Tips on Adding Health and Fitness Into Your Busy Schedule

Dolapo Marinho

Just like that…summer has sneaked up on us but that beach body is so not ready! The school run is still upon us and with the pressures of family, work and business, we are all running around like headless chickens. Eating well and keeping fit keeps slipping further and further down the list of priorities and the fear of not being able to fit into that cute little bikini is real!… Worry not my dear sisters, there is still a little time.. Here are few tips on how to add health and fitness into your very busy schedule without using too much effort…thank me later!

Set Targets!

Short term targets are those little things you decide to do everyday. Like substituting that fried yam and eggy stew you usually wolf down at breakfast for one green smoothie a day (simplegreensmoothies.com). This will help kick start your return to fitness and help get you in the right frame of mind to achieve your long term target of say, completing the Insanity workout regime.

Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves!

Surrounding yourself with like minded individuals striving to reach the same goals as you is the best motivation ever! Join a weekend Zumba class or set up a brisk walking club with your neighbours and watch the kilos melt away as you walk and gist about the latest episode of Tinsel!

Embrace Wearable Technology

There are so many fitness tracker options available in the market nowadays. I use a Garmin Vivosmart to track my daily activity and progress. It is such an amazing little watch-like gadget that tracks my steps, calories burnt, sleep and even buzzes the word “MOVE”, when I have been a couch potato for too long! It can go in the shower and even the swimming pool. It also syncs with myFitnessPal app, which is a food calorie tracker and gives me all the information I need to view my food intake and activity from my mobile phone. Can you tell how much I love it yet?!!

Pure Water

Want to lose fat? Try for a while to obliterate any drink from your life, that is not water. Eight tall, glasses of water a day will help you lose weight by suppressing appetite (so those cupcakes don’t find their way into your mouth). Water also helps those chemical reactions in your body that breakdown the pesky fat you are trying to get rid of. If you are one of those people that don’t like the taste of plain water, infuse yours with slices of lemon, orange cucumber or mint leaves, and keep in the fridge. Make sure you have a bottle of water with you everywhere you go, that way when you see the puff puff frying on the side of the road, you will be able to take a big, stomach filling glug and walk right by…I hope!

Keep Your Stomach Bigger Than Your Eyes!

We all eat out from time to time, whether it be take out or at a restaurant. These kinds of meals are notoriously laced with added fat and general yumminess (you know, right?!). But girl, you must use wisdom! Go for options like grilled chicken, fish or prawns with a side of salad. Instead of pouring the salad dressing all over the salad, dip your fork in the dressing before each mouthful, that way you do not end up eating salad cream with a sprinkle of salad. Try to keep your carb ratio low by filling up your plate with vegetables instead of rice or chips.

Keep positive and really go for it, long lasting results only come from consistency. Good luck!