just like sufficient fitness, strength training has an enormous positive effect on getting fit. Not only to prevent injuries and gain more muscle mass, but also because it is good for heart and blood vessel health. An added benefit is the positive effect on mental well-being.

When we say that strength training contributes to getting fit, it does not mean that you have to work with heavy weights. Circuit training is also recommended here. Why? Instead of focusing on one specific muscle group, you train all the important muscles in your body.

5. Move or exercise with a buddy

Starting good resolutions alone is great, but often difficult to maintain. Even before you make it a habit, it is important that you find joy in movement and exercise. Not only is exercising together more fun, but it has also been proven that the results are better than when you go at it alone. Time flies and you motivate each other to keep it up longer. Get fit together.