Whether you’re just getting started on your fitness journey or you’re an avid athlete, there are plenty of ways to manage your time that will push you to achieve your goals. It is easy to get distracted by daily responsibilities that seem to inhibit most of your time during the day. Oftentimes, there is a misconception among the fitness world that if you’re going to workout, you need to devote an exorbitant amount of time to your fitness routine. This is a case where it is the quality that counts, over quantity.
Have a Plan
Planning ahead before hitting the gym is one of the best time savers. Map out your routine and stay organized by knowing how you’re going to start your workout, what muscle groups you want to engage and how you will end your workout. Generally, beginning and ending with a few minutes of light cardio activity and stretching helps to warm up your muscles and prepare them for what is to come. Whether you’re choosing strength training, endurance, balance or flexibility, giving yourself a plan will help keep you on track. Lastly, giving yourself the appropriate amount of time to warm up and cool down is imperative for a healthy fitness routine.
Save time with HIIT Training!
High Intensity Interval Training, more commonly known as HIIT, is a training method in which you push yourself and give your training everything you have during short yet, powerful workouts followed by short recovery periods. Alternating between high intensity and low intensity, HIIT is ideal for those who are looking to get their heart rate up while burning the maximum amount of calories and fat in a short period of time. Due to the physical challenge of this type of training, it is recommended that you devote no more than two or three days per week to HIIT workouts. Promoting weight loss and a fast metabolism, aerobics and strength training are often the two types of workouts that can be molded into a routine to fit the HIIT definition. An example of HIIT would be sprinting as fast as you can for one minute, walking for two minutes and repeating the sequence until you have exhausted all of your energy. You only need to set aside at most, 30 minutes for this type of training which is accommodating for those who lead busy lives.
Home Sweet Home
From mothers raising a family and those who commute long distances to their jobs, to the senior citizens who enjoy the comfort of their own home, perhaps a home gym is the avenue for you. You can customize your home gym with the equipment that you choose to best fit your needs and goals. There are many affordable options on equipment that is commercial grade yet, designed for home use. These pieces of equipment are built with a streamlined plan as to not take up a lot of space. For example, you can customize your home gym with individual machines like a treadmill, elliptical or spin bike. If you’re looking for more of a space saver but want to have options rather than just doing one type of workout, then a commercial functional trainer would be the perfect addition. With a commercial functional trainer, you can accomplish an unlimited amount of exercises within one machine. You can work on specific targeted muscle groups all throughout your body without taking too much time out of your day.
Keeping track of your time, managing your lifestyle as well as fitting in fitness is a juggling act that many people face everyday. For a healthy mind and body, it is important to make time for yourself in the short term. The long term effects will result in a positive mood, self-esteem and overall good health. Fitness is not something to put on the backburner as there are several ways to fit it into your daily lifestyle.