Feeling overwhelmed by the amount of time your friends and colleagues spend in the gym? Turned off by the idea of a tennis game that entails not only the hour-long match but also getting to the tennis club, changing into a tennis outfit, and then showering afterward?
You think, “That’s almost 3 hours – three hours I could devote to nurturing my clients and expanding my sales territory!” The bad news is, being penny wise and pound foolish does not work in ANY circumstance, especially where fitness and health are concerned.
Are those three hours worth skipping during a given week when you know that years of optimum health can be yours if you have a positive attitude accompanied by reasonable doses of discipline?
Simple Exercise Programs To Incorporate Into Your Busy Schedule
Instead of ignoring exercise altogether, here’s a suggestion for integrating it into your busy schedule. Think of exercise as you think of a major task in the office. Break it up into tinier components.
Instead of spending two hours in the gym or in the tennis court as your friends do, try one of the following workout programs for at least 2 weeks prior to your next overseas work assignment.
- Suggestion A
30 minutes four times a week, i.e.: 20 minutes cardio, 10 minutes weights (1 muscle group, e.g. legs)
- Suggestion B
30 minutes three times a week
Mon: 20 minutes cardio + 10 minutes stretching;
Tues: 20 minutes weights (2 muscle groups, e.g. back and abdominals) + 10 minutes of cardio.
Wed: 20 minutes cardio + 10 minutes of
Weights (two muscle groups, e.g. triceps or chest, biceps or shoulders)
- Suggestion C
20 minutes 5 days a week.
Week 1: all cardio
Week 2: weights
Week 3: Cardio on Mon/Wed/Fri
Week 4: Weights on Tues/Thurs
Repeat the entire cycle when you get to month 2
Also read: Top Natural Supplements to Boost Stamina and Improve Brain Health
Frequency and Intensity
Ideally, one should gradually increase the frequency or intensity, or both. But if you’re busy, and definitely can’t spare more than 30 minutes a day, then increase your intensity. This means if your cardio involves the treadmill, take the notch up 1 level (if you started with level 3, go on to level 4 on month 2).
For your weight training, if you started with 5-pound weights, graduate to 7.5 pounds in month 2. And then on those days when your day is not filled with meetings, try to stay an extra 5-10 minutes.
Be realistic with your goals, especially when you’re just starting. Increasing frequency and intensity too soon can overwhelm you, making you want to give up. Charles Poliquin, a leading authority in strength training, has developed key principles that should underpin any strength/muscle-building program. I have been trained by Poliquin-certified trainers and I have learned TONS of knowledge which I have leveraged to create my own personalized fitness program.
Variety is the Spice of Life
Another way to integrate exercise into a busy schedule is to vary the fitness routine. Variety promotes interest in maintaining your workout schedule. Without variety, boredom sets in, causing you to drop out.
Variety also enables you to accommodate as many different types of exercises from the wide repertory available from personal trainers, books, and manuals – and the Internet – and that way you’re able to adopt certain movements that you’re most comfortable with.