9 super-easy ways to squeeze fitness into your busy schedule
Hyperbolic hashtags of the likes of “#FitnessGoals” have turned you off whenever a friend uploaded a gym selfie on Instagram or Facebook. There’s another one who’s pumping it up to you with the relentless marathons or Zumba. And you just sit there sulking to yourself blaming it on your long-haul work hours. If only you were as fortunate as them to make it to that FIT BODY alchemy.
Hold on, did I just read your mind aloud? I guess, I DID!
Let’s not catch up with a ‘GOAL’. That’s because fitness isn’t one. I’ve come to realize that after I tried to run into it hoping for a quick transformation. It indeed took me weeks to learn that fitness isn’t a by-product of working out incessantly. It’s a way of life. It’s something that we imbibe within us by taking some really tiny steps every day.
Here’s an easy-peasy list of 9 ways to kindle fitness into your busy life:
1. PLAN YOUR WORKOUT SLICE
Can’t get up any more early? Pinching in a 15-minutes slot is definitely a NO-BRAINER! Believe me, I did that myself amid a job that demanded 2 hours of to-and-fro commuting time between the hustling traffic of Bangalore 5 days a week. Don’t feel like getting up all lonely just to work out in the morning? Pull it off by sleeping in your track pants the night before. IT SURELY WORKS!
2. CHOOSE THE EFFICIENTLY ‘BEST’ STYLE
Working out doesn’t have to be a TOIL! Choose the mildest form of an exercise necessarily with a light warm up session to adapt to your naïve muscle and flexibility awareness. You could begin with walking, low-intensity push-ups, less than or up to 5 sets of Suryanamaskaras, Anulom Vilom for about 15-20 minutes at least. I must admit Suryanamaskara worked wonderfully for me. Make sure you’re doing these in a well-ventilated ambience for the best experience.
3. TAME THE FOOD CLOCK
Eating on time DOES matter a great deal.
DON’T skip any of your meals EVER! That’s the worst thing to do, which tampers with your body-sugar levels, thereby thrashing your metabolism. Try munching on healthy snacks every 2 to 3 hours alongside the 3 main meals of the day. This helps in increasing satiety and controls the urge to overeat at the next meal; even if that’s due to a prolonged meeting or conference session. And healthy snacks do NOT include fries, burgers, donuts or any other junk. Period. Pack fruits or nuts to work instead.
4. UP YOUR WAY TO FITNESS
Grab the stairs to your cabin. Just that!
5. DOWNLOAD A COOL HEALTH APP
If you don’t track your progress, it’s likely to lose vigor. Check out these free apps that help you measure your fitness levels the whole day.
OBINO, HEALTHIFYME, GOQII, FITSO
6. CHEAT!
You read that right! Plan a cheat meal once in 10-15 days so that it would instill a tamed yet disciplined approach to stick to a methodically fit routine. You could plan a day without the usual workout and have your favorite food. Like this, you’ll wait until you ‘earn’ and ‘deserve’ a cheat day.
Caution: Do not call every weekend a CHEAT DAY. Blunder alert!
7. FORBID THOSE SIPS
Cut down on regular drinking. Habitual alcohol consumption has its own snags. Restrict only to special and binding occasions.
8. STAY HYDRATED
Remember to have at least 8 glasses of water every 24 hours. Staying amply hydrated is a potential cure for various ailments and infections.
9. SHUN SOME SOCIAL MEDIA
Cannot hit the sack without scrolling through your Facebook feed, tweets or Whatsapp? Curb that right now! Keep that for the weekends should you don’t find time at all. Sleeping to smartphones is a dangerously addictive habit that’s got its own perils.
CHECK OUT :Succumbing to Facebook? 5 freaking easy ways to beat Facebook Addiction Disorder (F.A.D)
How do you manage to keep yourself fit? Or do you struggle to find time for exercise? It’s never too late to get started.
Great tips! Using the stairs and hydrating are things I do regularly too. Early morning workouts though just don’t work for me. I prefer to squeeze in some yoga/walking in the evenings. 🙂
That’s some awesome peice of information for super busy people like me ? I have no excuses now
Great suggestions, Ashvini. I like the idea of sleeping in track pants the night before. 😀
I prefer walking so I squeeze that in wherever possible. Drinking water regularly keeps metabolism right and helps in reducing weight too.And a fitness app to track your progress certainly keeps you motivated.
I have a time window set fort exe coming routine.also k go for walk everyday in the evening.
Great suggestions, Ashvini. I follow most of them and it surely has helped my life get better.
as fitness is taking a backseat in the current digital era, you have contributed to the importance of fitness. The tips you have listed are very useful and practical. I prefer to stay hydrated always.
With respect to #FitnessGoals hashtag all over the social media, I do feel intimidated by people’s photos and updates of working out in Gym or Zumba. I realised the importance of exercising towards staying fit a year ago. These days I try to wake up early and catch up with guided meditation and suryanamaskar. The eye-opener for me was cheat day. Is it not really okay to have a cheat day once every week? 😀