We all know that movement, eating foods in their most natural state, getting enough sleep and reducing stress are the best ways to practice proactive health. But sometimes these fundamental things we can do for our health are the easiest to let slip. When this happens, we need to make small shifts to get back to the basics.

Lifestyle fitness is a way of investing in your health and quality of life for the long term. While genetic predispositions play a role in our health stories, the lifestyle choices we make can have a substantial impact on our overall health outcomes.

Invest in your health by focusing on the essentials of lifestyle fitness: movement, nutrition, sleep and reducing stress.

Adults should aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week, or at least 30 minutes of exercise five days a week, according to the Centers for Disease Control. For your health and quality of life long term, make sure strength training is part of your weekly exercise plan. Strength training helps build and maintain strong muscles, improving both daily activities and athletic performance. Strength training also increases bone density, enhances metabolism, reduces the risk of chronic diseases, and improves balance and coordination. Improved strength and mobility can reduce certain health risks commonly associated with aging.

Movement is more than the planned exercise you have on your calendar. Interrupt sedentary time. Actively try to sit less. Break up the time you are sitting by standing during phone calls, holding walking meetings, walking at lunch or investing in a standing desk.

Studies show that eating a Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Base meals around vegetables, proteins and healthy fats. Eat more plant-based foods: fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains. Use healthy fats including extra-virgin olive oil, nuts and seeds. Limit red meat, and instead choose fish and lean meats. Limit sugar, processed foods and unhealthy fats. Hydrate with water throughout your day; a general guideline (depending on how active you are) is to drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day. If you are 160 pounds, aim for 80 ounces of water per day.

Sleep is vital. Our bodies were made to sleep and restore, yet we often treat sleep as something we’ll be rewarded for the less we get. Allow yourself a generous window of time to give your body the sleep it needs — ideally 7 to 9 hours. Science shows that going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, including weekends and vacations, can regulate your circadian rhythm, leading to improved alertness, increased mood and productivity, and a reduction of health issues. Adequate sleep can boost your immune system, reduce stress, improve heart health and mental health, and enhance your sense of overall well-being.

April is National Stress Awareness Month. When you get exercise, eat whole foods and maintain a regular sleep schedule, you are already on your way to significantly reducing your stress level. Other techniques to reduce stress include not taking on too much (setting boundaries and saying no), having a go-to for relaxation (massages, breathing exercises, meditation) and getting enough social support through family and friends and volunteering.

Lifestyle fitness is available to everyone. When we try to align our habits with the fundamentals of lifestyle fitness, we are investing in our future and quality of life. As motivational speaker Jim Rohn once said, “What’s easy to do is easy not to do.” Decide you are worth it and make small pivots to consistently invest in your own health.