Life can get pretty busy, and it can be hard to consistently work out and eat healthy if you’re in school, working, etc. If you’re like me, you like to see results quickly without putting in a ton of effort. As much as I love working out, sometimes it can be hard to find time to fit it in. Obviously it’s good to carve out a specific time in your day/night to exercise, but some days it’s just not possible. Maybe you have to spend some extra time studying, you have to stay late at work, you have to run errands, etc. There is always something that comes up that takes the place of working out.
That’s why I have found a few simple lifestyle changes that you can make RIGHT NOW that will help jump start your weight loss even on those busy days that you can’t seem to fit a work out in. I’ve found that these five tips have been extremely effective for me, and I hope they work just as well for you too! 🙂
Let me know in the comments below some easy ways that you like to stay fit when you don’t have hours to spend at the gym!
Cut down the amount of food you eat!
I lost 30 pounds after my freshman year of college, and let me tell you how I did it. Instead of eating six Oreos at a time, I ate two. I’m not even kidding. This is exactly what I tell anyone that asks me how I lost the weight I had gained my first semester of school.
What got me to start shedding pounds was cutting down my portion sizes, especially on all the snacks and sugary foods that I was eating. When I would pick up a bag of chips, I would finish it. I had no portion control and after realizing what this was doing to my body, I knew it had to change. BUT, if you know me, you know how hard it would be to cut desserts and snacks completely out of my diet.
I knew it would be impossible to even try. I would end up eating a cookie and then feeling bad about it and feeling like I ruined my diet for the whole day just because I ate some dessert.
I didn’t want to feel like this, so what I did was limit the amount of unhealthy food I was eating, but not cutting it out of my diet. If I felt like having a slice of cake, I wouldn’t stop myself; but I would limit myself to just ONE piece! Sometimes I would obviously want to eat more, but when I would feel that way I would tell myself, “having one piece is better than having none.”
I encourage you to try this with some of the desserts or unhealthy snacks that you find yourself constantly grabbing for. Cut down; don’t cut out.
Obviously, when you get used to eating limited portions of the unhealthy food that you enjoy, if you want to, you can try cutting that food out completely. But, I think it’s easier to limit the amount that you’re eating to start off!
Limiting the amount of unhealthy food that you’re eating is a great way to start seeing results, and it isn’t very hard to do! You don’t have to stop eating the food you enjoy, you just can’t eat as much of it.
Extra tip! One thing that really helped me was writing down everything that I was eating during the time frame that I was trying to lose weight. That way, I was able to see what I was eating and the amount of each food that I was eating.
Take the Stairs
I take the stairs everywhere! Usually because I don’t like elevators that much, but taking the stairs is so beneficial and it’s such an easy way to incorporate some exercise into your day! I work on the fourth floor at the Med School and I always use the stairs. Once you start using them, it just becomes a routine and it’ll get easier! I’ve gotten so used to them now that I don’t feel so winded and out of breath when I get to the top haha!
FIND and GO to a fitness class that you really enjoy!
Finding a class that makes you want to work out or go to the gym is SO important! I cannot stress this enough! When I was trying to lose weight, I took Zumba, Yoga, and Cycling. I would look forward to going every day because I enjoyed taking these classes so much! The key is finding a work out that you truly like going to, and that doesn’t feel like exercise. Since I love to dance, Zumba is perfect. I encourage you to try out different classes that your gym offers to see if you like them! There are so many offered, you’re bound to find one you enjoy!
Walk during your lunch break
Almost every day I use my 30-45 minute lunch break to go for a walk! I usually eat my food at my desk while I’m still working on things and then I use my actual lunch break to get outside and walk around. By my office, we have a ton of different trails and neighborhoods to explore, so each day I try to pick a new route and see where it takes me. I love going outside and walking during my lunch because it also breaks up my day! When I come back to the office after walking, I always feel more energized and productive!
If you don’t happen to have any outdoor walking paths near your office, try doing a lap around the building or even walking inside.
Taking the time to walk during your lunch break is great because if you know you’re going to have a busy night and can’t work out, at least you got some steps in during the work day!
Cut out Liquid Calories
This could be one of the easiest ways to lose weight! Sugary drinks have so many calories in them, and most people don’t realize how many extra calories they are consuming just from liquids every day.
I recommend cutting down on any soda, alcohol, lattes, shakes/malts, juices with high amounts of sugar, etc. Most of these drinks are not filling and if you want to eat more of those desserts or snack foods that you enjoy, at least cut down on the unnecessary liquid calories. I would much rather eat my calories than drink them!
My advice: Drink Water! I absolutely love water and carry a water bottle around with me everywhere I go! It is so easy to make the switch from soda to low-calorie drinks such as water and it will benefit you tremendously!
Okay! So that’s it! All of these tips can easily be incorporated into your lifestyle and will help kick start your weight loss. These are simple changes that you can make to start seeing results pretty quickly. I know I did!
Let me know if you have fitness tips or simple lifestyle changes that can easily be incorporated into my daily routine!
Have a wonderful week 🙂
XO
Cassie
