(ThyBlackMan.com) In our busy lives, the best thing we can do is love our body. With all of the disruptions in our daily routine, it can be hard to do what’s necessary to maintain fitness. To help you take care of yourself, here are 11 fitness hacks you can try using your mind and heart to improve the quality of your life.
By following these fitness tips you will get better in terms of overall fitness and get more done by making some lifestyle changes that are fun and easy to incorporate.
A Simple Workplace Fitness Hack
Choosing stairs over lift is a common idea and many people follow it to stay fit and healthy. Covering your daily step counts goal by choosing stairs is a good idea, but it’s not always possible to do so in case you’re running out of time or you have someone waiting for you. To maintain consistency, the best thing you can do is to use bathrooms that are not on your floor. In this way, you will not only walk more, you will also get some more free time to feel fresh.
Walking Loops
Take short walks with colleagues. It is way more fun than standing next to each other’s desk. You can also make a habit of walking during conference calls whenever possible. If it is a short meeting with only a few team members, it is better you walk while you are talking. Doing so not only helps the participants open up more and feel relaxed, it is also a nice way to let people interact beyond screen and whiteboards.
Drink Water for ‘Good’ Reasons
Water is a universal health booster for the body. Make a habit of drinking only water with meals. A lot of people buy soft drinks or sugary lattes with food, but you should do the opposite. Drink water and your body will thank you. If you aren’t ready for this change, cut a lemon and squeeze it into a glass of water. You will feel like you’re drinking juice. This is not only healthy but it can also save you money. With water, you can also reduce alcohol consumption by drinking a glass full of water just before you get any alcoholic drink.
A Fun Weekend Activity
Start spending your weekends doing long workouts. Go hiking, cycling, or do something that interests you but also keeps you active. You can hit the gym or you can plan your workout sessions for the weekend. Make this time of the week full of fun activities and so you can have fun and burn some calories at the same time. Make sure to focus on the fun part so you won’t feel like you are taking the fun away from the weekends.
No Boundaries
Allow yourself to eat anything you want. Have burgers, chips, ice cream, cake, and candy as long as you are eating clean. Do this but always have the control to ditch any of these at any time. Don’t deprive yourself if you crave these things, but don’t do it often. The benefit of putting no boundaries but having control is that when you crave them and want to eat anything you want, you easily feel full in a lot less.
Routine Hacking
Since childhood, a lot of things are a part of your daily routine. For example, brushing your teeth, taking a shower, cutting nails, getting a haircut, eating breakfast or lunch, all seem natural and you do them naturally. The reason is these activities have become a part of your routine and when you skip any of them, you feel strange. Add a workout to your routine so you will feel the same when you don’t do it.
Always Say ‘YES’ to Good Ideas
Make it a rule that you will always say yes if someone asks you if you want to go to the gym. Never say no when you get the inner feeling of stretching your body or exercising a bit while you’re waiting in the kitchen for the microwave or are just hearing the inner voice telling you to get up and indulge in some physical activities. Always say yes to such ideas and thoughts whenever they arise.
Standing Reminders
A report by Harvard suggests that while standing may not help you with your weight loss goals, you can still reap many benefits if you stand instead of sitting all the time. Setting standing reminders is a way to relax and give your back and shoulders some relief from stress. Long hours of sitting can lead to diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases as well. So, it’s better to take time to stand for at least 5 to 10 minutes every hour.
Eating on Schedule
Eating because you’re hungry is a natural demand from the body. When you’re hungry, the body sends signals to your brain that it needs an energy boost. So it is good to eat nutritious food when you’re hungry, but there’s also another side of such needs. When you don’t eat on a schedule, your body fails to create a pattern making you eat more than it needs. Having designated times to eat
Walk to Work
If you live near to your office, you probably already walk to work, but to those living far away from their workplace, walking to work may seem impossible. If you rent a taxi or use public transport, try to get down at the nearest place and walk to work. You can do the same when you come back home. If you have dogs, you can add another mile to your walk. It will make you and your pet happy and healthy.
Go on Bike Rides
Bike rides certainly give you strength and you can also burn calories while having fun. If you don’t ride regularly, go out sometimes and head in any direction you like. Explore new areas, meet people, and ride back home. Doing so will not only help you stay fit, it will also feel like a fun activity. Short trips like this to nearby places of attraction can help you feel much relaxed and better. Bike rides are fun and can refresh your mood.
Staff Writer; Vince Vernon
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