Eating well, exercising, and overall keeping healthy for "the busy" person (aka the person who doesn't want to or can't spend hours at the gym or hours cooking healthy food.) What tips do you have to stay healthy, busy style!! =)
For instance, in the beginning of the week I have been pre-chopping (in my food processer) the veggies I like to have on my salad so when I want one I just take the precut / premixed stuff and save myself 5-10 of prep time each time I want to eat a salad
Time savers like that but with exercising, too.
This was the topic posed to us on our Facebook page. First of all, GREAT NEWS you do not have to spend hours at the gym or hours cooking healthy to be healthy. Start with 30 minutes a week. Then an hour, then 2. Find what works to you but make it habit. Below, we will give a few quick tips on how to maximize your time in the gym, and then the rest of the post will be more in depth and give more of our opinions.
TIPS TO ACHIEVE RESULTS FOR THOSE THAT HAVE LIMITED TIME:
1.) Go to the gym to get work done, period.
You are not at the gym to watch TV, you are not at the gym to make friends, or make small talk. You are not at the gym to talk about last night’s game, TV show or party. You are not at the gym to talk about your workout routine, especially the one you don’t have time for! You are at the gym to get in a workout and get results. This tip alone can make your 60 minute workout last only 40 minutes.
2.) Training Economy.
This simply means utilizing exercises that get the best results in the shortest time possible. Squats, deadlifts, presses, kettlebell swings, lunges, burpees, pull-ups, push-ups, dips, and rows are all preferable movements with regards to training economy, compared to a triceps kickback or a leg extension. You will get more out of a heavy set of deadlifts than any three isolation exercises combined. That is economical! The whole idea here is to get the most bang for buck in regards to exercise selection.
3.) Get off the treadmill.
Did I list the treadmill or steady state cardio exercise as an economical training plan? No, absolutely not. You already are limited for time, so the last thing you want to be doing is walking on a treadmill to “lose fat”, because three times a week of 1 hour on the treadmill is NOT GOING TO WORK. It is not as effective as weightlifting or interval training, so why waste your precious time doing it? There are hundreds of studies showing that steady state cardio is not as effective as weight training or interval training in regards to fat loss, so why do it? I could link to those studies but you don’t have the time to read them because you are busy, right?
4.) Hire a coach
You already have a time strapped week, every week. With that said, you don’t have the time or likely the knowledge to create a workout routine that will give you the results you are looking for in the time you have. So why not pay for a trainer to help you along the way? At Crossfit Binghamton, we offer remote program design where we have a consultation, during which we get to know you, your schedule, and your workout history and ability. We then create a program we give to you on a weekly basis to complete at a gym or home of your choice.
Think about how much you pay monthly for your cell phone, cable, internet, coffee ordered out, alcohol, lunches eaten out, cigarettes, gambling, and movie rentals. Also, don’t forget hair stylists, manicures, pedicures, massage, spa treatments, or any other indulgences.
Now if you are willing to pay for all those things before paying a gym membership or hiring a coach/trainer, you are prioritizing all those things over your own health and wellness goals. I am not judging based on this, but that is a simple fact. If your health and wellness is a priority, then be willing to pay for it just like you would for a service or consultation or advice in any number of fields.
5.) Join Crossfit Binghamton –
Well, we did write this post right? So we clearly believe in the product and service we offer. Our classes last only 1 hour and involve a full warm-up , a workout that is scaled to each individual’s ability level and a cool down. We utilize, coach and teach the most economical exercises on a daily basis. We have a comprehensive program design based on the knowledge we have attained over numerous years of coaching clients as well as attending certifications and seminars from some of the best minds across the country. Most importantly, we have a FUN group class where you are not alone on your fitness journey and can share the experience with others. Fitness can become an enjoyable part of your life and not another task on your very full “to-do” list!
Now for the time prioritization part. I’ll keep this short and sweet. There are 168 hours in every week. Subtract how much you work and how much you sleep from those 168 hours. Most I have talked to in the Broome County area will have between 50 and 75 hours left from that. What you do with those hours is your choice. If your health and wellness is a priority, you will schedule time for exercise. Remember, efficient training only takes a small portion of that time. Smart training and nutrition can yield results in as little as two, 60 minute sessions a week.
If you still can’t find time for it, try this- Instead of saying, “I don’t have time to exercise”, tell yourself, “Exercise and my health are not priorities for me right now.” If that doesn’t resonate well with you, then maybe it is time to reevaluate how you prioritize your time. YOU have the power to change this! Take back control of your free time, and do something for yourself.
Our recommendation to those starting their fitness journey is not to go from doing nothing to 6 days a week of exercise. This isn’t smart progressive approach and it isn’t practical. Our recommendation if time is short, is for small changes to be made to your schedule. So our recommendation is to start with two days a week. Once you have established you can handle 2 days a week, think of adding a third day, etc., This allows for a habit to be formed and this new appointment to be part of your weekly schedule. The best formula for this is to think of your weekly workout times for the upcoming week on Sunday. For example, the next week I know I will train on Monday at 9 a.m., Tuesday at 9 a.m. and Wednesday at 5 a.m. I will rest on Thursday and train at 5 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. on Saturday and rest again on Sunday. This takes planning in other areas of your life to make sure you can devote this time to training. A typical 9-5 M-F worker can plan their week in many different ways. They could train early before work on Monday, after work on Wednesday and then again on Saturday when they have additional free time.
Summary:
Workout time is workout time, not social hour. You are there to workout. Utilize smart training economy and utilize exercises that utilize multiple muscle groups. Get off the treadmill. Steady state cardio doesn’t work as well as other forms of training. Hire a coach. Let someone with more knowledge in regards to exercise than yourself lay out a plan choosing exercise selection and work/rest periods to MAXIMIZE the time you do have in order to get your best results. Join Crossfit Binghamton. We are a community of diverse individuals with diverse fitness backgrounds. Our common thread is we all want to live a healthier lifestyle. The first time you lift a heavy weight or complete a difficult workout with a group cheering you on is not something you will every forget. Make exercise a fun part of your day and get results.
