Staying Fit with a Stressful Career
Happy Monday morning! I have no doubt that Mondays set the “tone” (no pun intended) for the rest of our week. Start your week with energy and intention today by doing something for your body. Even 10 minutes of push-ups, sit-ups and squats in your bedroom can change the course of your week no matter how stressful and busy it is. I’d even go as far as arguing that, in the long-run, staying fit can make you have a much more successful career. Cheers, Nicole
By, Carol Montrose
Although many adults bemoan the loss of their teenage body as they sag and put on weight over the years following high school, it can be extremely difficult to work fitness into a daily routine that is already largely taken up with a long and stressful work day (and in some cases, family obligations). Not only is it hard to muster the energy to exercise when you’ve barely got time to eat and sleep, but stress from your job can leave you too fatigued and mentally drained to put even an ounce of effort into your own health and well-being. However, if you can manage to motivate yourself into adding a daily fitness regimen to your schedule, you’ll find that you actually have more energy, less stress, and a better overall outlook on life. Here are a few ways to fit it in.
1. Rise early. This can be undeniably tough, but by squeezing in just 30 minutes of exercise in the morning, you can improve your stamina for the entire day. It will not only get your blood pumping and leave you feeling great first thing in the morning, it will also help to clear the cobwebs from your mind so that you can approach your work with confidence and a can-do attitude. But if you can’t stop hitting the snooze button, work out at night instead. Just make sure to finish with an extended cool-down to relax your body and brain for some seriously deep sleep.
2. Start with cardio. If you do nothing else, find a way to work some simple cardio into your daily routine. Doctors recommend 30 minutes of cardio 3-4 times a week as minimum maintenance for a healthy heart and body. You can stave off heart disease, diabetes, and a number of other ailments, as well as shedding some of those unwanted pounds that have mysteriously found their way onto your midsection over the last few years.
3. Take a class. If motivation (or a complete lack thereof) tends to be your worst enemy when it comes to fitness, try joining a class at a nearby gym or your local community college (where tuition is not too expensive and enough people need health credits that there are a lot of different classes offered). When you’re paying, you’re more likely to show up, and then the question of motivation is covered because you’ll have an instructor to push you. Plus, you don’t have to worry about planning the workout and you’ll probably make friends with some of the other people there, creating an instant environment of support.
4. Incorporate healthy eating. Exercise is good for you, but it will only take you so far without a healthy diet alongside. You probably know what’s “bad” for you when it comes to food, but if you’re having trouble embracing proper eating habits, consider joining a program that teaches you to eat better for life. You won’t be sorry.
5. Enlist a friend. If all else fails, get a friend on board to go through the process with you. Most people don’t like approaching fitness solo, and if you drag a friend along, you can both benefit from the support and encouragement of the other even as you build a stronger bond.
