Busy Life: How to Stay Fit and Healthy
It seemed like nothing could get into your way: you could drink like a fish and party hard, and still wake up the next morning feeling like a new person. As we get older, however, our metabolisms slow down and we’re forced to accept that hangovers last longer and that we can’t eat a whole large pizza for dinner and not face any ‘consequences’ afterwards. Balancing your school, work, social life, and obligations may seem like mission impossible, but it’s not so. Here’s what you can do to make sure you stay fit and healthy.
Move it, move it
Getting from point A to point B is easy – you get into your car and just drive, find a parking space (as close to your destination as possible) and there you have it. While driving may be handy, it also makes you incredibly lazy. You forget how long it takes to actually walk somewhere, and your muscles get weaker from all the inactivity. Try walking more – use public transport and get off on a different station so you can walk more. Use stairs instead of escalators and elevators, and when you drive, don’t be afraid to park a bit further than you usually would. These changes will make you work out without even realizing, and your body will appreciate it.
Dance your way to health
Dancing is wonderful, and dancers are all fit and incredibly graceful. This is because it takes a lot of effort to remember all the steps, and it takes hours of hard work to do them right. Take up dancing lessons once or twice a week – it’s a great way to meet new people and you’ll be working out without having to repeat the same boring exercise like you would otherwise do in a gym. Dancers use their entire bodies so your posture will improve while your legs will get leaner. You’ll discover that you’re more graceful than you thought at first and you’ll be more confident.
Team up
Making a plan and sticking to it will be a whole lot easier if you have a partner, so why not talk to a friend and see if they would be willing to work out with you? This way you will be able to spend some quality time together, doing things which are great for your health, and you’ll motivate each other to stick to healthy habits. Jogging will not seem so difficult, gym time will be more pleasant, and even something completely new won’t seem like a big deal if you know that you’re in it together.
Plan your meals ahead
We all know how difficult it is to prepare a healthy meal, and once we get all the necessary ingredients we discover that we don’t feel like cooking anymore. Thus we end up ordering a pizza or microwaving a meal. On the other hand, if you plan your meals ahead, you will be able to eat clean and healthy meals every time. On weekends, when you have time, cook and keep in the fridge food which you’ll be able to eat for breakfast and/or lunch all week. Fridge full of Tupperware containers with salads and breakfast casseroles will make it easier for you not to reach for something ‘fast and easy’ when you feel hungry.
Fitness should be a priority
Make a habit out of going to the gym at least twice a week. If you want to get results fast, you can try something more ‘serious’ like cross fit. If you would like to get into shape, lose weight, become both leaner and stronger, crossfit is the best choice. Each sessions lasts for about 45 minutes up to an hour, and it’s incredibly exhausting. For a post-workout meal, you can try making protein powder pancakes with raw honey and blueberries. Not only is this sweet, but it’s incredibly healthy, and if you eat these after you workout, you’ll be able to lose those unhealthy inches from your waist and build some lean muscle mass.
Adopt ‘clean’ habits
We all have our little ‘guilty pleasures’ which we couldn’t dream of giving up – coffee in the morning, chocolate with a glass of wine, or pizza and movies with your best friend. You don’t have to give up on your guilty pleasures, but you could try changing them so you don’t have to feel so guilty anymore. Swap coffee for a cup of green tea – it has the same amount of caffeine, but it’ll boost your metabolism and give you energy. You could also try making your own gluten-free pizza but instead of pizza dough you could use cauliflower, and try making your own ketchup instead of using store-bought one. You should also give homemade flavoured water a try – it’s easy to make, it’s as delicious as any soda, but it’s a hundred times healthier.
If it looks like things are getting out of hand and you can’t seem to find enough time to do everything, it’s a sign that you should take some time and sort out your priorities. Your health should always be your number one concern, and it’s impossible to stay healthy if you’re constantly stressed. Eat clean, train mean, get enough sleep, and things will slowly start falling into their place again. Find a balance between all the things you need and want to do, and you’ll have a life (and body) you’ll be proud of.
