In the whirlwind of a busy professional life, maintaining a healthy lifestyle often takes a backseat. However, prioritizing fitness is not only essential for physical well-being but also for mental clarity and sustained productivity. This article delves into the significance of movement, stress regulation, strategic fitness strategies, the role of nutrition and sleep, and the concept of progressive overload in the lives of busy professionals.
Why Is Movement Important?
Let’s face it, folks, we’re not just talking about avoiding the elevator because it’s crowded. Regular exercise not only keeps your muscles in shape but also your sanity intact during those long meetings. When you’re buried under a mountain of emails, a quick walk around the office can do wonders for your mood and productivity.
Why Regulating Stress With A Busy Schedule Is Essential
Stress management is key for a sharp mind and body. It’s also important when trying to prevent those embarrassing moments when you accidentally send an email to the wrong person because your brain is fried. Incorporating stress-relieving activities like yoga or even kitchen karaoke (yes, singing counts!) can save your sanity and your career.
In terms of health, cortisol is a hormone produced when a stress response is triggered. A 2018 study showed that extreme stress resulted in a nine-fold increase in cortisol compared with in relaxed periods. While cortisol is neccessary for managing your body’s reaction to stress, it can also be a problem if it’s constantly high (extreme, chronic stress). This can impact everything from blood sugar to body fat gain, so managing stress is essential for not just mental but also physical health.
Strategic Fitness For Busy Professionals
Shorter, More Frequent Workouts
You don’t need hours to get a solid workout in. In fact, sometimes just 20-30 minutes will do the trick. The problem we see with most “short workouts for busy CEOs” is that they are mostly conditioning work which may seem like a good workout because your heart rate is up and you’re sweating, but you aren’t incorporating progressive overload or making progress toward a goal. Your body composition probably won’t change much and you most likely won’t build muscle if you’re only doing HIIT workouts for training. In fact, you’ll get way more out of 2 moves most days of the week and with the right intensity than you will with a 15 min AMRAP. So skip the HIIT workout and hit your main compound foundational movements for the most bang for your buck.
Active Commuting
Who needs a fancy gym membership when you can turn your commute into a cardio session? If you can grab your bike, add some extra steps, or take the stairs instead you’ll see some benefits to your health. Plus, you can have a positive impact on the environment when you reduce your driving time.
Utilize The Weekends
Weekends are for brunch, Netflix, and… oh yeah, fitness. “Winning your weekends” can help you stay on track toward your goals when you’re busier during the week. However, you want to be careful not to go overboard by staying sedentary Monday through Friday then going hard on Saturday for hours in the gym. It’s important not to over stress your body one day of the week. You are welcome to go a little harder on the weekends, but be sure to incorporate some of your training during the week, even if your workouts are a little shorter on those days.
Mindful Nutrition
Opt for nutrient-packed snacks like almonds or Greek yogurt to keep your energy levels up without the dreaded post-snack slump. And remember, everything in moderation – yes, even those office donuts. Grab and go high-protein snacks like protein shakes, smoothies, beef jerky, cheese sticks, and even hard boiled eggs can help you hit your protein goals and stay energized while on the go.
Prioritize Sleep
Sleep: the ultimate productivity hack. Forget burning the midnight oil; your brain needs its beauty rest to tackle those early morning meetings and endless emails. So tuck yourself in early and dream of that promotion. And if all else fails, invest in a good pair of noise-canceling headphones to drown out the sound of your neighbor’s late-night party or your partner’s snoring. Really, though, sleep is probably the most important factor when it comes to fitness results and work productivity so don’t slack on your eight hours of quality sleep.
Mastering Fitness For Busy Professionals
In the fast-paced world of modern work, finding time for fitness can seem impossible. But with a little creativity and a lot of determination, you can make it happen.
The important thing is to manage stress as best you can. More is not always better. Sometimes less exercise and more sleep is the answer. It’s important to balance all the variables and do what works for YOU. We have many busy professionals, successful leaders, and corporate bosses on our team as clients and we program individually for each and every one. Because no one has the same schedule or goals.
If you’re looking for individualized coaching and help getting your fitness program and schedule under control so you can better reach your goals, fill out an interest form and we can hop on a free 30 minute consult call to discuss if coaching is right for you!
