You may not have worked out in weeks if you have a demanding work schedule. You are not eating healthy. You promise yourself each day tomorrow you will hit the gym, but when “tomorrow” comes, you feel so overwhelmed and tired that you say, “I will start hitting the gym tomorrow,” and the cycle continues.
When you have so many responsibilities, putting your health and fitness at the bottom of your to-do list is common. But the truth is, everything is super important until you fall sick. Only then do you realize that health is the most important thing in life? You must be healthy enough to give your best to your job and be a good partner or parent.
It might be difficult to stay fit and lift weights or run marathons when you have a demanding schedule, but it’s not impossible. Here are four ways to stay fit, even when you have a demanding work schedule.
Try HIIT:
After working consistently for long hours, you might feel like there isn’t enough time to squeeze in a 50 minutes gym session. You will feel dreadful that you must do a vigorous workout after all the physical and mental effort. This will demotivate you. That’s why it’s ideal to try high-intensity interval training or HIIT. The distinguishing feature of HIIT workouts is their efficiency. You will get results quickly with a 20-minute HIIT session compared to a long cardio workout.
However, it’s better to consult a healthcare professional to guide you about which exercises you should include in your HIIT workout, depending on your fitness level. A healthcare professional with advanced extra academic credentials, like an executive MHA from a renowned institution, will guide you best. The executive MHA equips clinical professionals with in-depth knowledge of the latest theories and contemporary health management practices. With their extensive knowledge, they can guide you best on which workouts will be best for you and not so tough on your body.
Say you have a health situation where you can’t put too much stress on your joints. That doesn’t mean you can’t work out at all. All you need is a clinical professional to guide which exercises you can do that will also be effective.
Sign-Up to a Gym near Your Office:
Deciding a workout plan is not enough; you must work out consistently to reach your fitness goals. When you have a demanding work schedule, you will turn the minor inconveniences into excuses for not going to the gym. So the best idea is to get a membership to a gym that is nearest to your workplace. Then you will find it rather easy to hit the gym daily.
When the gym is near your office, you can go there during your lunch break and squeeze in a quick HIIT session. Or, after your shift has ended and you are going back home, it will be easier to hit the gym when it’s a part of your commute. Thus, adjust your exercise time with your working hours, because if once you come back home from work, and then you have to leave again to go to the gym, there is a high chance that you will feel tired and you won’t even have the energy to drive again after so many commutes already.
Always keep your workout clothes in the car so you don’t have to go to your house to get gym clothes. Exercising improves your mental health as well. And a sound mind and body always go together.
Develop Healthy Eating Habits:
It’s said that abs are made in the kitchen, and rightfully so. Because no matter how hard you hit the gym, you can never outrun a bad diet. Even though you put so much effort into your workouts, you don’t eat healthily; you are only undoing all the physical efforts to get fit. That’s why you need to adopt healthy eating habits.
After working out, you may crave a cheeseburger instead of a cucumber salad. That’s why it’s best to make your lunch for the office and bring it with you. Make it a habit to prepare your lunch the night before so you are not in a rush in the morning. You won’t order takeout at the nearest fast-food chain when you have a ready-to-eat healthy lunch. If you have a sweet tooth, try eating a date or an apple to satisfy your cravings instead of eating doughnuts. Keep a water bottle at your desk to ensure you are hydrated.
Drinking a glass of water before your dinner or lunch will make you feel fuller, and you will not end up overeating. Healthy eating and exercising go hand in hand to make you fit when you have a demanding work schedule. A healthy diet will make you fit and increase your productivity.
Get Enough Sleep:
Getting enough good sleep is crucial for a fit and healthy life. With a demanding job and exercising, your body deserves rest. And if you don’t give enough rest to your body, you cannot continue your fitness journey for long. Ensure you get at least 7 to 9 hours of sound sleep. Most people with tough routines during the daytime experience a situation called Revenge Bedtime Procrastination, which can poorly affect their health and overall life.
Not getting enough sleep puts you at risk of many severe health conditions like type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart, and vascular diseases, etc. But when you sleep well, you are more likely to make better decisions, have increased focus and concentration, are less likely to overeat, etc. Thus, by getting good sleep, you can focus better on your job and have enough energy to exercise and enough patience to eat right.
And when you perform well at work and in your workouts, you automatically get motivated to stick to your fitness regime. You must stick to a proper bedtime routine to sleep well at night. Get rid of your electronics before bed, turn off the lights, ensure your pillows are comfortable, close the room’s door to block any unnecessary noises, etc.
Conclusion:
Understandably, your hectic work routine makes you feel exhausted by the end of the day and lack the energy and motivation to exercise. It’s hard when you have to juggle between work, family, friends, and other personal commitments, and on top of that, sticking to a workout routine or eating healthy seems unachievable. But it’s possible to stay fit even with a demanding work schedule. You must set your priorities straight and develop good habits to help you reach your fitness goals. Read this article to find out four helpful tips.
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