Whether you’re a busy mum, a commuter or a sedentary office worker, Charmaine Yabsley rounds up these tips for keeping in top form.
Did you know?
Just over half of all Australians exercise enough to gain health benefits.
According to the most recent National Physical Activity survey, about 15 per cent of Australians don’t engage in any leisure-time physical activity.
A US study found slim women need an hour of moderate exercise every day to maintain their weight. So how can you fit exercise into your busy day? We look at five very different life scenarios and exercise expert Courtney Hargrave gives some realistic solutions to fitting in your hour a day.
The new mum
Problem: You’re a new mum or work from home with children.
Solution: “If you’ve just had a baby, then workout groups where the baby can come along, or a gym with a creche are perfect – you and the baby will benefit from the extracurricular socialising,” Hargrave says. “Or put an exercise DVD on while your baby is having a nap or is playing. And don’t forget the benefits of exercising together – a walk to a park 20 minutes away will make up your final hour and your baby will sleep better from getting out in the fresh air too.
“For those who work from home, use fitness websites and do just 20 minutes of exercise, three times a day, in your office – a mini workout is better than nothing. Or start your day 20 minutes earlier with a walk.”
The jetsetter
Problem: You travel a lot for work.
Solution: “About 1.1 million Australians travelled overseas for business reasons during 2010,” says Rowan Barker, media and commerce manager for the Tourism & Transport Forum.
If you’re constantly on a plane or in a hotel room and about to head out for another calorie-laden business dinner, how do you keep your fitness levels in check?
“Pack smart,” Hargrave says. “A resistance band doesn’t weigh much and you can attach it to your hotel door and do bicep curls and leg lifts. Take a fitness DVD with you so you’ve got some instruction and a set timeframe to work out to.”
Make the most of your hotel facilities. Swimming pools are usually heated and open late, so don’t forget your swimmers. “Using the stairs instead of the lift is a way to burn calories, and walk to or from dinner to work off the meal.”
The commuter
Problem: Travel by train or car? Then you’ll know you spend long hours in traffic or commuting by public transport – time that could be better spent exercising.
Solution: “Use your lunch hour wisely and attend a 40-minute express class offered by most gyms or a Power Plate class, which is only 30 minutes,” Hargrave says.
Use your hours cleverly. Ask to come in early or stay later (you’ll avoid the traffic) if it means you can get your exercise time in. And move as much as possible throughout the day. “Don’t sit down for too long,” Hargrave says. “Get up from your desk every hour, fill your glass with water and do a stretch.”
The single mum
Problem: You’re a single mother. About 22 per cent of families with children under 15 are single-parent families and 90 per cent of these are headed by women. If you’re the only one in charge, fitting in any sort of exercise routine seems impossible.
Solution: “Many council-run gyms have relatively cheap creches,” Hargrave says. “These will give you some respite from 24-hour child care too. If your children are older, try taking part in their sports: practise netball or football with them for some great cardiovascular workouts.”
The workaholic
Problem: You work long hours. Australians average about 42 hours a week at work. It’s no wonder we have no time to work out, when we’re so busy working. And our health is suffering. In a study published in the British Journal Of Sports Medicine last year, Swedish researchers found that sitting all day may significantly boost the risk of lifestyle-related diseases, even if you do manage to fit in some exercise.
Solution: “It is recommended that we get 30 minutes of exercise a day for every nine hours you work,” Hargrave says. “Use a wireless headphone and walk while you talk. Stand up – you’ll use more muscles than sitting down.”
When you do sit, Hargrave advises: “Sit on an exercise ball at your desk. It’ll strengthen your core and relieve lower-back pain.”
And don’t make the mistake of exhausting yourself at the weekends. “Use the weekend for exercise which relieves stress,” Hargrave says. ”If your levels of cortisol – the stress hormone – are elevated from Monday to Friday, try to lower them as much as possible on weekends. Take a long walk somewhere pleasant, outdoors, at food markets, shopping or art galleries, or with the family. If you do want to don some Lycra, do a cardio class and make sure you stretch before and after.”
5 ways to have more time, by Marie Rowland
It seems we never have enough time. Whether it’s running for a meeting, doing the school pick-up or even finding a moment to unwind, time seems to get away from us. Here are five ways to buy back the minutes.
- Plan your day and even your week, diarise it and stick to it. Include personal, professional and social commitments. This way, you get a bird’s-eye view of the landscape of your life.
- Monitor and limit your time on the internet, especially social media, as it can swallow up chunks of time.
- If you are habitually late and refuse to get up early or to make provision for bad timing, simply set your watch 15 minutes ahead.
- Prioritise your time. Remember, once it’s gone it can never be recovered. So allocate time to the things that are important to you.
- Differentiate between down time and wasted time. Wiling away the hours reading a book or soaking in the bath can be time well spent. Waiting for a phone call that may never come is dead time.
