Getting fit isn't an overnight process. It happens over time, with some vital factors coming together to make – and keep – optimal fitness levels for your body and mind. You get the full benefits of physical activities, good nutrition, and adequate sleep when you have all three of them at the same time.

Likewise, it's important not to focus so much on one aspect that you take others for granted. An approach that balances all factors is required, because exercise, proper nutrition, and sleep are equally important on your road to fitness. Going to the gym regularly doesn't give you a free pass to indulge in tons of sweets and fatty foods whenever you feel like it. You also won't make the most of that grind time if you lack sleep. Investing in your health doesn't need to be expensive or time-consuming, but it does need to be well-rounded.

Exercise

Doctors recommend that you get at least 30 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity a day. Your body will thank you for making exercise a habit, even if you don't have a heavy workout every single day. If you aren't getting any exercise at all, you can start simply by minimizing the time you spend sitting down every day.

Exercising lowers the risk of disease

Regular exercise goes a long way. People who exercise everyday are less likely to suffer from heart attacks, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and some cancers. They also tend to have lower blood cholesterol and lower blood pressure. An active lifestyle also develops strong muscles and flexible joints, tendons, and ligaments. This in turn makes you less prone to lower back pain. Of course, busy bodies still get sick and injured sometimes, but when they do, they recover more quickly than couch potatoes.

Exercise makes you feel better

There's no denying that in the moment, exercising can be exhausting. However, once it becomes part of your routine, you feel better overall. When you exercise regularly, you have more energy, feel more relaxed, sleep better, and are generally in a better mood. Part of this is the knowledge that you're less likely to fall ill, which gives you one less thing to feel anxious about. Being in high spirits with extra energy means that you'll be more productive at work. As a bonus, you'll be able to catch up with friends or spend quality time with family after work, too.

Working out puts you in a healthier state of mind

Corny as it might sound, exercise makes you happier. It's a distraction from problems you may be dealing with, and a productive way to reduce stress. It also gives you a chance to meet people. Whether you're working on cardio or strengthening a specific muscle group, you can always make friends at the gym. The same goes for hiking and other outdoor physical activities.

Exercise also contributes to happiness by affecting certain chemicals in your brain. Physical activity raises your serotonin and endorphin levels, which reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety. It's a healthy outlet for you to cope with frustration and get a real sense of achievement.

Nutrition

We tend to think of food as fuel, especially when work gets hectic. While food is our main source of energy, different kinds of food have different effects on our bodies. Along with exercise and sleep, a healthy diet helps to combat disease. This includes hypertension and type 2 diabetes, which have been observed more frequently in younger people. The sooner you start eating healthy, the better off you'll be in the long run.

Vitamins and antioxidants in healthy food help fight off illness

When it comes to fruits and vegetables, the more colorful your diet, the better. Vegetables are packed with vitamins and antioxidants, and are low in calories. For example, lycopene, which is found in tomatoes, reduces the risk of prostate cancer. Beta-carotene in carrots helps make your skin nicer and your eyesight crystal clear. Fruits, sometimes called "nature's candy," aren't just good for your body – they taste great with minimal preparation, too. The recommended two servings a day will satisfy your sweet tooth just as well as chocolates or pastries would.

Full, healthy meals are satisfying and good for you

Some people have the misconception that dieting means suffering through hunger. It's more accurate to say that dieting is about balance. You don't need to completely eliminate the "bad" foods, and you definitely don't need to feel hunger pangs. It's easy to fall back on instant food, fast food, and canned and frozen goods filled with preservatives when you're hungry, but you can also feel full on a healthy meal, as long as it's made up of the right components.

Beans are a great source of protein and substitute for meat.  They're also rich in fiber and low in saturated fat, which is linked to high cholesterol and heart disease. Nuts, especially walnuts, are also a good addition to a serving of fruits or vegetables that can make you feel fuller without  putting on extra weight.

Prioritizing nutrition will improve the health of the next generation

Remember when your mom told you to eat all of your veggies so you'd grow up to be big and strong? And when you and your grade school classmates would be given time to run and play in the afternoon? Kids learn most of their health-related behavior from adults like parents, grandparents, and teachers. If you model healthy habits to your children (or future children), they'll probably follow your lead by eating healthier and making exercise a part of their routine. If you show them it is important, they can even help with gardening and cooking at home.

Sleep

Adults need less sleep than babies and children do, but that doesn't make it any less important to your health. When you go to bed at night, your body slowly recovers from the daytime and "resets" so that you can start the next morning with enough energy to power through. Sleep is necessary for your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.

A good night's sleep improves concentration and productivity

A well-rested brain is a highly functional brain. Adequate sleep contributes to your cognition, concentration, productivity, and performance, which has been proven many times over. A study of medical interns found that interns with extended work hours (That is, more than 24 consecutive hours) made 36% more potentially dangerous medical errors than interns whose schedule allowed time for more sleep. Good sleep is vital to your daily performance in the short term, and enhances your problem-solving skills and memory in the long term.

Sleep makes your immune system stronger

Paired with a healthy diet, sleep helps build up your body's defense against infections and other intruders in your body. A minimum of eight hours of sleep each night can make a world of difference if you're the kind of person who is prone to colds. One sleep study monitored a big group of people after giving them nasal drops with the cold virus. The ones who slept for less than seven hours a night turned out to be three times more likely to develop a cold than those who had eight hours of sleep or more.

Sleep affects your emotions and interactions with others

Anyone who's experienced sleep deprivation can tell you that it's not a fun, exciting experience. Poor sleep impairs your brain's ability to see and understand important social cues and process information about emotions. Irritability associated with lack of sleep can cause you to snap at people for trivial things or lose your temper at work. Sleep doesn't just make you feel better; it makes you a more pleasant person to be around.

The most efficient way to reach your fitness goals is through a balance of regular exercise, good nutrition, and good sleep. If you're truly committed to your cause, it won't be  hard to find a way to make them a part of your routine. Once you have that down, it won't feel like a big effort at all, and the rewards are plenty. You'll look better, feel better, and work longer and harder than you ever have.