We sometimes forget that we can’t do any of that if we are not in good shape to do it, and yet we keep sidelining our health and never give it the attention it deserves. Luckily, you don’t have to sacrifice anything in order to stay healthy, and here’s how to do it:
MEAL PREP
This is a two-birds-with-one-stone tip because it not only makes you healthier, but it also saves you time! Meal prepping is simply choosing one day when you have some extra time – usually a Sunday – and preparing food for the entire week. This can be cooking entire meals in large quantities, portioning and freezing, or simply doing all of the chopping, dicing and mincing so that each evening you can just throw everything into the pot and cook it.
You can prepare every one of your meals, so that in the morning you have some overnight oats waiting for breakfast, and a healthy lunch already waiting in a box to be taken to work. You can also have some jars of celery or apple sticks dipped into a nut butter of choice for a quick, healthy snack. There are tons of tutorials online so you can mix it up every week and never have to eat the same thing twice.
ACKNOWLEDGE THE LITTLE MOMENTS
Sometimes we don’t even notice the minutes that go by without us even noticing that we’re not doing anything productive. This can be while you are waiting for a meeting, or simply when you zone out during the day. But these moments don’t need to be a mindless waste of time – they can be the exact opposite. Being mindful and in balance is one of the key features of staying healthy, and you can use those small moments to meditate and achieve exactly that.
Not all meditation has to be done on a yoga mat with scented candles lit around you. Actually, sometimes the best exercise of mindfulness is to isolate your mind in a crowded room full of noise. Sit comfortably, close your eyes for three minutes and simply try to clear your mind and breathe deeply. Doing this a couple of times per day will reduce your stress levels and make the days go a lot easier.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR COMMUTE
Walking isn’t the fastest way to get places, but very often the car isn’t either. Traffic jams often occur in the morning and afternoon and can make you late for a lot of things. But there is another option – biking, rollerblading and skating are all options to get to work fast while being physically active. Fix up your bike and get all of the gear from Rockhox, and get cycling.
If you are afraid you’ll get sweaty during the commute, you can always take a shower when you arrive; or if can’t shower at work, check out these options. Pack your gym bag with spare clothes and change in the bathroom when you arrive. A commute that is half an hour or more, you will get in your daily dose of exercise just by doing that and you will be able to save the time that you would normally use for a workout.
We have to remember to take good care of ourselves because in the end there isn’t anything more important than our health. And now that you know how to get healthy without taking any extra time out of your day – there is really no excuse.
