Does the scenario sound familiar – tight work deadlines, workloads ever-increasing, demanding social life pulling you all across town, and a loving wife or girlfriend you want to give all your time to. Plus the game-changer, that having children undoubtedly is. With all this on your plate, how the hell are you mean to keep yourself fit?
Even though health and fitness can fall down the list of priorities, with simple steps and a little discipline, you can fit exercise into a hectic schedule and get on the path to god-like body.
Elysium Magazine thought to consult an expert on such matters, so we recruited the help of personal trainer Em Tweedie to help devise some practical recommendations that you can integrate into your busy lifestyles.
1. Commit to a schedule
Plan your workouts into your weekly routine. If you don’t, it won’t happen. Literally write your exercise time into your diary and commit to it but make sure it’s realistic too. Make use of technology like smart phones and email calendars to help you mange your time more efficiently.
2. Train little and often
If you can’t find three one-hour slots in your diary there’s nothing wrong with splitting your workouts up. Little and often is the key and you’ll get better results from doing five 25 minute workouts than two one-hour workouts, provided you’re training with enough intensity.
3. High intensity workouts
For the best results, forget traditional cardio workouts of moderate intensity for longer durations and go for high intensity interval training for 20 minutes instead. Interval training involves short bursts of high intensity effort followed by a short rest period – this pattern is typically repeated over 20 minute sessions.
4. Vary your workouts
Variety is the spice of life, and the key to motivation. Stay motivated and keep your body challenged by adding as much variety to your workouts as possible. Split your workouts into different muscle groups and cardio/weights sessions instead of trying to fit everything into one session e.g. train biceps and triceps on one day, chest and back on another, legs on another and cardio on two other days. You should be able to get through each of these sessions in 25 minutes if you push yourself hard enough.
5. Do what you can
Don’t get too hung up on exercise myths. It’s irrelevant if it’s better to train at certain times of the day if it doesn’t fit in with your lifestyle. Listen to your body too; if you feel you get more out of doing weights rather than cardio in the mornings, or vice versa, then do it.
6. Don’t neglect a healthy diet
Exercising without watching what you eat will only make life harder and prevent you from achieving the results you want. Manageable steps like:
- Avoid foods high in sugar and fat and keep complex carbohydrates (pasta, rice, potatoes, bread) to a minimum and avoid eating them in an evening meal
- If possible, eat your main meal at lunch time so as to only need a snack in the evening
- Eat 5-8 portions of fruit and vegetables a day and drink 2 litres of water
- Avoid dips in blood sugar levels that cause us to reach for bad energy boosts by eating small, healthy snacks (e.g. fruit/low fat yoghurt/handful of nuts or seeds) every three hours between meals
So there you have it – you have the power to control how fitness can become part of your busy lifestyle. It’s about knowing your body and knowing when you’ll be able to manage a session of exercise in. Go forth and conquer.
For more tips from Em Tweedie visit: www.made-2-fit.com
