Exercising is an essential aspect of living healthy. Coupled with a healthy diet, exercise will do wonders for the body which will carry on as we age. But sadly, not everyone is game on this on concept of fitness. In a world where walking a few blocks is tiring, too many people simply have no time to get exercise, or so they say. With all the hassles of everyday life you can almost side with them but that’s not the truth. Finding time for fitness is not about forcing yourself to exercise despite your busy schedule but rather finding the unnecessary things you do that eat your time.
This article lists 5 ways to makes sure you get a daily dose of exercise no matter how busy life is. By the end of this article, you’ll be surprised as to how much free time you actually have.
1. Write a plan
As Benjamin Franklin once said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!” and this could not be any truer in today’s world. Getting started on a fitness routine all starts with a plan and it involves writing not just your exercise routine but more importantly a list of all the activities you do throughout the day.
This list makes you see the bigger picture of how your day actually goes every day. Do you always get up with extra time? Can you use that extra time for exercise? How early do you get off from work? Do you really have to watch that series tonight? These are all examples of questions you have to ask yourself once you form your list. Once you finish, you can then see which things you can change or remove to make time for your exercise.
2. Limit internet time
One of the best technological inventions is the internet but there are simply too many people engrossed in browsing that they end up with less time for everything else including exercise. In fact, the average adult spends at least 20 hours browsing the internet every week and 28% of that is spent on social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram. That means most people spend 20 hours a week sitting down or not doing anything. A good exercise program doesn’t require more than 30 minutes a day and a 5-day exercise routine won’t cost you more than 3-4 hours a week which still leaves a person more than enough time to brag about their fitness achievement online.
3. Stick to the schedule
One of the banes of finding time for fitness is exercising at the right time. For most people, the right time could be before they go to work or after leave the office. Sticking to an exercise schedule can make routines easier to manage than exercising only when they’re is free time. Not only will this eliminate distractions but this will also help prioritize exercising above any other activity.
4. Reduce TV time
Couch potatoes love their TV shows and there seems to be no way of uprooting them from their seats. A 2014 survey suggests American adults watch as much as 5 hours of TV a day and that means 5 hours of doing nothing but staring at a screen, most likely with something to eat such as a few chips and maybe a can of beer or soda. Not only are they not moving but they’re also eating junk food which does more harm to a person’s health.
If you’re one of these people then you definitely have more time than you think. As mentioned earlier, a good routine doesn’t need to take more than an hour to complete. If you find yourself in a situation where you have to know what happens in the latest episode of your favorite show then you can simply record the show to watch later. For starters, treat your shows as a reward after you do your workout.
5. Exercise without exercising
Exercise doesn’t have to involve actual exercise. In the simplest definition, exercise is to merely work your muscle groups to make sure they remain strong and healthy. With that definition, there are plenty of ways to get fit without actually exercising.
- Cleaning the house – One of the best ways to get some exercise. Not only do you get to burn calories but you also end up with a cleaner house! It can be something as simple as sweeping the floors or a hard workout by rearranging furniture and lifting tables and chairs.
- Walking to work – Walking has its own health benefits and there’s no reason not to take advantage of it. If using public transportation, you can simply stop a few block away from work and walk it until you reach the office. It’s a bonus if you can take the stairs specially if it’s only one level higher.
- Playing outdoor games – Perhaps one of the best way to get a good workout is to disguise it in the form of a recreational activity. Basketball, tennis, or even a simple game of Frisbee is considered a good exercise. The more a game requires physical effort, the more it becomes a good workout. The best part is you’re doing this with a lot of people which helps make sure the exercise doesn’t end up boring you.