3 Ways To Turn Your Commute Into Daily Exercise

September 17, 2021 By lyndsinreallife Leave a Comment

The biggest reason that people give for not exercising is that they don’t have time. Sometimes, it’s just an excuse and if they really wanted to, they could find the time. However, some people that have a busy work and family life really don’t have any time to exercise. If you find yourself in that situation, you need to double up on your time and find ways to incorporate exercise into your daily routine. One of the best ways to do that is to turn your commute into an opportunity to exercise.

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Your commute is dead time in the day anyway, but it’s easy to make it more active so you’re getting more out of it. These are some of the best ways to turn your commute into an opportunity for exercise.

Running and Walking

This is probably the most obvious answer. The best way to turn your commute into an opportunity for exercise is to run or walk while you’re commuting. You can wear your headphones and listen to music or an audiobook or podcast while you do it, but there’s something special about having that time where your mind can just wander. You’ll get some great exercise every single day and you’ll arrive at work feeling refreshed.

If you live close to work, walking is a great option and it’s better exercise than people realize. Running is an option sometimes, but if you live too far away, you might have to look into other options. If you are going to run, you will need facilities for showering and changing at work, so it all depends on your workplace.

Cycling

If you live close to work, cycling is another great option for turning your commute into an exercise opportunity. It’s one of the best ways to get in a lot of exercise each day and you can cover a much longer distance. You won’t get as sweaty as you will when you run either, so it’s better if there are no facilities at work. If you are concerned about the distance, you should look for some electric bikes for sale and use one of those instead. You still get good exercise but you have a bit of extra assistance if your commute is longer or there are a few big hills you need to tackle.

Scooters

You might think that scooters are just a kid’s toy, but they’re actually quite a popular option for commuters, especially in big cities, and they’re great exercise. They’re easy to use and they’re very maneuverable, so you can ride on the pavements in busy areas. They are also much more compact and easy to store than a bicycle, making them a good choice for smaller workplaces. You could use an electric scooter too if you need a bit of help on your commute. However, this won’t give you much exercise because the scooter does most of the work for you.

If you use these simple methods to incorporate exercise into your commute, you can stay healthy even if you are short on time.

Thank you for reading!

Fitness

4 Ways To Optimize Your Fitness To Get The Most Out Of Each Workout

September 12, 2021 By lyndsinreallife Leave a Comment

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Spending a lot of time working out can be a great way to make yourself healthy. Many people dedicate substantial portions of their lives to this sort of work, putting loads of effort into exercising each day. Of course, though, no matter what you do to keep fit, it will always be worth taking steps to optimize your workouts to get the most out of them. To help you out with this, this article will be exploring some of the best ways to improve your workouts without having to put more effort into them.

Your Diet

Maintaining a good diet is notoriously difficult, with many people finding it extremely hard to keep up with eating healthily. Of course, this will be easier when you are also working out, as you will feel more motivated to ensure that you have a good diet. It’s important to make sure that you are eating the right food before and after going to the gym. High-energy meals will be great before your workouts, but you will need something to help you recover afterward.

Sleep & Rest

Sleep is crucial to your fitness goals, though many people don’t realize this. Your body needs to spend a certain amount of time sleeping each night to ensure that it can recover properly from your workouts. Your sleep is also tied heavily to your metabolism, and this means that proper sleep can help you to lose weight. There are loads of guides and resources available around the web that can help you to get better sleep.

Additional Equipment

Most gyms come loaded with different types of equipment. This gives you the chance to try a range of different exercises, while also giving you an opportunity to find something you really like. Of course, though, you can supplement your regular exercises with additional equipment that will make it even better for your body. Weights are a good example of this, with wrist and ankle weights providing a heavier workout. Likewise, tools like an electric belly fat burning belt can also provide more from your workouts.

Your Approach

It can be all too easy to fall into the trap of thinking that getting fit involves working as hard as humanly possible. In reality, though, you can often work smart rather than working hard, and your fitness goals can be easier to achieve than you expect. Working too hard can be bad for those with defined goals, as you are likely to spend more time recovering than you will if you take it a little bit easier. Light exercise each day is always better than heavy exercise once each week.

As you can see, making sure that you get the most out of each workout is a challenge that can be hard to balance. There are a lot of tools and resources available to help you with this, but you should also work to be creative and try new things. Your body is different to everyone else’s, and this means that you need to find options that work for you.

Thank you for reading!

Fitness Health

Exercise: What Is It Good For?

September 4, 2021 By lyndsinreallife Leave a Comment

Working out can be challenging, but it’s worth it. Of course, we all know that exercise is essential for our physical health, but did you know how many other benefits there are to getting moving?

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These Are 5 Reasons Why You Should Start Exercising Today!

Benefits For The Soul:

Mood, Energy And Conditions

Increased energy levels, elevated mood, and better quality sleep are just a few of the numerous physical benefits that regular exercise can bring about in your life.

In addition, exercise also reduces the risk factors for chronic conditions such as type two diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and various types of cancer, including breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancers, which have also been linked with inactivity, where you might need a skilled mesothelioma attorney.

In addition to this, people who are physically active on a daily basis tend not only to live longer but also experience an improved quality of life during their golden years, too, due to healthier bodies being able to maintain their independence for longer.

Benefits for the Mind:

Mental Health

Several studies show that regular exercise also improves mental well-being because it stimulates growth hormones in muscle tissue. So even though the brain isn’t actually moving, it receives a boost in energy, and moods are improved.

Stress Relief

Furthermore, it is an effective treatment option for people suffering from depression or anxiety disorders, which significantly contributes to one’s well-being on a daily basis.

In addition to this, by exercising regularly, you will be able to reduce stress levels as well as release endorphins – chemicals produced naturally within the human body that induce feelings of happiness leading up to what is commonly termed “the runner’s high.”

Regular physical activity reduces fatigue levels allowing you to feel like yourself again after long periods of inactivity while also helping those suffering from chronic illnesses such as depression or anxiety to improve their overall mood and well-being.

In addition, exercise has also been shown to significantly lower blood pressure levels which is extremely important in the context of reducing stress and preventing heart disease – something that can occur when our arteries become clogged with plaque leading up to high cholesterol, a condition known as atherosclerosis.

Memory and Cognitive Improvement

An active lifestyle can improve your memory and cognitive functioning, leading you to think more clearly throughout the day. Furthermore, exercising regularly has been proven to slow down age-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, significantly increasing your chances of living an independent life well into old age!

As people get older, their bodies tend to become less capable. As a result, they require a lot more rest, which is why regular exercise can be highly beneficial in this respect, by keeping people feeling rejuvenated while simultaneously affording them ample opportunities for sleep whenever required.

Benefits for the Body:

Muscle, Joint and Bone Strengthening

Regular exercise increases your chances of living longer by improving cardiovascular health while simultaneously strengthening bones, protecting them from subsequent weakness later on down the line.

Furthermore, people who regularly engage in physical activity tend not only to live healthier lives, but they are also able to maintain independence for longer, too, due to stronger muscles allowing them to carry out everyday tasks easier than someone less active would be able to.

As we get older, muscle mass will naturally diminish, resulting in a less capable body which is why it’s crucial to stay as active as possible by exercising on a regular basis.

Find What Works For You

It’s important to note that there are so many different forms of exercises out there for everyone to choose from! But, of course, the best type of workout would be one you enjoy doing every day because then it becomes easier for you to continue exercising over time.

You should also find an activity or routine that works well with your personal schedule since the point here isn’t just about being active but rather staying active on a constant basis to get results.

If running doesn’t feel right, perhaps try something like yoga instead? There’s absolutely nothing wrong with trying different forms of activity. In fact, it’s advised by doctors.

Regular exercise has countless benefits for both physical and mental health. So whether you are looking to lose weight, improve your heart health, or you simply want something fun to add more activity into your life, getting moving will not only help with these goals, but it will also leave you feeling happier about yourself in general.

It might be difficult breaking out of an old habit, so start slowly if need be but stick with it as long as possible because once you find that healthy groove, there’s no going back!

Thank you for reading!

Fitness

Boost energy

After a long day working, you can feel too tired to exercise, which is one of the main excuses people give for not working out. However, exercising can make you feel more energized; it’s a paradox. Exercise improves your blood flow and promotes the release of natural endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine for enhanced energy. When you feel tired, the solution is to begin with moderate workouts and explore the benefits of caffeine. Also, ensure you get enough quality sleep and exercise during your most energetic time of the day, like in the morning before you leave for work.

Workout from home

Lack of enough funds to secure a gym membership is notably one of many people’s excuses for failing to work out. However, you don’t need an expensive gym membership to keep up with fitness; you can exercise from home. The pandemic proved that you could do many things from home, working out being among them. Watch YouTube videos for exercise, get essential equipment, find a suitable space, and develop a sustainable routine.

Fight boredom

When you’re bored, it’s challenging to look forward to working out. Fight the boredom by engaging in exercise that uplifts you; for example, skating, biking, or dancing, switch up your routine every once in a while and keep challenging yourself whenever you reach particular goals. Suppose you don’t enjoy working out alone, get a partner or sign up for group sessions.

Motivate yourself

Exercising is not an exciting activity compared to watching movies and going out with friends, but you can make it fun. Determine your reason for working out and establish workable goals; this way, you can find daily motivators to keep you going. Create an exercise chart or use online tools to track your progress and reward yourself whenever you reach a goal.

Create time

Life responsibilities, such as commuting to work, tending to the family, and running errands, can leave you feeling like there’s no time left for exercise. Just as rest is essential and part of your routine, so should exercise. Instead of making the excuse that you can’t find time to work out, create time; all you need is thirty minutes to an hour of exercise, and you can boost your health significantly. Find tricks, such as cycling, walking to work or as you run errands, using the stairs often, exercising while watching TV, or walking on a phone call.

Achieve your fitness goals by doing away with the excuses. Exercise is essential and should be part of your daily routine for optimal health. Boost your energy, work out from home, create time, and find the motivation to keep you going with your fitness journey.

Thank you for reading!

Fitness

Supporting an Ankle Injury As You Restart Exercising

July 15, 2021 By lyndsinreallife Leave a Comment

Sustaining any injury that limits how much you can exercise is crushing. No one likes to sustain an injury, and one that could potentially undo all of your hard-earned gains is a pretty tough pill to swallow.

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Ensuring you rest to allow your injury to recuperate is vital, especially if you sustain an ankle injury. Your ankle needs to support your weight, and by not giving it time to heal, you could be opening yourself up to a whole host of related problems and even making it worse than the original injury.

Once your physician gives you the all-clear to start working out again post ankle injury, you must pay attention to the cues your body is giving you regarding what type of exercise it can sustain and what could potentially cause more damage. Pain is your giveaway that something isn’t right and your body needs some attention, and ignoring the pain could be disastrous.

Supporting your ankle before and during workouts by wearing an ankle brace to help give you extra stability, or applying kt tape to an ankle before exercise can help you reduce the impact and help you avoid doing further damage. As can make sure you are alternating what exercise you are doing and when you are doing them to maximise your recovery times.

What type of exercise is good for ankle injuries?

Stationary Bike

Riding a stationary bike can allow you to exert as much or as little pressure as you need to effectively. The cycling movement can provide your ankle with a low impact workout and allow you to rebuild any loss of fitness while you are still recovering. Pay attention to time limits and try to go at a speed that doesn’t aggravate the injury and allows you to exercise as pain-free as possible.

Swimming

Swimming is the ultimate low impact exercise and allows the water to take the full weight of your body and support you as you swim. As your feet won’t sustain an impact from the motion and are supported, swimming is a great exercise for most injuries and ankle and feet related conditions.

Resistance Workouts

Resistance workouts can help you to regain the full motion of your ankle as it is healing. Follow your doctor’s advice regarding the right type of resistance workouts for your body to really gain the maximum benefits without doing any more damage to the original injury site.

Yoga or Pilates

Strengthening your core is vital to allow you to undertake more vigorous exercise and push your body to its limits. Yoga and Pilates are core training workouts and can allow you to work on your core strength and flexibility in a more low impact way. It will also include a full range of motion for your ankle, allowing you to exercise still while healing without putting too much pressure on your ankle.

Remember to make sure you are listening to your body and paying attention to increased pain levels or movements that are causing you more pain. Any sudden changes in your injury should be noted and brought to the attention of your primary care doctor to allow for further investigation.

Thank you for reading!

Fitness Health

3 Reasons You Feel Incredibly Tired After Working Out (And How To Fix This!)

June 22, 2021 By lyndsinreallife Leave a Comment

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Tiredness is somewhat normal after working out, but it shouldn’t be a case of you crashing on your sofa and feeling like you need to sleep. Obviously, working your body will tire it out, but you should still have enough energy to get on with the rest of your day. So, why are you so incredibly tired following your workouts? Here are three reasons this could be the case, along with some solutions to help you stop feeling so drained:

You didn’t have enough fuel in your body beforehand

Fueling your workouts is critical to make them more effective and intense. You need to have energy in your body to burn while working out, but the problem is that too many of us work out with a lack of energy to burn. This happens when you skip meals before working out, so your body is essentially running on empty. You burn calories while exercising, but you have no fuel left to sustain you after the workout. So, you start feeling faint, lightheaded, and exhausted.

Addressing this problem is a simple case of fueling properly before working out. Eat a carb-heavy meal or snack before exercising, leaving at least 30 mins after you eat. This will make you feel more energetic during and after the workout. Oh, and refuel after as well (definitely with protein)!

You’re dehydrated

Dehydration is super common since you sweat a lot during your workouts (meaning you lose a lot of fluids). It’s important to be hydrated before working out. You want to feel hydrated during the workout, and of course don’t forget to hydrate after the workout, as well (especially drink something with electrolytes)! This will stop the feelings of exhaustion that you tend to feel.

A couple of ways you can achieve hydration are by bringing a reusable water bottle to the gym (and constantly filling it), or you could even try IV therapy. A water bottle encourages you to drink while exercising, replacing lost fluids along the way. You can use it after the workout as well to keep your hydration levels high. The average IV therapy costs have become more affordable in modern times, and this basically provides instant hydration to your body – along with the benefit of replacing lost electrolytes. Whichever method you choose, just make sure you stay hydrated to avoid extreme tiredness.

You drank caffeine before working out

A common way to approach workouts is to have coffee or another caffeinated beverage beforehand. Certainly, if you take any pre-workout supplement, it’ll be packed full of caffeine. While it gives you a burst of energy for the workout, you tend to crash later on as the caffeine wears off. So, you’re sitting at your desk slumping over struggling to keep your eyes open!

You could fix this by avoiding caffeine before working out, or perhaps have another caffeinated beverage after to keep you going for a bit longer. At least this means you don’t fall asleep at your desk while working!

You shouldn’t struggle to work or go about your daily tasks following bouts of exercise. If you’re absolutely exhausted, it’s likely because of one of the problems above.

Thank you for reading!

Fitness

5 Fitness Tips For People Who Are Physically Challenged

May 25, 2021 By lyndsinreallife 1 Comment

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You don’t need to have full mobility to benefit from exercise. Those with disabilities and mobility challenges can also access the excellent benefits of a healthy and active lifestyle. Below you will find practical and helpful tips on how to increase your quality of life through exercise even if you’re limited in your range of movement or abilities.

Start slowly and increase activity levels

Even able-bodied people struggle to motivate themselves to exercise, so it can be harder for those with physical disabilities and challenges to find that extra spark to get them started. However, once you get going, able-bodied or not, you start to feel the benefits.

The trick is to start slowly with something you enjoy that isn’t too difficult. That could mean a short walk in the garden or park, or an activity in your home like, lifting weights or doing some yoga exercises.

Integrate activity into your daily life

If you think of your exercise routine as a chore or something you would rather not be doing, it can be difficult to continually motivate yourself to get started. That routine you had high expectations for soon falls away and you go back to wishing you were more active.

The way around this is to integrate your activity into your daily life. Choose an activity that appeals to you, not only for the exercise, but for some other reason as well. Maybe this activity lets you listen to an audiobook or visit someone you know. You can use Ergoactives to help you out.

Turn it into a daily habit

We all have habits. They develop organically, such as eating our favorite unhealthy food, or procrastinating when we should be working. Other habits are more intentional, such as exercising, using the phone less often, or eating oatmeal in the morning.

The point is that habits exist anyway and they can be either beneficial or unhelpful. In terms of your exercise routine, it will be far more useful if you view it as a positive habit and stick to your schedule until it becomes second nature.

Don’t expect your journey to be smooth sailing

Life is often unpredictable and things tend to happen that get in the way of your exercise routine. This can be frustrating if you have a dedicated practice. However, try not to worry too much or let it affect your long term goals and ambitions. You need to go with the flow then re-establish your old routine.

You might feel disheartened that your exercise routine was knocked off schedule when you were doing so well. Now you’ve fallen behind. The good news is that you now know how to get started again and you can re-establish the old habits more easily.

Stop the activity if you experience pain

If you have a physical disability or challenge, it’s important that you stay aware of this and don’t overdo it. If you experience even moderate degrees of pain and discomfort, it’s a good idea to take your foot off the gas until you feel up to it again.

Thank you for reading!

Fitness

Why Does Recovering From A Workout Take So Long? Here Are 4 Possible Reasons

April 23, 2021 By lyndsinreallife 2 Comments

Every time you workout, you need to make sure that you’re getting enough rest before your next trip to the gym. However, while some muscle soreness after your visit is only natural and to be expected, you might be worried if it seems like it takes a few days for the pain to go away. So, what can you do to reduce the pain of recovering, to recover from a workout more quickly, and ot make sure you’re able to stay active?

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Practice the proper exercise procedures

If you’re skipping these two essential processes during your workouts, then you’re going to not only take longer to recover, but you also greatly increase your risk of injuring yourself mid-workout. We are talking, of course, about warming up before exercise and cooling down after. Dynamic and static stretches are great ways to warm up, as is going for a light jog. Stretching also works as a cool down, but you can improve it by using foam rollers to massage your muscles, too.

Tackling inflammation

Inflammation is one of the top reasons your body might be sore after a workout. You might notice it if your joints, hands, feet, and arms are feeling a little swollen and a little tender. You can combat inflammation by making some changes to your diet. However, a lot of athletes are starting to use vapes a little more, especially as CBD is considered by some to be great at targeting inflammation. This can be helpful if your diet is tightly controlled so you can’t make many changes to it.

Help your blood move around

If you feel swelling in your extremities, but also numbness, then it could be a sign that your blood isn’t circulating enough after exercise. In extreme cases, this can lead to blood clots, which are more common in runners, too. Varying your exercise routine can help, as can wearing fitness compression gear, but hot pack treatments can help immediately open up your circulation, which can also reduce inflammation.

Watch how much you’re pushing yourself

It is important to consistently be pushing yourself a little harder and a little further than you did the last time you worked out. However, you have to make sure you’re doing it at a gradual pace, following an exercise plan created specifically for you, such as by an exercise app. Otherwise, if you do too much, too soon, or you are doing too many high-impact exercises, you can start to cause more shock and tension to the joints which can result in pain. You also increase the risk of muscle injuries. If your body is giving you signs to stop, you should listen to it. The natural ache of your muscles burning is one thing, but pain shouldn’t be ignored.

The more that you work out, the more that your body is going to get used to exercising. If you’re brand new to working out, expect it to feel pretty rough for a couple of days after. This shouldn’t continue as you make it a more routine thing.

Thank you for reading!

Fitness

How To Feel More Confident When Going To The Gym

March 8, 2021 By lyndsinreallife Leave a Comment

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Going to the gym is a great way to stay fit and healthy. If you have a gym membership, you’re more inclined to follow a fitness routine that will benefit your health in the long and short terms. Unfortunately, there’s one major problem that holds lots of you back: confidence. You lack the confidence to feel comfortable in a gym environment, making it harder for you to actually stick to a routine. As a result, your health and well-being suffer, and all because you don’t feel confident in yourself!

How do you address this issue and start feeling more comfortable going to the gym? It’s honestly not as hard as it initially seems. It can feel like this is a mammoth of a task, but you can slowly work on getting yourself to a point where going to the gym no longer fills you with anxiety. Here are a few ideas to try:

Work on building your own self-confidence

A good starting point is to figure out why you’re self-conscious. For many of you, this is an issue that plagues your entire life, not just when going to the gym. Perhaps it could be beneficial to work with a life coach to help understand the root of your confidence issues and how to build a sense of self-worth back up. This alone can be enough for many of you to start believing in yourself and commit to going to the gym more often.

Find the best gym environment for you

Often, your lack of confidence stems from the gym environment around you. As a newbie, you can walk into a commercial gym full of fitness models and instantly feel worse than them. Just breathing the same air as these people make you feel self-conscious, so you’re less inclined to return. Therefore, finding a better gym can be a smart way of gaining more confidence. A lot of women have started going to female-only gyms, which makes them feel so much more confident as they’re only around other women. You could also choose to go to a smaller, more private gym, rather than a massive one. If you haven’t already seen and read it, there’s another post on this blog specifically about choosing the right gym. Feel free to check it out here.

Learn the basics at home

For most people, a lack of gym confidence comes from a lack of ability. You don’t really know what you’re doing, so you’re self-conscious when entering the gym. This happens to just about everyone when they start working out, so don’t worry. The best idea is to learn the basics at home and build your confidence in your own abilities. When you’re more confident at working out at home, you can transition into the gym. Or, go to the gym during the quietest hours when hardly anyone is around, so you can learn and practice in peace. It’s all about taking baby steps to build your skills and have fewer things to worry about.

Becoming more confident in a gym environment is so beneficial for your health & wellbeing! Going to the gym will no longer feel like a huge challenge, making it so easy to stick to a regular routine. From here, you’ll see all the health and fitness advantages!

Thank you for reading!

Fitness

6 Big Fitness Training Mistakes To Avoid

February 1, 2021 By lyndsinreallife 1 Comment

There’s all kinds of contrasting information out there, and this can mean that training optimally can be tough. Most people make training mistakes at some point, where they are starting out or years into their journey. The odd training mistake won’t ruin your progress, but if you keep on making them, you could end up disheartened, with injuries, and suffering from imbalances. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some big training mistakes to avoid:

Running Before You Can Walk

Everyone needs to master the basics, and even those who are pros in the gym can afford to go back to them from time to time. If you try to overcomplicate things, you’re going to run into problems. If you do it right, even a simple programme can help you to improve and get you great results. From there, you can build. However, never underestimate the effectiveness of going back to basics!

Going For Weights Over Form

Ego training is another huge issue. Form is far more important than the weight you are lifting. While you need to challenge yourself in your training, go too heavy and you could hurt yourself. If your form isn’t right, you will develop an injury or a problem. Form first, weight second.

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Not Training Your Entire Body

Training your entire body is crucial, unless you want to develop muscle imbalances. You may think you already have strong legs or strong arms, but you should still train them. Balancing out your body parts and ensuring overall strength is smart and functional. You don’t want huge arms and stick thin legs, or vice versa. You can put more focus on a body part you particularly want to build, but you should never do this to the detriment of other body parts. A sensible training split is key.

Forgetting To Work On Flexibility and Range of Motion

Working on your flexibility and range of motion is crucial when building muscle. If you fail to do this, you could end up with stiff, tight limbs, and you’ll become more prone to injury and issues later on down the line.

Changing Up Your Program Too Often

If you change up your program all the time, how will you know if you’re improving? It’s a good idea to stick to a program for anywhere from 1-3 months, so you can track particular exercises and ways of training. You’ll notice whether you are getting stronger, fitter, and whether you are finding them easier this way. Somebody like Dr. Marvell Scott can help you to stay accountable with a program that you enjoy.

Not Eating To Fuel Your Sessions

It isn’t all about your training. If you don’t eat to support your training and your goals, you’re going to have mediocre sessions and mediocre results. When training with weights, adequate protein intake is key. You need carbs for energy, and healthy fats, too. Women especially need to ensure they are getting enough healthy fats so that their menstruation cycles are supported. It’s a good idea to learn how to track macros so you can ensure you’re eating balanced meals with everything you need. This way, you can incorporate things you actually enjoy, too, rather than follow an unsustainable way of eating that you won’t stick to long term.

Thank you for reading!