The three components of a healthy lifestyle: Sleep, Exercise, and Nutrition

Fitness. A word that describes so many of today's advertisements, TV gurus, and the "you'll-be-happy-when-you-look-like-that-skinny-model" mindset.
But what is it that you actually should strive for when you start your fitness journey?
Based on my 12 years as a martial artist including four years in the realm of personal training, I have come to understand fitness to mean the following three key components:
1) Sleep, sleep, sleep
Yes, I am starting with the one thing people often don't think fitness is about. Rest.
It does not matter how great your routines or sets are or how much trash food you avoid eating, if you don't let your body recharge and recuperate, then you are going to break down (literally, your cells are going to break down).
I highly recommend that you set up a regular sleep schedule for yourself and don't let anything or anyone mess it up. Sure, you can slack off sometimes, but don't let that become your routine.
Be intentional about your rest and let your body do the rest.
2) Have a weekly exercise routine (that you commit to)
There are no secret pills or short-cuts or whatever else people come up with. You have to put in the work for what you want to get out. That means creating a schedule for your routine and following it.
Warning: It is going to be hard to keep your commitment, you are probably not going to be motivated all the time, and you might just get distracted with a bunch of other things.
Good news: You are not alone. Whether you are a beginner or a professional, we all experience these thoughts and hurdles.
So what do we do?
a) Set up your workout during a time of the day you know you will be most alert and without being needed by others.
b) If you need people to get motivated, find a gym or a group you can workout with and be your accountability partners.
c) After you have the first initial doubts/excuses for why you don't want to workout that day, get dressed and GO DO IT (the feelings will go away).
d) Finally, have fun. Learn to love what you do. Learn to love the fact that you are able to workout and do so many incredible things with your body. Find the love in the struggle.
3) Keep your nutrition healthy
Yes, we all know, there's an infinite number of diets out there. They are always slapping you in the face. Although diets sometimes are needed under dangerous circumstances (health issues), I don't like following diets as a regular thing. I believe in making healthy choices.
These choices should not be fads or temporary. They should become your lifestyle.
I like to think of food like I think of by habits: I want to learn and create new habits so that I can become the best person I can be. Similarly, when I think about food, I think about what will make my body feel good in the long-run.
And that's when the power of choice starts working. Your body tells you a lot about how food affects it - learn to listen to your body when it is telling you what food affects it positively (keep these!) and negatively (don't consume so much of these!).
Each body is different and unique. Learn to listen.
Finally, remember that how your body looks is not correlated to how fit or healthy your are. AT ALL. If you want more information about your health, make sure to visit your doctor and/or fitness instructor for more detailed information and support.
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What things in your life have helped you become better in your fitness and wellness lifestyle? What would you like to change? Feel free to drop a comment below!
Trust the process. Live the commitment