Losing weight and becoming fitter is at the top of a lot of people’s list of goals. However, sometimes it can be hard to make that big change when you have a busy schedule. You might have a family to look after, or work really long days so that you don’t realistically have time to go for a long-distance run every day. But there are other ways to get in shape and improve your health without devoting hours of your day to the gym. If you were asked to do a hundred push-ups in a row, you might well scoff at the very thought. However, if you were told to do a single set of five push-ups, you could quite easily manage that. Find time to do that twenty times in a day, and you have done the same amount of work, but without the strain and big block of time devoted to the single set of one hundred. By approaching your exercise routine with the mindset of ‘little and often’ you would be amazed at how much you can fit into a day without even realising. Below are a few simple ways of making small changes to your day that will give you a big change over time.
Home cardio
One of the simplest ways of burning a few extra calories and exercising your heart more often is to invest in cardio machinery for your home. You might spend an hour watching TV or catching up on YouTube videos before you decide to cook dinner when you get in from work, why not spend that time pedaling away the fat on a stationary bike? It is often said that going for a gentle walk after a meal can aid digestion and help you to relax in the evenings too. However, if you live somewhere particularly cold or rainy, this isn’t always a pleasant option. Investing in a treadmill will allow you to get some easy exercise while you catch up on your favourite series. You may not think that walking burns many calories, but it burns significantly more than sitting down does.
Circuit training or HIIT
Getting into the habit of a quick fifteen-minute circuit or HIIT workout before your morning shower is not only a great way to lose weight, but it helps keep you energised and active for the day ahead. You could even do another one as you get in from work before you do anything else. You likely spend much more time scrolling through Instagram than you would doing two short circuits a day, but the difference these workouts would make would be noticeable.
Take the more active option
Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Take the five or ten-minute walk to the shops instead of driving. Make small changes to your day that make you just that little bit more active. It might not feel like exercise, but all that moving around will definitely impact your daily calorie requirements.
There you have it, a few simple changes you can make to your busy schedule to allow you to transform your body. Obviously, a structured diet and workout routine will make much more impact, but if you’re having a busy month and can’t commit as much as you usually do, there are still options.