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WHEN I ASK PEOPLE WHAT keeps them from reaching their fitness goals, the No. 1 answer is always the same – and it isn't love of pizza or fear of sweat. The most common reason people give for being unable to up their health and wellness game is time.
I totally get it. Even as a fitness professional, where teaching exercise is a part of my daily life, I'm in the same boat in terms of my personal goals. Considering that consistency is the number one factor in determining whether or not a fitness program will be effective, the issue of time must be addressed. My solution: home workouts.
Like many of my fellow schedule-challenged, I actually rely on home workouts for the bulk of my training. But, as many of you reading this have no doubt experienced as well, daily life can easily derail your best intentions. You plan a little window in your day to put on your workout gear, sneak in your workout, shower quickly and keep going. But so often, something else pressing closes your original window, so then you make a new one. But then, something else pops up, so the window keeps getting pushed back further and further. Before you know it, it's dinnertime (or wine o'clock), and we all know that nothing much is happening after the nightly wind-down begins.
Luckily, there's an easy solution for all of us time-challenged, would-be home exercisers. It starts with reframing how we think about fitness in general.
The purpose of exercise is three-fold:
1. Develop strong, flexible muscle tissue so that your bones align properly.
2. Strengthen your heart and lungs so that oxygen and nutrition can be delivered to your cells efficiently.
3. Keep your hormones in balance to help regulate mood, sleep, digestion and immune functions among other critical "behind-the-scenes" body processes.
The first and most critical bit of mindset reframing we need to do is accept that you can't "work off" net-negative food choices. Your workouts do less to get your metabolism and hormones in gear than does your relationship with food. But you'll be relieved to know that most detrimental food choices tend to be related to HOW we eat rather than WHAT we eat. The typical American portion sizes – even of beneficial foods – aren't geared toward health.
I ask people to start their fitness journey by giving up calorie counting and instead using their hands to approximate energy-appropriate portions of food: one hand for a snack, two-hands for a meal. This approximation method provides plenty of energy to get them to their next meal two to four hours later without challenging their digestion and overloading their bodies with unneeded calories. The results within a day or two are both measurable and game-changing.
Exercise Doesn't Have to be Sweaty
The second mental reset we need to give ourselves is about how we exercise: Every workout doesn't have to be a breathless sweat-fest to be effective. Ads on TV and social media featuring ripped bodies performing grueling, high-powered workouts inundate us with the idea that the two go hand-in-hand. Not true.
High-intensity exercise definitely has its place, but going too hard for too long can leave people feeling depleted and generally "funky" from burning too much glycogen out of their muscles and bloodstream. When your blood sugar levels are depleted, we turn to food to feel better and often take in way more calories than we burned in the process.
The final mindset shift that will help you achieve lasting fitness addresses the major time issue we all face head on: you can work out anywhere, anytime in your regular clothes. Fitness can fit in every single day because you don't have to be a big, sweaty mess every time for it to be effective. Consistency is the most important factor in the pursuit of immediate weight loss, development of strong, flexible muscle and pursuit of long-term wellness.
For example, an easy daily strategy would be to start by standing an extra 60 minutes every day. From there, work in a 10-minute brisk walk at lunchtime, followed by a short 10-minute strengthening workout at your desk. Or you could prepare dinner and then, while it's cooking in the oven, do a quick 20-minute workout right there at your counter. The point is to think about activating your life in general and not to rely only on dedicated workout time for movement.
A 2018 study by the American Heart Association revealed that no matter how hard a person exercises, it can't undo the detrimental health effects of sitting eight hours a day.
Micro-Workout Example
This micro-workout approach is not only plenty, it's also more likely than a grueling workout strategy to help you achieve sustainable goals because it's easy to achieve and it's burning more calories throughout the day, not just during your morning workout.
Here's an example of a "regular clothes" micro-workout you can do anywhere, anytime and, most importantly, in jeans. The following six exercises are most effective as a single approximately 7-minute workout. The intention is to do all these moves the prescribed number of times in sequence to get your heart rate up a bit as you strengthen and stretch your muscles. Add a 10- to 15-minute brisk walk right before or after this series, and you'd be doing really well.
Mountain Stretch to Counter Squat
Standing with feet hip width apart about one foot from your counter or desk, inhale as you raise arms overhead, palms together and stretch up and slightly back. Exhale as you bend your knees into a squat, bringing your chest toward the counter and pulling your hips back. Repeat 10 times.
Twisting Side Lunge
Standing with legs wide apart and palms flat on the counter, exhale as you lunge to the left while stretching your right arm across the counter. Inhale to stand and then exhale as you repeat the movement to the right. Do 10 sets.
Chest Stretch Deadlift
Standing with straight legs and arms outstretched by your sides, inhale as you pull your hips back and draw your chest toward the floor as your arms stretch across your counter or desk. Return to standing on an exhale. Repeat 10 times.
Leg Circles
Standing tall, with your palms resting as lightly as possible on the counter, breathe normally as you circle your left leg behind you, 10 times in each direction. Repeat on your right leg.
Cross Back Lunges
Inhale as you cross a leg behind you while dropping into a squat. Exhale to stand and switch legs. Do 10 sets.
Leg Lift Push-Up
Standing in a plank position a few feet behind your desk or counter with your hands resting on the edge, inhale as drop into a push-up lifting one of your legs. Exhale to press back to plank while lowering your leg again. Repeat 10 times, alternating legs.
