Here is what I did to fit in exercise:
Plan, commit and keep doing it!: Have a plan for how you will exercise. What days, when and what are you going to do with your time? The idea is to create a new habit and do it consistently. It takes many weeks to form a habit, so try to commit to your plan for at least 30 days.
Part of planning:
If you are going to the gym, then know what you are going to do before you get there, and have a back up plan if it is busy. Don't waste your precious time walking around aimlessly. Don't forget to switch it up once in a while too. By switching up which machines and workouts you do you will do two things- First off you won't get bored so easily (I can't be the only one who gets sick of going to the gym to do the same workout 3 times a week) and you will prevent the training plateau. Make sure to challenge yourself every couple of weeks as well!
If you don't have time for the gym, plan a time that you can sneak in some exercise otherwise. When I work and go to school, I NEVER make it to the gym. There are simply not enough hours in the day. However you can still exercise in random parts of your day. There will be days that you are simply too burned out to exercise in any form. However, sometimes exercise is just what you need to ramp up your energy and mood! But sometimes you do just need a rest. Just remember that SOMETHING IS BETTER THAN NOTHING so don't do "nothing" every single day.
When I was working a full time desk job, I exercised at work. This is going to sound obsessive, but it was really fun, I enjoyed my breaks much better and I met new friends who wanted to join me. It was easy too. I get bored of sitting for too long so whenever I had to read a long document I would lift a lighter dumbbell or squeeze a hand weight. Sometimes I would just stand and work on my stretches or do squats or calf raises...It sounds funny to do at the office, but SOMETHING IS BETTER THAN NOTHING and it actually energized me to get through the day. I also used my 15 minute breaks away from my desk, as well as a good portion of my lunch to just walk around. I kept a brisk pace and would still drink plenty of water and eat an apple or carrots or candybar...something crunchy and enjoyable to give my blood sugar a boost and wake up my mind (If you decide to eat something like a candy bar and you haven't eaten anything else for several hours, try to pair it with some form of protein, like nuts, so you don't experience a sugar crash and get cranky again before your next break). This was like a double energy boost! Soon friends began joining me on my walks and my work days became much more enjoyable.
Whenever possible I would leave my house 10 minutes earlier than usual and park further away in the parking lot and spend my extra time walking briskly to my office or class. I think sometime we get into this all or nothing mentality and feel like if we can't do an actual 30-90 minute workout, then what is the point? However, walking has major benefits (see below)! So if you can sneak in a 10 minute brisk walk before or after or during work, then you are doing your body good! In Utah, we have a lot of bad air quality days during the winter months. If you are adversely affected by this, then walk inside. Try walking up and down stairs. Switch up the way you walk up and down them, taking large steps or small steps...And yes, someone at your work will probably comment on this. I know I had several people at my work comment. And my reply to them was usually: "I spend 1/3+ of my day sitting and another 1/3+ of my day laying down sleeping. I gotta keep my body moving and healthy when I am able to use it otherwise I'm going to get to the point where I can't even walk up the stairs." (This applied to me because we had several coworkers who literally could not take the stairs because they would get too winded. They had to have special permission to use the handicap elevator).
So the majority of this post was about walking- but you can sneak in whatever form of exercise you want in small intervals during the day (yoga before bed anyone??). There are about a bazillion forms of exercise so don't be afraid to try something new and stay happy and healthy! Just keep your body in tip top shape and USE IT.
To see more on the benefits of walking and working, see this article: The New Key to Office Productivity? Walking
Walking, like other exercise, can help you achieve a number of important health benefits. Walking can help you:
- Lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol)
- Raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol)
- Lower your blood pressure
- Reduce your risk of or manage type 2 diabetes
- Manage your weight
- Improve your mood
- Stay strong and fit
- Reduce your risk for certain types of cancer
All it takes to reap these benefits is a routine of brisk walking. It doesn't get much simpler than that. And you can forget the "no pain, no gain" talk. Research shows that regular, brisk walking can reduce the risk of heart attack by the same amount as more vigorous exercise, such as jogging.
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