You know what it’s like when you commit to something. You take your time planning everything out but life has a habit of getting in the way. So, if you’re struggling with your exercise goals, our 5 handy tips will help you reach them faster, even if you’re short on time.
1. Get a Good Night’s Sleep
If you’re well rested, you’ll have more energy to exercise the next day. You’ll also find it easier to wake up earlier. This will give you more daily time to slot in that all-important session, whether it’s a brisk workout before breakfast, or making sure you’ve got enough in the tank for an early evening run.
Reading before bed and keeping off the coffee are both popular tips, and 21% of all Australians are now trying to ‘get more sleep’ by listening to soothing music before bed.
2. Exercise at home
You already need to get up early to make the morning commute, so how do you fit in some weekday gym time as well? Leave the snooze button alone and get up as soon as your alarm goes off. Just 15 minutes of morning exercise will leave you more alert and ready to face the day.
Investing in a few free weights and a floor mat is great, but if you’re on an especially tight budget. Exercises like stretches, plank and press-ups are all proven winners, and they won’t cost you a cent.
3. Find any excuse to move
Think of this as ‘ambient exercise’ throughout your day. Whether it’s a walk-and-talk to discuss your latest project with workmates, regular trips to the water cooler, or always taking the stairs up to the next floor, every step counts, and they all add up. This doesn’t have to end during the working week either. Make sure you always use the stairs when you’re out shopping, and always volunteer to walk the dog as well.
4. Healthy body, healthy mind
Exercise doesn’t have to be all high-energy body jams and sweat-soaked spinning sessions. Yoga continues to grow in popularity, with over 20 million people now practising it regularly worldwide. And, though you may think it’s not a time saver in itself, it’s actually 3 things at once. As well as being fantastic whole-body exercise, it’s brilliant for mental wellbeing and a great way to socialise with like-minded friends. And because it relaxes your brain and releases more melatonin, this means you’ll find it easier to sleep too.
5. Get outdoors
When the weekend comes and you’ve finally got some time to yourself, make sure you get out and explore. There are national parks across the US, but even if you don’t feel like making a big trip, just getting active in your own local park is fine. A day on the beach is a great idea too – just remember to slot in some ball games or surfing alongside the sunbathing.