Working full time can be very demanding on your body and mind, especially when you have to juggle other things in your life such as sleeping, eating well, spending time with friends and family, having time for your hobbies, house work, etc.
In 2018, a study found that 1 in 3 UK adults were not getting enough exercise. It is recommended that adults should have at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise every week.
But how do you ensure that you can make time for staying healthy and exercising whilst you are living a busy lifestyle? Check out our 5 tips on how you can stay healthy even if your life is hectic.
- Make better choices
One way to ensure you stay healthy when you work full time is to take more time when deciding what your options are. This will help you make better choices.
For example, choose to eat better at work by including healthier snacks and taking a packed lunch with you. Eating better plays a big part in your overall health, so switch chocolate snacks for fruit, vegetables, or nuts.
Another way you can make better choices is by considering incorporating exercise into your daily working week. You might choose to walk or cycle to work, or you might want to join your work’s sport teams or fitness classes.
- Dedicate an hour to yourself before bed
Staying healthy isn’t all about eating healthy and exercising more. It is also about sleeping better and feeling well rested.
In order to get a good night’s sleep you need to dedicate some time before bed away from screens and things that cause you problems sleeping. You should spend this time relaxing your mind and body before bed, so you could try reading or meditating.
- Save a day at the weekend for exercise
If you struggle to do exercise during the week, then you could try dedicating a day or half a day at the weekend to doing your favourite physical activities.
For example, you might always leave Saturday afternoons free to go for a bike ride with your partner, or you might want to spend Sunday walking and exploring your local area.
- Join a class with a friend
Joe Jenkins, a fitness expert at fitforbeach.co.uk, says “Many people find it hard to stick to their exercising routines. But if you join an exercise class with a friend then you will be more likely to stick to it and so will they, because you won’t want to let each other down.”
It is also important that you choose a physical activity that you enjoy doing, as this will ensure you keep wanting to do the exercise. So don’t try and make yourself go swimming every morning if you hate swimming. Find a physical activity that you like doing, whether that is walking, running, joining a spinning or a yoga class, or going climbing.
- Plan your meals before the week
Another way to ensure you stay healthy is by planning your meals before the week. This way you will already know what you are having each evening and will be less tempted to order a takeaway.
Choose to have the ingredients in the house so you are ready to cook your evening meals. Remember to vary your meals and don’t be afraid to experiment with a whole range of different ingredients and recipes.
