If you're ready to make a healthy commitment to
your future self, exercise is an absolute must.
But when you feel overwhelmed by work, familial
obligations, and a thriving social calendar, time at the gym gets put off, and
your healthy goals fall by the wayside.
In the long run, a consistent workout schedule
makes you happier, more productive, and less stressed in all aspects of your
life, but getting started is overwhelming. Don't put off your healthy life one
more day! Learn how even the busiest person can make fitness part of her life.
Get honest about goals
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If you've decided to start exercising with
weight-loss goals in mind, you're going to have a more rigorous schedule than
someone who simply wants to maintain their health and de-stress at the gym.
With clients who are looking to lose weight,
the Biggest Loser Australia trainer Michelle Bridges
recommends "six days [of exercise] a week, ideally for 50 to 60
minutes at a time."
If you're looking to reap healthy benefits of
consistent exercise beyond the scale, experts say it's all about hitting a
minimum of 150 minutes of exercise per week to decrease your risk for metabolic
syndrome - and everyone can carve out two and a half hours over the course of
seven days.
Schedule in advance
Even with the best intentions, it's easy to skip
workouts, opt for other activities, and wake up on Friday morning to realise
you haven't worked out once all week.
Treat your workout schedule like you would an
important business meeting - it's an event that's set in stone.
Spend a few minutes every Sunday night to map out
your weeknight schedule for the upcoming days, and write down your workouts in
your calendar to help them stick.
Make sure there's a healthy balance of fun, work,
and exercise to keep your new schedule feeling fresh and doable.
Make it social
If you're concerned about falling out with friends
you see regularly, get them involved in your new healthy habits.
Plan a new kind of happy hour date with friends,
hit up a fitness class with co-workers, or go for a long hike or walk before
heading to your favourite restaurant with your partner over the weekend.
Whether you're looking for a running buddy or a
little healthy competition in a group class, fitness is more fun when you've
got friends involved.
And it doesn't hurt that you'll be less likely to
bail on a workout if you'd be letting someone down.
Be realistic
Don't set yourself up for failure (or injury) by
going overboard in the beginning of your journey by over training with
two-a-day workouts.
Going too hard too soon will only make you revert
back to old habits and excuses.
Even if you feel up to it, stick to the workouts
you have set in place that make sense for your body and schedule.
As working out becomes ingrained in your schedule
and your strength and stamina improve, you can up the ante on the number of
days you're working out.
A short workout still counts
There will be times when you have to be flexible;
obligations arise, and you have to plan accordingly, but one of our favourite
mantras is, "a short workout is better than no workout at all."
Even 10 or 20 minutes of exercise can keep you on
track and is worth the effort.
Time spent working out will only allow you come
back to the project at hand with a fresh, clear perspective; trust me, you
won't regret it.
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