I often write about time management and how it’s possible for you to fit fitness and nutrition into your daily grind. It can’t be overstated enough. There are enough hours in the day and you don’t need hours to stay healthy. In fact, just two to three days a week of resistance training is enough for the average person to stay lean, and planning your meals saves time in other areas of your schedule that you may not immediately think of. Here’s a formula to consider:
- Nutrition focus – each week before you grocery shop, plan out your dinners, being mindful of protein, fats, and carbs. Second, plan out your lunches for the week. I meal prep four lunches and the fifth day I either eat leftovers, make a traditional sandwich lunch, or eat a healthy lunch out. Third, plan your breakfasts. You can prep those, too! I spend about an hour to an hour and a half on Sunday prepping lunches and breakfasts but once it’s done I don’t have to do it during the week! And I know I’ll have healthy food. As for dinner, planning ahead ensures that you don’t end up with fast food! It also helps with budgeting.
TOTAL WEEKLY TIME: 1 hour, 30 minutes (not counting grocery shopping time) - Resistance training – two to three times a week for 30 minutes. Can you get up 30 minutes earlier? Grab 30 minutes at the end of the day? In the evening while the kids are otherwise occupied? If you’re taking your kid to practice, can you run to the gym? Can you take a walk? Do you have time to run home and do a home workout? Be creative. It’s only 30 minutes, three times a week. TOTAL WEEKLY TIME: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Cardio/Movement – you really don’t need a lot to keep your heart healthy. Walk daily and aim for 7,000 steps. That equates to a couple miles a day or about a half hour total each day. If you walked for 10 minutes after each meal you’d be set. If you want to do more, include 20 minutes of cardio on the days you don’t do resistance training.
TOTAL WEEKLY TIME: 4 to 5 hours
We have 168 hours in a week. My formula takes up to 8 hours a week. That’s about 5% of the entire time you have in a week. You can fit this in, I promise. Follow the formula in order. That means prioritize nutrition first, followed by resistance training, followed by cardio/movement. Add each thing a little a time; build those healthy habits that can last a lifetime. I have a ton of tips and tricks from years of figuring this out. These three are just the tip of the iceberg lettuce! (A little nutrition joke there!) For more, please reach out to me for nutrition coaching services. In just four weeks, you can set up a great path forward for yourself. Want to learn more? Contact me!