3 small things to improve your fitness without taking too much time and energy
Getting fit is very daunting, especially if you have tried and failed. You may even have completely lost hope that it is possible.
Building a routine that is sustainable for you in the long run will have a much greater return.
There are countless fitness programs out there with big promises and big commitments. Their testimonials look incredible and the price tag is usually high.
I think most people hate push ups because it’s hard to accept how few you can do!
But there is a catch. Unfortunately there are no quick fixes for fitness and health. Think of it like studying — if you cram before an exam, the knowledge will not last long. If however you study consistently you will retain that knowledge.
Building a routine that is sustainable for you in the long run will have a much greater return. By long run, I mean at least a year. You need to be completely honest with yourself here — if for example you don’t normally go to the gym, committing to 3 workouts a week is a lot. You are setting yourself up for failure and yet another disappointment because most likely you will not last more than a few months.
These three things are simple and achievable and will not cost you much time at all. Getting fit does not need to be horrible. It should be uplifting and empowering in the short and long term.
push-ups
This simple exercise works out your core, back, arms and legs (if your knees are off the ground). I think most people hate push ups because it’s hard to accept how few you can do. It feels pathetic.
The beautiful thing is they can be done in the bathroom with the door locked, so no one needs to know or see.
Just commit to doing one every day. If you can’t do one, do half. Just lower yourself to the ground. You’ll be surprised, but after a week, one push-up will feel much easier. When you feel ready, increase it to two and stick to that for a week or more.
Make it part of your daily bathroom routine, for example before you take a shower. If you stick to this for a year, my guess is you will be doing at least 20 push-ups daily by the end of the year. Now that is something!
squats
I think most people hate squats because they just feel awkward. Your bum feels exposed and you can easily loose your balance. Most people probably overestimate how many squats they can actually do. This simple exercise works out your bum, thighs and calves, as well as your core and back.
There are different ways of doing squats — some people like feet wide, others keep them at hip distance apart. Whichever way you choose, the important part is to try to keep your ankle and knee joints close to right angles. Imagine you are sitting in a chair with your feel flat on the floor and leaning forward on the table — this is the position you want to squat into.
As with the push-ups, commit to doing one squat every day. It sounds ridiculously easy, right! Do it for a week then increase to two. In no time you’ll be doing 10 and by the end of the year I guess you’ll manage 40 every day.
daily walking
People assume this is the easiest but it’s probably the hardest. If your job does not require you to walk around, you probably do much less moving than you think.
Walking is greatly underestimated for its health benefits. We often assume we need to run in order for it to be a worth while exercise. This is not true — you are better off walking every day than running every once in a while.
Now I’m not advocating getting a dog if it won’t work for your situation, but having a dog is truly the only thing that forces me to go on a walk every day, rain or shine.
Alternatively, if you commute to work, get off a stop earlier and walk home, even if it’s raining. If you work from home, go for a walk at lunch to break up the day.
Fitbits, apple watches or phones are an easy way to track how many steps you have done. But don’t get hung up on the number of steps. Just go for a walk every day, even if it is 15 minutes.
These small daily habits can feel pointless because they are so small. But don’t underestimate the power of repetition. It is all about building a habit and a positive relationship with working out. Your fitness will grow naturally.
Happy squatting xx
