When we get busy, the first thing that tends to get discarded is anything that can be classified as “me time”, from your workouts to hanging out with your friends.
The thing is, if you are not feeling your best, it’s not as easy to give your best to others, such as your family, so if you can fit in even 20 minutes for yourself, it will likely do a world of good.
Here are some ideas for those of us who are time-poor, but want to try and fit some fitness back into their schedules.
Get the kids involved
Get the kids to see your workout time as fun for them too. Have a circuit in mind, or a workout video, and have them follow along too best they can. Or if you have a garden, set them some exercises, such as running to the back fence and back, that they can do as you do your workout.
Make use of resistance equipment
You don’t need to dedicate two hours in the weights room to increase your fitness – and what parent has the time? Instead, get familiar with portable, lightweight resistance equipment, such as the active bands and loops from Medifit. Created by rugby union legends Matt Dixon and George Gregan, these resistance tools can help take your regular workouts to the next level no matter where you are.
By adding an active loop around your legs during squats and bridges, for example, you can increase the intensity of the exercise and really test your muscles. Active bands can be used for a quick upper-body strength workout and can aid stretching and recovery sessions, too.
Resistance bands and loops are also low-impact, which means they’re easier on your joints and perfect for parents who are just getting back into fitness. Keep them in your work bag for a speedy session at your desk, take them on holiday for a quick hotel-room workout or use them at home to add an extra burn to floor-based moves like lunges.
Utilise technology
Technology rules the world these days, so it makes sense that it has also revolutionised fitness and has made it even better. Back in 2020, an Aussie brand called Vitruvian released an innovative machine that works as an entire home gym, and a spotter in one.
Coming in the form of a sleek slim-line platform, the machine utilises revolutionary AI technology to act as a virtual personal trainer, adjusting the weight to individual users in real-time, loading and unloading the optimal resistance, without the need for a spotter. The result? An effective, time-savvy workout that can easily fit into your lifestyle.
Vitruvian also makes it easy to train in both the concentric and eccentric phases of an exercise, which means that if you are savvy with your workouts, you can easily have your training done within 15 minutes. Brilliant for a time-poor parent!
There are so many great ways to work out these days. Find something that you enjoy and make it work for you.
