As much as you would like to believe it, there is no such thing as an 8-hour working day anymore. Even if you are only scheduled for an 8-hour shift, you still need to get ready, get to work then come home again. If you are commuting an hour there and back and take 30 minutes to get ready, you soon have a 10–11-hour day and that does not include time to prep food and have dinner. Finding time to exercise can quickly take a back seat.
However, it doesn’t need to be like that. Exercise doesn’t have to take up as much time as you would think. If you have time to go to the gym, then great! If not, there are plenty of other ways that you can fit exercise into your day without it leaving you exhausted and missing your favorite tv shows or spending time with the family.
Standing desks
This is going to start you off easy. Standing desks have become increasingly popular since people have started working from home and finding that they spend all day sitting. A standing desk can not only improve your focus on the task at hand but has been proven to burn more calories. It also encourages you to walk around more and can make sure that you avoid any strains you get for sitting too long.
Though it should be noted that there are lots of options out there when it comes to a standing desk and so it is worth reading about them. This roundup of standing desks is a good place to start so that you can pinpoint what works for you and how much you are willing to spend. This is an easy start for someone who wants to make that positive fitness change in their life.
Sleep
A lack of sleep during the week can lead to you feeling irritated, dissatisfied, and all-around grumpy. This will impact your ability to concentrate and your want to get out and exercise. Additionally, it will help you make those bad food choices as all you will want to do is eat something quick and easy, which is usually high-calorie and fatty. You should aim to have 7-9 hours of sleep every night and should try and implement a regular routine for it. Scheduling your own bedtime may seem like a silly thing to do but it can really help you get a better night’s sleep.
Find the time to exercise
This goes hand in hand with the point above. Schedule time for yourself to exercise. If this means that you need to get up earlier, then go to bed earlier to make sure you get enough sleep. There is always time to exercise. Remember doing anything is better than doing nothing. If you go out for a 3k run after work, then that is still better than coming straight home and slouching on the couch. If you walk to work or take public transport, it may be worth investigating if you can run or cycle to and from work. This will kill two birds with one stone without you losing any time.
In recent years, there has been real popularity with HIIT training. This is High-Intensity Interval Training. Many researchers say that just doing one session of this lasting around 20-30 mins can help you stay fit and lose extra weight. However, you really need to commit to this kind of training by giving your all in the work time. HIIT training is designed around the idea that in a minute, you work as hard as you can for a certain time then rest for the remaining minute. This will push your heart rate to its limit and burn more fat.
Nutrition
This can be the most difficult part of staying fit. When you are working full-time and trying to implement an exercise regime, then it can be easy to feel like you are justified in having a cheat meal or meals to make your life easier. This is a massive problem. Even when you are adding exercise into your routine, you should still try and cook fresh and healthy dinners. A good way to stay on top of this is to make meals that you can bulk up and reuse the next day.
An easy slip up that many make as well is to buy meal deals and food on the go from supermarkets. Whilst these are not necessarily that bad for you, they are very rarely any good for you. You should prepare your lunches and bring your own in from home. This will help you keep track of what you are eating and help you avoid any unnecessary snacking.
Taking care of yourself
There is a lot to this and exercising more regularly and eating healthy are great ways to stay fit. However, the benefits will only be temporary if you hate everything about what you are doing. You need to come up with a routine that suits your lifestyle and brings you joy. One of the most important parts of exercise is to have fun whilst you are doing it. Runners often say that they enjoy their run as it allows them to forget the rest of the world and focus on something that brings them joy.
Make sure that the changes you make are the right ones for you. Try and implement a healthy diet that you enjoy cooking and eating. Equally, drink more water to keep you hydrated and full. This will not only help your health but make your skin clearer too.
Staying fit
In a world that is designed to make everything easy and accessible, it can be tough to stay fit and healthy. However, it is not impossible. Many people have transitioned into working from home and so it is more important than ever to find new ways to stay fit. The important thing to remember is that you need to make a change to your habits forever and not just for the short-term gains. Otherwise, all this hard work will be for nothing.