Whether you are traveling and spending hours on planes and in cars, work a desk job demanding you to sit for lengthy periods of the day, or maybe you have a really long commute and spend time in traffic. This simple fact of having a busy schedule, sitting for too long, or all the temptations in the kitchen can really hinder your fitness goals. The good news is, you don’t have to up and quit your job, say no to a 14-hour plane trip or go on some crazy strict diet just to keep your bod in shape and healthy. There are many simple tricks hacks you can do to move throughout your day, keeping you fit all year long.
- Use What You Have
Many people get into the habit of thinking you have to have some fancy-shmancy equipment, over-priced gym membership, celebrity personal trainer or an interactive group class to get fit. I have personally done all of these things, and while they are all amazing options for getting fit, it’s not the only way. Stay moving using whatever is in your house. When going to the gym or scheduling a class or trainer just doesn’t fit my schedule, I will go for a run along the beach, use my furniture in my home in replace of gym equipment or do a variety of yoga and pilates workouts on the floor. It’s amazing to see what great workouts you can do using only your body weight, a couch and a dumbell or 2. The key here is to use what you have and don’t be afraid to get creative!
2. Wake Up 15 Minutes Early
We all need our rest to stay fit and healthy. Sacrificing hours of sleep to get to the gym may actually be hindering your health and fitness goals more than helping. Try waking up just 15 minutes early, doing a quick Tabata workout, a burn-out set of abs, or some single leg squats. There are many quick yoga routines that you can do in only 5 minutes to get your body moving before your breakfast and shower for the day. You’d be amazed at how much you can accomplish in 15 minutes, how big of a difference it can make in your energy through the day, and how little it will steal from a full nights sleep.
3. Don’t Skimp on Protein
Start your morning by consuming 30g of protein within 30 minutes of waking up. Protein can not be stored as fat in the body, but your muscles need it to be prepared for physical activity and to recover from workouts. Whether it is in a powder form of protein, or a breakfast like eggs or lean meat, make sure you get protein in the morning, at lunch, and in the evenings. It can be frustrating to working hard and not seeing results. If you are not getting enough protein in your diet, your body and muscles will not improve.
4. Stay Hydrated
Before, after and during a workout, it is extremely important in achieving your fitness goals that you drink plenty of water. In the winter months, it may be easy to forget to drink water, but even in the rain and snow our body still demands the same amount of hydration. A trainer once told me, “if you don’t have to pee after your workout is over, you didn’t drink enough water during it”. There is a lot of truth to this. When we workout, we sweat and our pores release a lot of water and minerals and need to rehydrate to properly recover. If we don’t recover well, then we may be doing our bodies more harm than good, and we may not have enough energy to get back into our workout the next day. Drinking plenty of water before a meal, and throughout our day can help aid food cravings, and increase digestion, and increase circulation. So on those days when you maybe ate too much or didn’t burn enough in your workout, make sure you are still drinking water so that your organs function properly and your food digests more efficiently.
5. Just Keep Moving
I know that working a desk job and sitting in LA traffic may be a hindrance, but all is not lost. There are still little things you can do that can make a big difference. If at work, use a fitness ball instead of a chair, or a standing desk instead. Get up and walk every 15-20 minutes if possible. The simple act of getting up to walk keeps your blood flowing and circulation moving through your body. If traveling, book an isle seat and get up to walk the isle every once and a while. Park your car far from the grocery store, take the stairs instead of the elevator, or tale 20 seconds when you get home to do some pushups. Your workout doesn’t have to be a long drawn out activity every time. Simple acts, and using those cracks of time in your day to move a little bit can make a huge difference.
What do you think?