Be Fit and Sexy

Your emotional and physical wellbeing are impossible to separate. An active lifestyle has everything to do with how fit you are and how sexy you feel. Not only does exercise boost your energy, immunity, and mood, it can also improve your sex life. Exercising can lead to higher levels of arousal and a lower likelihood of erectile dysfunction. [1] Exercise isn't all of it: eating well, sleeping well, and practicing mindfulness are all integral parts of a healthy lifestyle. Getting fit and sexy is all about being good about yourself.

Steps

Getting Fit

  1. Get regular aerobic exercise. Healthy adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week. Break your exercise up into shorter increments across the week. Aerobic exercise makes you altogether healthier. It helps you maintain a healthy weight, lowers your risk of heart disease, and lowers your risk of contracting viral illnesses.[2]
    • Aerobic exercise also makes you happier. Getting regular exercise can make you more energetic, confident, and relaxed.[3]
    • A moderate aerobic activity is one you can talk through, such as a brisk walk, a slow bike ride, or ballroom dancing.[4]
    • An aerobic activity is considered vigorous if it takes up your breath and talking is difficult. This can include fast biking, running, or swimming laps.[4]
  2. Tone your muscles. Strength training increases your lean muscle mass and teaches your body to burn calories more efficiently. Most adults benefit from doing strength training exercise at least twice a week. Your strength training routine should work all your major muscle groups: don't just lift a dumbbell! You can strength train at home by doing crunches, lunges, and squats.[5]
    • Strength training can be done with weight-machines at a gym. It can also be done with weights, plastic tubing, or with no props at all.
    • Take a class or watch an exercise video before embarking on a new form of exercise. If something hurts, stop.
  3. Stretch after you exercise. Aerobic and strength training exercise cause your muscles to contract. Spend a few minutes stretching your major muscle groups afterward to boost circulation and maintain flexibility. Stretch slowly, without bouncing, and do not hold painful poses.[6]
    • Stretching before you exercise may decrease your performance, or even increase your risk of injury.[7][6]
  4. Find an exercise routine you can enjoy. If you have a routine you don't enjoy, it will be harder for you to keep it up. Try different ways of incorporating exercise into your life to see what excites you. If you like going to the gym, for example, it makes sense to get a gym membership. If you aren't sure, many gyms offer trial memberships.
    • Are you socially motivated? Drop in on some exercise classes at the community center, or go online and find a meet-up group. Ask a friend to take walks with you, or share your fitness goals online.
    • Do you prefer to sweat alone? Try biking or running in your neighborhood, or on a trail. You can do many solo exercises in the comfort of your own home, or even at your office.
  5. Eat well and drink water. To be fit, healthy, and sexy, eat a variety of foods. Eating a wide range of foods will help you get the nutrients your body needs.[8] Eat fruits and vegetables every day, and make sure you don't skip your carbohydrates or protein. You need carbohydrates to work out, and protein to help your muscles grow and repair. Drink water before and after you exercise, and whenever you're thirsty.[9]
    • If you know when you're going to exercise, you can hydrate the day ahead. Drink an extra few glasses of water the day before you engage in strenuous exercise. If your urine is clear, you're probably hydrated.[10]
    • Avoid highly-processed food and drink, such as microwave meals and soda. Prepare your own food at home as often as you can: home cooking is almost always more nutritious than prepackaged or restaurant food.[11]

Feeling Sexy

  1. Practice mindfulness. To be sexy, you'll need to feel confident and relaxed. Feeling stressed, absent, or down on yourself can ruin your sexiness. Mindfulness is a practice of paying attention to your thoughts, senses, and feelings in the moment, without interpretation or judgement.[12] To practice mindfulness, pay attention to your senses.
    • Ask yourself "what am I smelling, seeing, how am I moving, how does my body feel?"[13]
    • Practice mindfulness by paying close attention when someone is talking to you. Try to take in every word they say. [13]
    • Meditate on your breathing. Feel the breath coming in and out of you. Notice which parts of your body rise and fall. When your mind wanders, remind yourself to pay attention to your breath. [13]
    • Study an everyday object. Spend some time each day looking at something you see all the time, such as your toothbrush. Try to notice new details. [13]
    • Do a mindfulness exercise when you feel yourself becoming tense or negative. If an unwanted thought comes to you, gently acknowledge it. Then turn your attention to the things you are feeling and sensing.[14]
  2. Dress to impress yourself. Good hygiene and good grooming will make you feel good and look good to others. Dress in clean clothes that you like. You don't have to spend a lot of time getting dressed: you can feel good in an outfit you wear all the time as long as you like the way you look in it. Shower after you have exercised or when you would like to feel fresh, and shampoo no more than three times a week.[15]
    • You will feel sexier if you wear only clothing you really like. Go through your closet and get rid of anything you don't really wear, or wear only out out of obligation.
    • Wear clothing that feels good on your skin. For a sensual presentation, wear silks and soft cottons. Clothing that fits to your body but does not uncomfortably squeeze it will make you feel and look sexy.
  3. Take a dance class. Not only can dance help you get fit, it can also boost your self-confidence and help prepare you for future dates. Find a type of dance that appeals to you, and you're all likely to find people who share your interests. If you're a lovable dork, sign up for a class of contra dancing. If you'd like to learn moves you can use when you're going out, take a hip-hop class. Look for listings at your local community center, or online.
  4. Pay attention to your feelings. One of the most attractive qualities of a potential partner is emotional stability,[16] Do your moods go up and down? Do you lose your friends frequently? Practicing mindfulness can be helpful, but so can visiting a therapist or counselor.
    • To find the right kind of therapist, call a university psychology department and ask for recommendations, or ask your health care professional for advice.[17]
  5. Listen attentively to others. If you want someone to find you sexy, listen to them when they talk. Heterosexual men, in particular, are aroused by the experience of being attentively heard.[18] If you make a general practice of listening attentively and responding without judgement, you may be widely perceived as being sexy.
  6. Get the sleep you need. To feel sexy and stay fit, get a good night's sleep. Adults need 7-8 hours of sleep a night, with as few interruptions as possible. Sleep deprivation will interfere with your fitness, your immune resistance, your weight, and your mental health.[19][20]

Warnings

  • Everyone's body has different needs. If you have a pre-existing health complication, talk with your doctor before you start a new exercise regime.[21]
  • Consult a doctor before attempting to lose weight. Do not attempt to lose more weight than your doctor advises.[22]

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389?pg=2
  2. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/basics/aerobic-exercise/hlv-20049447
  3. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389?pg=1
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/measuring/
  5. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/basics/strength-training/hlv-20049447
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/basics/stretching-and-flexibility/hlv-20049447
  7. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/stretching/art-20047931?pg=2
  8. ↑ http://kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/fit/fit_kid.html
  9. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/basics/sports-nutrition/hlv-20049447
  10. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dehydration/basics/prevention/con-20030056
  11. ↑ http://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/johns-hopkins-center-for-a-livable-future/news-room/News-Releases/2014/Study-Suggests-Home-Cooking-Main-Ingredient-in-Healthier-Diet.html
  12. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/mindfulness-exercises/art-20046356?pg=1
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/mindfulness-exercises/art-20046356?pg=2
  14. ↑ http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704111504576059823679423598
  15. ↑ http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102062969&ft=1&f=1007M/
  16. ↑ http://www.scienceofrelationships.com/home/2012/4/19/the-top-20-most-desired-personality-traits-in-a-future-spous.html
  17. ↑ http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/choose-therapist.aspx
  18. ↑ http://psp.sagepub.com/content/early/2014/07/11/0146167214543879.abstract
  19. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/sleep-and-weight-gain/faq-20058198
  20. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/expert-answers/lack-of-sleep/faq-20057757
  21. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/strength-training/art-20046031
  22. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/eating-disorders/basics/symptoms/con-20033575
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