Getting started can be a challenge, but if you’re motivated enough, you can do anything!
Find a couple of quick, easy go-to meals. At the very least, you need to have a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipe that you can throw together in a few minutes instead of resorting to your tried-and-true unhealthy favourites. Try to choose recipes that use natural ingredients and avoid boxed mixes. Then, keep those ingredients on hand all the time. When you have a recipe that you know you can prepare in a hurry, you’ll be less likely to fall back on unhealthy alternatives.
Take the stairs. It’s a cliche, but it really works! Often, taking the stairs instead of the elevator will save you time, since you won’t be waiting for the elevator to show up. Look for opportunities to walk more, even if it’s just taking the long route to the coffee machine or the copier in the office. During your breaks, look for opportunities to keep moving. Eat lunch in just a few minutes and go for a long walk or jog. You don’t have to dedicate solid chunks of time to exercise to see real results.
Make it routine. It’s hard to decide that you’re going to get up in the morning and exercise if that’s something you’ve never done before. On the other hand, if you get used to going every morning, it will quickly become so routine that you no longer consider simply rolling over and going back to sleep. When you make fitness a regular part of your routine, you’ll even find yourself missing it when you don’t do it–and that will lead to a healthier you.
Enlist a friend. Is there someone at your office who will partner with you on your fitness journey? You can be accountable to one another, supporting one another in your decision not to indulge at all the treats at the office party or to order unhealthy dishes when everyone in the office goes out together. Having a friend to support you on your journey isn’t just about commiserating over the lack of sugar in your morning tea. It’s also about having someone that you know is watching. Even if your friend wouldn’t judge, simply knowing that they know you’re cheating on your fitness plan can be enough to keep you motivated.
Reduce your time spent sitting. Research has shown that spending all day behind your desk, slumped into your chair, can actually shorten your lifespan. Instead, get up for at least five minutes out of every area. Move around, even if you can only move within your office or cubical. Take a bathroom break, walk to the copy machine, or even just stand up and work for a while. This change in position will also help kick your mind back into gear, making it more likely that you’ll increase your productivity.
Make caring for yourself a priority. Schedule a regular massage, make an opening in your schedule for time with friends, and remember that as busy as you are, you probably have more gaps in your schedule than you think. When you deliberately seek out ways to care for yourself, you’ll be more likely to remember how critical fitness is to your body.
If you have questions about more small ways to make fitness a priority in your life, contact us!
