Whether your personal goals consist of losing weight, gaining muscle, eating more vegetables or bettering your mental health, a consistent routine can help you get there.
My work week routine is more structured, whereas my weekend routine is more relaxed. Regardless, I am sure to do a few things each and every day to keep my body aligned.
In today’s post, I’m sharing a few essentials to include in your daily routine to keep your body on track and pushing towards your goals.
Get your body moving
Find a time of day that works best for you to get your workout in. If you are a morning gym-go’er, that means you have to go to bed earlier and adjust your routine accordingly. If you go at night, plan to head straight from work so you don’t get sucked into your couch and stuck at home.
For days when your body needs a rest, you should still make it a priority to move! Go for a walk during the time you would normally devote to your workouts or go to a yoga class for a good stretch.
Think of your workouts like a work meeting or a doctor’s appointment that you can’t miss or reschedule unless you really need to. Treat your workouts as a priority and try to avoid letting other events get in the way.
Plan meals ahead of time & drink lots of water
A huge part of my routine is meal prepping and planning ahead when it comes to meals for the week. Every weekend I head to the grocery store to stock up on the ingredients I need for the meals I plan to make, in addition to the staples I always need to have on hand.
Each week, try choosing a different meal for lunches to keep things different. If you can’t stand eating the same thing every day for a whole week, make staple items that can be used in different, interchangeable recipes. For example, prep some chicken or tofu to use in different recipes throughout the week, such as salads, stir-fry, or wraps.
Break up your workday with a walk
If your workday consists of sitting at a desk for 7+ hours a day, like many Americans do, myself included, you should try your best to get active during the day.
Sitting down for hours and hours at a time can lower your metabolism, reduce blood circulation, weaken your posture, cause back pain and worsen anxiety and depression.
To help counteract these negative effects, try and get out of your desk chair as much as possible. Go on a walk during your lunch, walk to the furthest bathroom stall and take the long way back to your desk. Whatever it is, try and get up at least once an hour to keep your blood flowing. If you do not have a wearable device (like a Fitbit or Apple Watch) that automatically urges you to get up, set alarms on your phone for every hour on the hour for little reminders to get up.
Devote time each day to a task that makes you happy
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Maybe you love to draw or listen to podcasts or meditate. Whatever it is, find time at some point throughout the day to take time for you. Make sure you choose something you really look forward to doing.
Power down before bed
By not powering down your electronic devices before bed, you are preventing your brain from releasing melatonin, making it more difficult to fall, and stay, asleep.
Choose a time at night, at least an hour before bed, to stop looking at your phone, computer and tablets. Stop scrolling through social media, only check your phone if you really need to and avoid watching TV in bed to help you get a great night’s sleep.
Catch some Zzzzz’s
When we are thinking about prioritizing our health or wanting to reach a fitness goal, we often forget about adding sleep into the equation. Getting enough sleep at night ensures your body has enough energy and strength to get through the day.
Not to mention that lack of sleep causes your body to stress out, making it more difficult to control your hunger. Someone who is sleep-deprived will produce more of the stress
The recommended amount of sleep varies by age group, but generally 7-9 hours is the target range.
What does my routine look like?
My weekday routine is as follows, while my weekend routine is less structured.
6am : Wake up- 6:30-7:
30am : Morning workout - 7:30-8:
30am : Get ready for the day, enjoy breakfast and head out for work - 9am-6pm: Work, work, work, work, work
- 6:30-9pm: Run errands, work on BreatheSweatEat, make dinner, tackle personal to-do’s, relax
- 9-10:
30pm : Read, journal and meditate in bed 10:30pm : Lights out
Moral of the story: If you do not already have a set routine, consider creating one and sticking to it as many days as possible. Obviously, things come up but if we set our intentions to accomplish tasks throughout our day and work them into our busy schedules, you’re more likely to accomplish them!