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…Fitness Hacks!…

If you are like me, each day can be chaotic and full of activities from the time that I wake up until I jump into bed at nigh. There are always small things that can be done to help our busy lives run a little smoother.  This can be more helpful for those who say that “they are too busy” to workout or just have a bad habit of forgetting things that are needed to go workout (leading to another reason why people make excuses to get out of working out).

Throw out junk food

This is something that I help practice with my clients.  Is there a need for a jumbo box of Twinkies or king size package of candy bars?  Sure, your kids or significant other may enjoy these treats.  If there is no reason to have them at your house limit how many of these kinds of food you have around.  It will help by not tempting you to want to eat those things.   If you do have to have them at home try to keep them in a hard to reach place or have them hidden so you can not find them.  Until you can create your own will power to stay away from those things getting help from those around you can help you to become successful with reaching your health goals.

Have a box of food that you are trying to get out of your house? Instead of throwing it away consider donating it to a local school or food bank!

Is your favorite show on tonight? Watch it WHILE you workout

This is a trick that I personally use and I tell ALL of my clients to use.  If you have 1-3 shows that you watch each week plan your cardio time DURING those shoes. You can be on the cardio equipment and not miss your favorite episode.  It will also allow you to kill two birds with one stone!

Pack a bag

Each night before I go to bed I try to get everything ready for the next day.  This includes my workout clothes.  Getting them together allows me to double check that I have everything needed so I wont forget anything.  I will place my gym bag near the door so I will not forget it when I leave in the morning. I also keep a small “emergency fitness bag” in my trunk.  This bag has the following: ear buds (because I am always losing or forgetting mine at home), socks (you never know when you forget to grab some when you wear flip flops or tights to work), sports bra (I bought a spare sports bra and keep it in the bag because sometimes all of my workout clothes are in the washer/dryer and I need one), hair ties, and an empty water bottle. Make sure to add anything that you typically forget.

You can also follow this trip to save you space if you have to pack your gym clothes in a small bag or purse:

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Plan ahead!

Make sure to PLAN the days you want to workout AND what you want to do on those days.  Consider your workout time an important meeting that you have set with yourself.  If you have meetings for work or for other hobbies you are doing, do you plan your day/schedule around those meetings so you can attend them? Treat your gym session just as you would treat any other meeting you will schedule.

DRINK MORE WATER!

It is clear that most people are not drinking enough water. You want to make sure that you are allowing your body to get the hydration it needs! Here is a great trick that I teach my clients to use to help them drink more water:

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Take time to recover!

Although some people enjoy working out 7 days a week, it is also recommended that you allow your body to have time to recover.  This is a great time to stretch and just let your body heal! Ice packs and self heating ointment can be great things to use to help you recover.  Here are some at-home remedies that you can try on your own:

recover

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Set realistic goals!

This is probably one of the most common mistakes.  You have to set a goal that will be reachable in a realistic amount of time. If you set goals that are hard/impossible to obtain this could contribute to you not reaching your goals. Start with a smaller goal and then gradually work towards that (adding other small goals along the way).