Fit fitness into your life
- Go back
- 20th Nov 19
Set your intentions
You may have set your alarm 30 minutes earlier that normal to get up and exercise but it’s just too easy to hit the snooze button. Get your workout clothes ready before you go to bed to make it easier to carry out your good intentions. No faffing around first thing in the morning to find what you need and if it is frosty out, put them on the radiator so they are warm and toasty first thing to ease your body gently into movement.
Get social
Not enough time to see friends and workout? Combine the two for a healthier way of socialising. Either book a class, go for a walk or run or try something different like indoor wall climbing. By arranging to meet a friend, not only will it make the activity more fun, you are less likely to pull out and you can arrange to go for a coffee or smoothie afterwards for a proper chat.
Double up
Always seem to be behind on the latest book, have a list of recommended podcasts that you need to listen to or even if you are trying to find time to learn a new language? When minutes are precious, double up on your exercise time by listening to audio books or podcasts to relieve the boredom of a long run or just to keep you motivated to walk a bit further to get to the end of a chapter.
Goal setting
We know we need to keep fit but without an end goal, it can seem a bit aimless. Set a challenge for yourself with a clear goal and reward. Perhaps get a group of friends together to enter a race or challenge and make a weekend of it somewhere that you’ve not visited before. It will make those early starts to exercise seem a lot more bearable when you keep in mind why you are doing it.
Banish the boredom
We know that we should be exercising at least three times a week so to keep motivation levels high, ensure that you change up your routines. Doing the same thing each time won’t actually get the results you want so change it up to see improvements. To make positive changes, it is often about the quality rather than quantity so think about an efficient 45 minute workout and try different sorts of exercises to give you a good all-over workout.
Virtual personal trainer
There’s no need to waste extra time by getting to the gym. There are so many YouTube videos and apps you can access to get amazing home workouts. You can find a range of workouts that target specific areas such as abs or arms in short five or 10 minute sessions and you often don’t need any additional equipment so you can do them from wherever you are in the world.
Time saving hacks
- Exercise in the morning before life gets in the way.
- Put your workout in the diary the same way you would anything else.
- Short and regular activity will make it more likely that you will keep to a schedule.
- Little changes equal big results if you stick with them.
- Plan running or cycle routes out in advance.
- Take the stairs on your commute.
- Work out during your lunch hour.
- Delete some of your social apps and use the scrolling time to exercise.
- Do some light exercise such as stretching in front of the TV in the evening.
- Put on some music and combine housework with exercise to get your heart rate up.