(ThyBlackMan.com) Here’s a Fitness Commandment: The body shall not live by the gym alone. Or at least it doesn’t have to. Yes, you go to the gym to sculpt the best physique possible. But there are some habits that, if followed, can shape your body, as well. The fact is we don’t always make it to the gym because of busy lifestyles.
Here are five simple habits you can employ beginning today to fashion your best body – even if you can’t make it to the gym!
Practice the following for twenty-one days straight and watch in amazement how your body changes!
Habit#1
Do exercises at your work station
Why? Because sitting is the new smoking. Research shows that sitting at your desk for five to eight hours a day has the same 
residual effects as flopping on your sofa. So imagine sitting all day and then going home and flopping another two to three hours. Get up and move.
Studies show that simply moving every 10 minutes – even if it’s standing up and sitting – has some positive value for your body and your brain. Make it a point to do squats or desk push-ups at least three times a day. Incorporate stretching into your post-lunch workday to avoid or lessen the dreaded ‘sugar slump’ that usually comes in the late afternoon.
Habit#2
Don’t hit the snooze button
Why? Because that first jolt of wake-up energy is harder to replace the older we get! According to sleep scientists, your body has been busy preparing you for the tasks ahead in your day, by some estimates, it’s been working up to two hours for that ‘wake-up’ call. When you hit that snooze button, you are effectively sending mixed messages to your body. You are giving it a command to return to slumber – which it obediently does. From that point your body – and mind – is in sleep mode. Even more, when you constantly hit the snooze, in the end you lose! Your whole day is thrown off kilter as your sleep patterns go up and down.
Habit#3
Do pushups every day
Pushups are often overlooked but and dismissed because of their simplicity. But, if you want a strong upper body and core, set a goal for x number of pushups per day, even if it’s from the modified position. The fact is pushups are a great way to tone your chest, triceps and core – without even touching a dumbbell. That’s because when you force your body to complete a movement using its own weight in a controlled manner, your body cannot help but to become stronger. The good thing aboutpushups is that you can do them anywhere – home, office or right on your living room floor. Keeping your body strong as you age is important, I guarantee if you do a minimum amount of pushups per day (begin with five and work your way up), you will be fit, firm and fabulous!
Habit#4
Never ever take the elevator
Aside from cars, the elevator is the worst thing fit wise that’s happened to humanity. It’s the new sitting at your desk. Walking the stairs, on the other hand, is a total body workout. It builds muscle but even more importantly it builds stamina. That’s because it’s great aerobic exercise. Your heart and lungs reach astounding levels of conditioning and your legs will never feel the same. Set a goal of stair-climbing 10 minutes three times a day to get started. The best thing about stair-climbing is its mental perks. It enhances your concentration and improves your mental alertness. I suggest a stair-climbing regimen be performed during a late morning break, right after lunch another one during late afternoon.
Habit#5
Check your carbs after 6pm
While there is no clear evidence in any gains from totally eliminating carbs during the evening, it is certain that you will feel less ‘carb lag’ the next day if you limit your consumption. At worst, you will limit overeating. The other advantage to limiting carbs after 6pm is that it may inhibit emotional eating. Try to fill a healthy snack basket with items like low-sugar fruit, whole wheat crackers or celery sticks with peanut butter. The bottom line is watching the types of carbs you ingest during the evening hours. So put a lid on sodas, syrupy drinks, pastries and anything white.
Practice the above habits for twenty-one days and watch in amazement how your body responds.
Staff Writer; W. Eric Croomes
This talented brother is a holistic lifestyle exercise expert and founder and executive coach of Infinite Strategies LLC, a multi-level coaching firm that develops and executes strategies for fitness training, youth achievement and lifestyle management. Eric is an author, fitness professional, holistic life coach and motivational speaker.
In October 2015, Eric released Life’s A Gym: Seven Fitness Principles to Get the Best of Both, which shows readers how to use exercise to attract a feeling of wellness, success and freedom (Infinite Strategies Coaching LLC, 2015) – http://www.infinitefitnesscoaching.com.
