We all know at least one of them – busy people who still manage to get to the gym despite juggling work, family life, meetings, travel.
How on earth do they do it? Are they superhuman?
Have they discovered a vortex to another dimension where there are 8 days in a week?
They must have found the secret somehow.
Because no matter how hard you try, you never seem to be able to do it all.
Well, we’ve actually got the answer for you.
Straight from the horse’s mouth.
So let’s find out how the world’s busiest people keep a regular gym and healthy eating routine.
#1 They Get Things Done, Quickly
Do you put off getting started because you think you don’t have enough time to keep it going?
If the main thing stopping you is time, then take it from us… Exercise and healthy eating does NOT need to take hours and hours of your week.
If it did, those super-busy people would never do it.
Even if you have basically no time at all, you can (and should) still do something.
Don’t get overwhelmed by all the little details. Strip it back to basics, and do those things consistently.
A meal plan will help you save time with healthy eating.
If that gets boring, then at least have go-to meals which you can make quickly with the ingredients you always have to hand.
Know which shops and cafe chains sell healthy options, so you cut down on decision-making time when you’re out and about.
Have your workout kit packed and ready to go at all times. Make it easy to grab your bag and head out of the door.
Train with intensity, and have a plan.
If you put in minimal effort and your sessions have no structure, then, of course, you will feel like you’re wasting precious time at the gym.
#2 They Prioritise Their Diet – As A Habit
Diet first, exercise second. If you only have time to do one thing for your fitness and weight, pay attention to your diet.
The fact is, you can manage your weight with diet alone – great news for really busy periods when the gym is out of the question.
Get your diet sorted first and make it a priority. Plan your food.
Prep healthy meals and stock your freezer.
Make your lunches.
Be in a caloric deficit to lose weight.
Get good habits in place to make healthy nutrition easy – and fast – for you.
#3 They Do HIIT To Blast Calories
If you don’t have much time to spare, please don’t waste it on long, slow cardio sessions.
You’ll see minimal results, and end up frustrated and stressed at the time commitment.
HIIT – high-intensity interval training – is the most time-efficient form of cardio.
That’s why our clients love it!
HIIT is amazing for fat loss, burns plenty of calories, and even uses calories after the session thanks to EPOC (Exercise Post Oxygen Consumption).
HIIT is a no-brainer for busy people.
#4 They Strength Train To Stay Strong
There are plenty of ways to do HIIT.
We often use resistance kit like kettlebells to bring an element of strength training in.
Why is strength training important if you’re pushed for time?
It burns calories, helps build muscle mass, and protects lean mass.
All of that boost your metabolic rate.
Make sure your simple weight loss plan has some kind of strength training in it.
That could be bodyweight circuits, kettlebells, or barbells and dumbbells. Plenty of ideas on our Youtube channel have a look HERE.
#5 They Grab Every Opportunity To Be Active
Lots of people still think that you need to go to the gym every day to be fit and healthy.
This is NOT true.
In fact, it could end up backfiring – making you exhausted, taking up way too much time, and impossible to recover from.
Get your intense HIIT sessions 2-3 times per week, do some strength training, then STOP.
But make sure your general approach to everyday life is active.
Minimise long periods of sitting down.
Walk more. Get outside and be active.
Do manual chores around the house.
Our clients are even in the habit of using a basket, not a trolley, for grocery shopping.
Set Your Priorities
OK, so now we’ve let you into the 5 weight loss secrets of really busy people.
What exactly does this mean for you?
It’s time to set your priorities so you always know what to do when life gets hectic.
First: get your diet in check, eat healthily, and make sure your calorie intake is appropriate to your goals and activity levels.
Second: do HIIT workouts, ideally 2-3 times per week. Put as much effort in as you can (after all, they’re only 20-30 minutes long)
Third: add in some strength training, full-body workouts are fine (leave the body part splits to the people who have more time!)
Fourth: move more during the day, if you need to multitask, how about taking phone calls during a walk, or listening to work/personal development books?
Now it’s over to you!
Coach Joseph Webb.
P.S Need help with your training? Apply today for our Private Personal Training or Online Coaching Programmes.
