If you’re anything like me, you don’t jump up and down at the idea of exercising and staying fit. I’m an athletic person who enjoys physical activity, but I’m not a fitness enthusiast that spends hours at the gym. I do a 30-minute workout everyday, and even that is pushing it.
What I’ve found, though, is I’m really good at establishing a workout routine for a few weeks, but as soon as my schedule is thrown off, I stop working out for months at a time. Then I feel bad about myself and start working out again, but I have to go through the grueling process of getting back in shape. It’s an annoying cycle that I fall into every time I get a really good exercise routine going.
The problem is that life gets in the way! I get so busy, that the idea of going to workout for an hour seems like a huge inconvenience. Staying fit is so hard when you are very busy. As a student, working professional, entrepreneur, etc., it is really unrealistic to have a stable schedule that you can stick to without fail. However, regardless of how busy you get, staying fit has to be a continuous priority.
Importance of Staying Fit
I’m not going to go into the tedious facts of why staying fit is important. It is universally understood that you should stay fit, especially as emerging medical professionals. However, to quickly outline some important benefits, staying fit can help with the following:
- Stress reduction
- Reduction of health issues
- diabetes
- heart dysfunctions
- lung issues
- obesity
- Decrease in fat accumulation
- Increased confidence
- Increased energy levels
Stress Reduction
If you have ever set a goal and went out about accomplishing them, you have experienced some stress. Especially if you are in school or trying to get in school or trying to get a job, you are very stressed. Doing different activities will not only help you with staying fit, but will also be cathartic and release some of those stress hormones.
Reductions in Health Issue
Health issues are another area where staying fit can mitigate the pathology. The more in shape you are, the better shape your heart is in. When your heart is healthy, the rest of your body is going to benefit. Reducing diabetes, obesity, and improving lung function will also reduce some of the complications that can arise if those aren’t functioning well.
Reduction in Fat Accumulation
Fat accumulation is a danger that everyone must be aware of because it sneaks up on you. When your blood sugar is too high to be absorbed by insulin, it is stored as fat cells. Then, when these fat cells accumulate, they surround vital organs, giving them easier access to the bloodstream. There, they release their contents, causing clogged arteries, increase cholesterol and other complications.
How are you going to help someone, if you are cooped up in the hospital yourself with health issues? You can’t, so it is important to reduce or prevent these problems. In addition to reducing physical problems, staying fit has some benefits for your confidence and energy levels.
Improved Confidence
When you look good, you feel good. Period. The times I felt lowest about myself were when I entered my workout lapses and felt myself getting soft. I am the most confidence when I am working out, and feel strong and fit. When we work out, out body image improves, leading to a surge of confidence.
Confidence is important no matter who you are or what your goals are. However, confidence is most important when you are trying to achieve something and create opportunities for yourself. When you don’t feel good about yourself, it seeps out of you like onion funk.
But, when you feel good about yourself, you set yourself up to know you’re the bomb diggity. Everyone loooooves to be around the person who is the bomb diggity. Confidence is sexy! Why not do something as easy as 30 minutes of exercise a day if it could mean boosting how you feel about yourself?
Boosted Energy Levels
In addition to boosting confidence, staying fit also increases your energy levels. I know, it sounds counterintuitive. The more you exercise, the more energy you have. It seems like if you spend the gas, the car quits running right? But you’re exercising your heart muscle, strengthening it and increasing your endurance. When your day is jam packed with activities, you need as much stamina as you can get, but it’s important that stamina is built up in a healthy way. A strong heart is better than a collection of energy drinks.
HIIT or Burst Workouts
Okay, now that I’ve climbed off my soapbox about the importance of staying healthy, you’re probably reading this and asking “Okay, I see it’s important but how do I stay fit?” I know you’re busy, we all are. I also know that spending hours at a gym that cost a million dollars to attend isn’t an option.
So, I will be creating different HIIT workouts, 30 minutes in length, that are designed for those who want to stay fit, but don’t necessarily like to workout. I’m not saying these workouts will be easy, but they will be effective and efficient. You push yourself as hard as you can. Doing just 20-30 minutes a day can make a huge difference.
In fact, it is the suggestion of the surgeon general that adults get at least 150 minutes of intense exercise a week. There are 10,080 minutes in a seven day week. You can find 150 minutes to get some work in, and the best way to do it is a HIIT workout
What is a HIIT workout?
A HIIT workout is a High Intensity Interval Training workout. Basically, get your heart rate up for short amounts of time. These burst workouts have been shown to be just as effective as going to the gym for a long period of time. They train your heart to recover quickly from short heart rate increases. Over time, the better shape you get into, the easier it will be to recover your heart rate.
HIIT workouts are 15-30 minutes in length, perfect for a busy individual like yourself. They get your heart rate up to 85-100% max heart rate for 30-45 second bursts. Then you lower your heart rate to 65-85% max heart rate for recover, and shoot it back up again. This type of workout is beneficial because it lessens the wear and tear on your body from an overload on cardio and aerobic workouts. HIIT workouts combine different types of workouts and into short and sweet combinations so staying fit while being busy is possible.
In case you are still unsure, below is an example HIIT workout that you are more than welcome to try out and see if you like:
Add Activity Throughout the Day
The first way to maintain an active regimen is to schedule workouts. If you don’t schedule a time to workout, you won’t do it. Add it into your schedule and force yourself to do it even when you don’t feel like it. Use this workout planner to keep track of your workouts and meals. Just find 15-30 minutes everyday to do something active and get your heart rate up.
However, staying fit doesnt just mean getting a workout in. You should be working fitness into your day all day. Here are a few changes you can make to your day to get your heart working just a little more:
1. Take the Stairs
Taking the stairs is a really easy way to add fitness into your life. It may be less convenient and take more effort, but it gets your heart rate up. One of the buildings I had a class in had the slowest elevator ever. So, I would be forced to troop up the six flights of stairs to get to my class. By the time I arrived, I was out of breath, pissed and my heart was pounding. But just that small amount of effort goes a long way.
2. Take Walks
There are so many things you can do while simultaneously going for a walk. A 30 minute walk everyday increases cardiovascular health, bone strength, and endurance. Walking also leads to a reduction in diabetes symptoms and body fat. I know a 30 minute walk seems impossible with everything you have going on, but think about the things you do that could be done while walking.
- Binge watching a show
- Webinars and phone meetings
- Studying
- Catching up on the phone with friends and family
- Listening to podcasts or lectures
You can get creative, but be efficient. Also, for you walk to be effective, you must walk briskly. Walking briskly means you can hold a conversation, but you could not sing along to your favorite song. Your heart rate will be up, but you’re killing two birds with one stone. You can also hop on a treadmill and accomplish the same goal. I used to get caught up on shows and study while walking on the treadmill.
3. Switch up your Transportation
If you drive, changing up your transportation cannot only help you with staying fit, but also with saving some money. If you take a bus or a train, try getting off a little earlier and walk a little extra. Also, if your destination is close, try walking or riding a bike. You’re not only improving your fitness, but also helping the environment. If you’re looking for a fantastic bike, check out the Huffy Hardtail Mountain Bike on Amazon. It’s quite pricey, but will last you a long time. Plus the money you save on gas and other transportation fees will also make the investment worth it.
4. Take a Lap throughout the Day
Whether you work a day job or are in class all day, it is so easy to be sedentary all day. When you find yourself sitting for too long, take a lap. Get up and walk around for an hour. Get up and walk to talk to coworkers instead of sending an email. Extend your bathroom break a little and walk around, stretching out your legs. Find a way to get up at least once an hour and walk around for at least a minute. If you want a challenge, get a step counter like a FitBit or an Apple Watch that help you keep track of what you’re doing.
5. Exercise While During Other Activities
When you’re watching TV, do a wall sit. When there is a commercial, do some ab exercises. Incorporate exercises into sedimentary parts of your day. You don’t have to work up a sweat but get those muscles working, and build up some strength. While you’re sitting down talking, do some dumbbell exercises. You can get a really affordable set here.
Do squats or lunges while you’re waiting for your food to warm up or the water to boil. There are so many points in your day when you are waiting for something. Choose those times to add in some exercises. While you’re pumping gas, waiting in line, etc., you can do some calf raises. When you feel yourself being sedentary, throw in something to get your muscles working.
6. Work Standing Up
When you’re studying or working, stand up when you can. Sitting straight for 8 hours with only bathroom breaks and lunch being the reason you get up. If you can make a phone call while standing and pacing, do it. If you can read something and hold it, or move your computer monitor higher, do it. You don’t have to stand the whole day, but if you can spend half your day standing, it’ll make a huge difference. Look to see if your job offers a standing desk and if they don’t, check out this option.
Being busy and staying fit are not mutually exclusive. There are ways to incorporate small changes that lead to huge results. Continue checking out this page for 30 minute workouts designed for busy individuals. No one relates more with being too busy to workout and simply not enjoying it. However, it’s a must for our long term health. Do something active every day and if you can, incorporate a few workouts in every now and then.
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