Rep 4 down and your heart is pumping, your sweat is pouring and your endorphins are firing! You just had your first workout of the week and you are already planning for the next one, but low and behold…uni hits the fan and all those plans fall flat and those running takkies start gathering dust again. Sound familiar? Staying fit when you’re low on time is a dilemma faced by many, leaving us with the question: is staying fit possible with a tight schedule? Simple answer: where there’s a will, there’s a way! Follow our 6 tips below to help maximise your time and kick those calories to the curb.
1.Take the damn stairs:
Luckily for UCT students, we get to go on a bit of a hike every day up Jammie steps or up to buildings like Snape, NEB or even Menzies. Stairs are a sure fire way to get in that quick cardio fix.
2. All you need is 15 minutes:
According to Women´s Health, all you need is 15 minutes to get in a good sweat sesh every day. We´re intrigued… click the link above for some workout plans and tips to maximise the time and melt away those calories!
Take this test from EXPERIENCE L!FE to see what Your Fitness Personality is.
3. Stay consistent!
We´ve all heard it before, fitness gurus and trainers all swear by the consistency-is-key rule! But…there is a method to the madness. Consistency is the only way you´ll ever see results. Think about it this way, doing just a small bit every day is far better than doing a large bit once every two weeks. Give your body that daily fix instead of the once-in-a-blue-moon binge.
4. Take a screen detox:
WiFi and television are traps we all fall into very easily. EXPERIENCE L!FE suggests limiting screen time so that you can instead designate your time to other activities… like exercise. Time yourself and make sure to stop when you´ve gone over time, to avoid a ´just one more…´ scenario (sound familiar?). ¨Franklin Antoian, CPT, founder of iBodyFit.com [advises to] ´consider trading just 30 minutes of that low-value television time for exercise´. ¨
5. Put your money where your mouth is:
Put some moolah into your fitness routine by booking some classes at your local gym or signing up for a marathon to help motivate you to achieve your fitness goals. It’s all about priorities and if your money is invested, you´ll be more likely to make it worth your buck! If you don’t have the money to invest in the above, why not follow our next tip for a smaller investment…
6. Get some finneeee working out gear:
From psychedelic tights to pastel coloured exercise bras with glitter, whatever your taste, getting some aesthetically pleasing workout gear will help motivate you to get up and active!
So despite the crushing weight of varsity deadlines and general life, remember that exercise is a pivotal part of a healthy lifestyle and will be a good way to get that needed study break, which you definitely deserve! And in case you needed more convincing, the HuffPost wrote that ¨the latest research shows that a regular exercise routine can make you happier, smarter, and more energetic. A habit of regular exercise will help keep you mentally sharper throughout your entire life. ¨
Here’s to living healthy and happy and staying fit despite all life throws at us! As Beyoncé would say…let´s SLAY!