Have you ever noticed that some people find it much easier to lead a healthy life and exercise regularly, while others can barely manage to get enough motivation to go for a run once a month. In some cases, certain people will work out every day for a couple of months, only to return to their old sedentary ways and unhealthy eating habits after a certain amount of time.

So, what’s the secret behind being able to exercise and maintain a Healthy diet on a regular basis? Here are 5 daily habits of super fit people that will show you what type of mentality is needed for leading a healthy life.

Make It Fun

If exercising feels like something you have to do, then don’t expect to have a lot of motivation to work out in the long run. People who are successful in maintaining a fitness routine always find a way to feel enjoyment and fun when they’re working out and fueling up with nutrient rich foods. Try different activities, such as biking, hiking or a group fitness class, until you find something that peaks your interest.

Learning to cook healthy foods and having friends over to try your meals or exercising with someone close to you is also a great idea, as it will make you look forward to leading a healthy life. Ideally, you should be constantly experimenting and trying new things to stay fit.

Set Short and Long-term Goals

No matter what you’re trying to accomplish, setting goals will definitely keep you motivated and on track. However, when it comes to fitness, it’s best to have both short and long-term goals. Short-term goals will allow you to take baby steps towards attainable goals and help ward off frustration, as well as give you the extra time and energy to achieve those long-term goals, such as completing a fitness challenge or losing a significant amount of weight.

This means that you will feel good about yourself sooner, which will without a doubt help you stay motivated to reach your next goal. However, if you constantly need motivation to keep exercising and eating right, it might be a good idea to re-evaluate your goals.

Keep Expectations Realistic

You’ve started working out and eating healthy, and you’ve kept up this routine for about three weeks. Great. However, you’re not really seeing any significant changes in your appearance. Well, the thing is that you aren’t really supposed to see any major differences yet, and results are also dependent on your fitness goals. Some people exercise for weight loss while others want improved endurance, energy, or to build muscle. Generally, most beginners will start to see results after the first 6 to 8 weeks of exercise.

While finding the motivation to begin your fitness journey is an essential first step, it doesn’t mean that you will instantly reap the benefits. The key is to make exercise a regular, sustainable and integral part of your life.

To stay motivated, you need to keep your expectations realistic. Don’t expect to have a perfect beach body in less than 2 months.  It might even take you 2 years or longer, but the important thing is to stay consistent and focused with your workouts and good nutrition. Permanent healthy lifestyle changes take time, so don’t expect any quick fixes.  If you put in the effort, you will see results.

Eat In Moderation

Just because you’ve started eating healthy doesn’t mean that you need to eliminate treats completely. The all or nothing approach will not last very long, so allow yourself to splurge on rich food every now and then.

Focus on eating a variety of whole foods and cut down on processed foods which offer very little nutritional value. Build your meals around vegetables, lean protein sources, and fruits.  Choose whole grains instead of processed white starch, avoid added sugars, drink plenty of water and avoid trans fats. The key is portion control and moderation. If you starve yourself or constantly deprive yourself of foods you love, no diet will ever work.

Push Yourself

Fit people don’t just hit the gym regularly; they make sure that every workout they do is better than their last. They do this because that’s the only way that they will see real results. Whenever you push yourself past your comfort zone, you will instantly get that feeling of accomplishment as soon as you’re done with the workout, which will also motivate you to continue exercising.