By: Jeniffer Scott
You don’t have time for fitness and self-care, right? Wrong!In the following post, we’ll offer up suggestions on ways to fit fitness and sneak self-care into an already-demanding day.
Start the morning with a healthy to-go breakfast
You wouldn’t set out on a 12-hour trip in your vehicle without first topping off the fuel tank, and you shouldn’t start your day without a boost of nutrition. But mornings are rough, especially if you have to rush out the door for work and to drop kids off at school. Avoid the temptation to skip breakfast or hit the drive-through by planning ahead for a quick on-the-go breakfast. Check out BuzzFeed for23 recipesthat won’t disappoint.
Use your lunch break wisely
When the clock strikes noon, make stepping away from your desk a priority. Use your lunch break to not only refill yourself with a healthy lunch but for a quick walk around the office to get your blood flowing and reboot your brain so you can wrap up your day.
Walk and talk
Call your best friend, call your neighbor, or grab your spouse and kids for a post-dinner walk through the neighborhood. According to the Chicago Tribune, those who spend timewalking outdoorsenjoy improved lung function, a better mood, reduced body fat, and improved blood pressure. As an added benefit, walking with a friend or family member gives you an opportunity to catch up and enjoy that ever-elusive adult social time that those of us in the 30+ crowd tend to, unfortunately, forgo for work and family.
Goodbye steering wheel, hello sneakers
Speaking of walking, you can also sneak in a bit of physical fitness by walking to where you need to go. If you don’t live in a walkable area, consider parking a few blocks from work and walking the rest of the way.
Your workout has gone to the dogs
Quick, what has four legs and the energy and attitude to encourage anyone to stay in shape? If you said your dog, congratulations. Not only is walking your dog an essential part of caring for your pet, but walking or playing with your dog is a great exercise that doesn’t feel like a chore. Angie’s List offers more information ondog-walking safetyincluding the best types of leashes and how to handle encounters with other dogs.
7-hour power nap
How much sleep do you get each night? If it’s less than seven hours, you may want to reconfigure your schedule. Studies have consistently shown that adults can benefit from seven to nine hours of sleep each night. TheNational Sleep Foundationnotes that seniors age 65 years and older can get by with slightly less sleep; however, seven hours seems to be the magic number for everyone from college to retirement age. Not only does sleep give your body an opportunity to reboot, but it gives your brain a chance to relax and process the billions and billions of bits of information that it’s been exposed to since the last time you were awake.
Calgon, take me away
Back in the 1980s, bath products manufacturer Calgon got famous with its ads depicting women relaxing in a warm bath at the end of a stressful and busy day. It was asserted that a long bath was good for the body and mind. Well, their marketing plan may have held quite a bit of truth. Newsweek recently released an article outlining thebenefits of a hot bath. These include burning nearly 140 cal an hour and lower blood sugar. Hot baths can also reduce chronic inflammation while improving circulation.
As you can see, it is possible to balance a hectic schedule with fitness and self-care practices that quite simply do the body good. There are no excuses for not taking care of yourself so that you can be a better you today, tomorrow, and forever.
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