While Kevin Knasel is most well-known for his professional pursuits and business acumen, in his personal life he has always been a proponent of doing what is necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The practice of staying fit is simple conceptually, however, many of us can attest to the fact that healthy living as you age and work in mostly sedentary environments can be a bit challenging to keep up with. Kevin Knasel realizes that the most difficult step in the process is starting and, therefore, includes a list of practices that can make the ever-coveted healthy lifestyle an attainable reality.

Exercising regularly can be one of the best ways to maintain health and fitness. Exercise helps prevent a myriad of physical health issues including heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Exercise can also be beneficial for mental health issues as well, as exercise is known for releasing serotonin and other endorphins that can help improve our moods. Experts recommend at least 150 of moderate aerobic activity or, alternatively, 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week in order to best maintain a healthy lifestyle. Moderate intensity exercise can include brisk walks, swimming or water aerobics, leisurely biking, among a host of other activities. Vigorous intensity exercises can include jogging/running, uphill hiking, jumping rope etc. What is most important about the exercising process is that you contribute your best effort and find something that you can enjoy. Working out consistently is easier the more committed you become, and the best way to become committed is to enjoy the activities you choose.

Another aspect that is crucial in pursuit of a healthy lifestyle is maintaining adequate hydration. We’ve all heard that humans are as much as 60% water, but many of us do not truly consider the sheer amount of our body’s tasks that require it. Humans require water to help with bodily processes such as excreting waste, regulate our temperatures, lubricating joints, and moistening tissue. Aspects of our own lives tend to influence how much water we require as well. For example, the temperature of our climate, our age, diet, and our prescribed medications can easily play a role in how much water we need to consume to stay happy and healthy over our lifetimes. Kevin Knasel notes that the age old advice of drinking 8 glasses of water a day has become a bit outdated in recent times, but there are plenty of resources and calculators that can be used for determining how much you aim to consume a day. No matter what your recommended amount may be, your body will certainly thank you for the effort.

Portion control is listed as one of Kevin Knasel’s favorite ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle, as it is accessible and relatively easy to try. The importance of portion control is clear, as restaurant portions have as much as doubled over the last couple decades, and we often do not give much thought into the quantity of the food that we put in our bodies (and that says nothing about another issue- the quality thereof). While portion control, as a concept, is simple to grasp, it is natural for people to have some issues with the actual practice. What helps is that many tips for practicing portion control do not require too much specialized knowledge to follow. For example, a common first step to controlling portion size is to use smaller dinnerware so that our meal appears bigger. Our brains tend to correlate a fuller plate with feeling full, and experts say that you are setting yourself up for failure if you are basing your perception of your portion size on your food’s appearance on a large plate. It is also a great idea to follow common guidelines on the recommended portion sizes for different elements of your meal. If you have a condition that requires a more specific diet, a dietician or nutritionist can help you determine what ideal portion sizes would look like to you.