Top 5 Fitness Tips for Busy Professionals: Achieving a Healthy Lifestyle in a Hectic Schedule
Kingsmen Academy: Super Dad Fitness
Staying fit and healthy can be a challenge for busy professionals who have limited time and energy. However, with a little planning and creativity, you can still maintain a healthy lifestyle and achieve your fitness goals. Here are the top 5 fitness tips for busy professionals that can help you stay in shape and feel great.
1. Make Exercise a Priority
The first and most important step in achieving your fitness goals is to make exercise a priority. You need to set aside time each day or each week to work out, whether that means going to the gym, taking a class, or simply going for a walk or run. When you prioritize exercise, you are likelier to stick with it and see results.
Like most humans, you can always devise creative excuses not to workout. Our brains are built to keep us safe and comfortable. This said, you know any significant change isn’t going to be easy. First, find a “big why” that can be your reason to do something scary that goes beyond yourself. Personally, I use my kids as rocket fuel to achieve any of my goals. Then, I urge you to push towards slight discomfort that will lead to both professional and personal growth.
If you can’t run for 30 mins a day, walk for 5.
If you don’t want to spend 1-hour doing yoga, do a quick 15-minute session in your living room.
If you hate running with a passion, try going for 10-minute walks first.
It’s all about building habits with consistent action. The more you do something, the greater momentum builds up that will help you create sustainable change and real results.
2. Find an Activity You Enjoy
Another key to staying fit as a busy professional is to find an activity that you enjoy. When you enjoy your workout, you are more likely to stick with it and look forward to it. There are many different types of exercise, from yoga to weightlifting to dance classes, so take the time to find one that you like.
Me, I’ve always enjoyed badminton, running, weight lifting, trekking, and martial arts. Sure, life gets busy and I end up taking a long break form all these activities, but I always find ease in picking them up again.
3. Use Your Lunch Break for Exercise
If you're short on time, try using your lunch break for exercise. You can go for a walk, do a quick workout at the gym, or even take a yoga class. Not only will you get some exercise in, but you'll also feel refreshed and ready to tackle the rest of the workday.
At one point, I would go on 5 km runs with my office mates. We set a recurring 1-hour slot for our Wednesdays to meet up and motivate each other.
Did I enjoy the runs? Yes!
Did I stink after the 5km? Yes!
Was it easy? Far from it! Everyone runner was much more seasoned than I was and I would always be out of breath halfway through the session….
Did this stop me? No, I knew the discomfort would push me towards a new personal record and level. And, it did!
4. Incorporate Movement into Your Daily Routine
Another great way to stay fit as a busy professional is to incorporate movement into your daily routine. For example, you can take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk to meetings instead of driving, and stretch or do a quick workout during your break. By making small changes throughout the day, you can add up to a lot of extra movement and help keep your body active and healthy.
A trick I like to use is always to have a large 1.5L bottle of water beside me during work. I’ll be sure to always take sips every 10-15 minutes and this will fill my bladder right up so that I’m forced to take frequent washroom breaks.
5. Get a Workout Buddy
Finally, consider getting a workout buddy. Having a friend or colleague to work out with can help keep you accountable and make your workouts more fun. You can motivate each other and keep each other on track, and you may even form a lifelong friendship.
The picture above shows my buddy and me after a 10km run. We were preparing for our half marathon.
Before this, I would consistently train solo by doing 5km runs around my house.
However, I found it much more enjoyable and more effortless in good company.
I ended up running farther and faster. I had more energy and had a great excuse to celebrate afterward.
Staying fit and healthy as a busy professional requires some planning and effort, but it is definitely achievable. By making exercise a priority, finding an activity you enjoy, using your lunch break for exercise, incorporating movement into your daily routine, and getting a workout buddy, you can maintain a healthy lifestyle and achieve your fitness goals. So why not start today and see the results for yourself?
Good luck!
Alex
P.S. Group Fitness programs have proven to be much more effective and fun. In the Kingsmen, the Private Men’s Network, we give our members a chance to lead other great men while tapping into the collective wisdom. We have a Tae Kwon Do Master, a trained Nutritionist, and Dave Ho Wo Cheong, our resident Powerlifter and father extraordinaire, co-leading a 3-week fitness program with me called the Super Dad Masterclass. We touch on food, strength, mobility, and recovery.
This tribe is truly a life-changing brotherhood that makes your success their mission. You get weekly live group calls with me and other leaders—and you join our free Private Facebook Group to access personalized guidance and consulting, so you don’t get lost, and you stay out of confusion. Usually, the difficult part is the aspect of overcoming fear and building trust. This isn't an issue here! Kingsmen is for anybody interested in what it means to be a leader and take control of their own destiny.
If you want to work 1-on-1, Private Coaching might be better for you. This is where you bring your desires, I bring my jetpack. Together, we’ll build that ship made of ‘impossible goals’, get them so high off the ground, and have you look back with wonders of why you were thinking so small when we started. It can be challenging, powerful, and transformational. If you’re interested in reserving a future spot, go here.
