How to Help Your Loved One in Their Fitness Journey

Updated on October 20, 2020

With the stay-at-home orders in place for a lot of states, getting fit can be quite a challenge. You can’t go to the gym and the overall situation just makes you want to be a couch potato. However, having an inactive lifestyle can be detrimental to your health. 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), having a sedentary lifestyle increases your risk of death significantly. It doubles the chances of a person developing heart disease and diabetes. It also increases the risk of mental health issues like depression and anxiety.

Inactivity increases mortality and risk for diseases. The U.S. National Library of Medicine states that when you have an inactive lifestyle, your body loses fewer calories in a day. This increases your chances of gaining weight. Your metabolism also slows down, which means your body may struggle in breaking down sugars and fats. Your muscles and bones get weaker too because you don’t get to exercise them.

Long story short, you may end up overweight, which comes with a variety of complications. For one, fat may build up in your arteries, causing your heart to a pump at a higher pressure than normal, leading to hypertension. And when hypertension gets worse, it can cause heart attacks, strokes, and even kidney disease.

Fat can also build up around the neck area, compressing your airway. This can lead to sleep apnea, or breathing pauses during sleep. A person with sleep apnea may have difficulty focusing and staying awake during the day.

Leading a sedentary lifestyle can mean an early death. The most troubling part of it is a significant portion of people lead one. About 60 percent to 85 percent of people have inactive lifestyles, according to the WHO. This means that a lot of your loved ones may be at risk of developing such diseases because of how they live. If they want to have a healthier life, here are effective ways to help them achieve it.;

Start Small

When you’re getting someone to live an active lifestyle, you don’t want them to quit immediately because the workouts or changes may be too intense for them. 

Start with simple exercises like taking a walk after a meal. If they want something more enjoyable, try dancing to your favorite hits. If they’re up for a challenge, have them dopushups and squats, but only a few per day. Try five squats, lunges and pushups. When this gets easy for them, add one or two more. It’s all about testing their limits and breaking through them gradually.

As for their diet, try decreasing their portions gradually. Use smaller plates and bowls. If possible, look for healthy alternatives for their favorite food. Healthy food like brown rice that is parboiled,tofu and green vegetables don’t have to be bland, too. Search for recipes that make these ingredients flavorful, like stir-fry or roasted veggie dishes.

Get Professional Help

Getting fit and the emotions related to them can be complicated. This is why it’s important to get professional help if both of you get overwhelmed. Hire a trainer that can customize workout routine for them if they’re having a tough time making their own. If they start developing eating disorders because of their insecurities, look for reputable anorexia nervosa treatment centers. These experts will provide the possible treatment and medication your loved one needs to help deal with their symptoms.

Stick to a Regular Routine

A single intense workout or healthy eating day will definitely make a difference. However, this difference may not be felt or seen just yet. Don’t let your loved one feel demotivated if they think they haven’t made progress yet. Have them stick to a routine that they can do every day. Monitor their progress like how many sets they’re doing, how many calories they’re taking in, and how much weight they’ve lost. These will be integral to see which workouts and activities work and which don’t.

Be Their Biggest Fan

Getting fit is a long but definitely worth it process. You need to be their number one fan and hype man in this scenario. Focus on the wins, no matter how small they are. Did they lose weight, even if it was around a pound or two? Celebrate it. Did they do more than their usual push-ups or sit-ups? Let them know that what they’re doing is great. If they don’t feel like exercising that day, understand them. They may feel too tired or are overwhelmed. Ask why they’re feeling demotivated and truly listen to what they have to say.

Leading an inactive sedentary may cause you and your loved one to get overweight, which in turn, could lead to significant health problems. As such it’s important for both of you to stay active. If your loved one isn’t up for the task, these suggestions can help motivate them to get fit with you. 

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