One of the hardest things to keep in check for myself is weight gain. I love to play sports, and train, but somehow cannot keep up a solid regiment to stay fit. This is the unusual situation I found myself in as I finished a college sports career, and entered the work force full time as well as school. As you might imagine, I never had a problem staying fit before because it was one of my only responsibilities, but I learned that quickly that a full time gig makes fitness a difficult goal to attain.
Before you guys break out your violins to play a sad song for Hunter while you’re sitting there with several kids on your hand not to mention your job. I know. The problem is of course that there are simply not enough hours in the day, or at least not enough to partake in the kind of fitness activities you want to do. For me I love to play ball, but it seems that when everybody else is playing I have things I need to do. If you are someone who loves Zumba or whatever type of fitness classes areavailable to you, they may not meet at a convenient time for you, or at least not on aregular basis. The list goes on and on of reasons why we don’t work out.
The problem with the fitness enthusiast, or trainers who are supposed to have the answers to physical condition (wayyy out of shape that is) say that if we want it bad enough we will show up to their work out. Well that is true, but for most of us there are a few things that rank well above fitness, like our job, significant other, kids etc. Yes we’d like to be in shape, but not if one of those things are what needs to be sacrificed for that.
If you can find the time for a daily gut-busting workout….awesome. This along with a strict diet is definitely the best way to stay fit, and if you can do this than good for you, however for the rest of us I think I have an easier way.
‘Easier’ is a relative term here because in saying this I really mean more manageable. Most people set some fitness goal be it at the beginning of the summer, or most famously at New Years to start some new amazing fitness routine likeInsanity or CrossFit. The problem is they have no fitness habits at the time they declare these bold statements. Then a couple days, or for the real strong ones a couple weeks later they quit because it is too difficult to maintain.
My suggestion is that we find a few things that we are going to do come hell or high water. “So what is the difference because that is exactly what I said at New Years?” you might be asking. The trick is that we are going to make habits, not appointments at the gym, or restricting diets that all of us hate. These will be slight modifications to our day that will not crunch us for time and may even give us a little more:
Replace one meal with a protein shake. One with little sugar in it as well.
Eat a salad with at least one meal. And don’t cake on the ranch.
Drink only water. Unless you have to have your coffee like me, but do not use sugar! Find an alternative like Stevia, or honey.
Do at least one push-up and one body squat a day. The idea is that you’ll almost always do more than, and if you’re just having one of ‘those days’ you’ll still meet the requirements, and not break your habit.
You may not accomplish your goals quite as fast this way, but at least they will be doable. Do not be afraid to throw in a gym session here and there or run every once in a while, but if you can’t than at least you had a successful day as far as fitness is concerned.
Positive Imbalance 