Picture the scene. It's Tuesday. You've been so busy lately preparing for tomorrow's meeting, you lose track of time. It's almost midnight! You need to wind down so you decide to watch some trash TV, or read a book for a while. At 12:47 you decide to go to bed. You suddenly wake up at 2:53 am, use the bathroom and hop back into bed, but can't sleep. You have too many thoughts running through your mind.
Finally you nod off but the alarm sounds and it's now 6:30am and you feel like you've just fallen asleep. Knowing you have a hectic day ahead, you feel the need for a kick-start so you grab a coffee, shower, dress and prepare for the rush hour commute into work. You jump on the crowded tube, your nose two inches away from some obese guys' armpit that has a smell you can only describe as a vintage blue cheese and onion cocktail. After 5 minutes of this, you
decide it's too much and get off the train 2 stops early. Walking the rest if the way to work, you grab another quick coffee and a muffin for breakfast.
It's crazy at work. The big meeting is in an hour and you have to check your emails beforehand...over a hundred of them! Now you battle your way through the meeting, lunch and then realize you have a colleague's leaving do to contend with. At this stage, all you've had to eat is a breakfast muffin, a bagel, and a cheese sandwich from the local vending machine, which had less taste and nutritional value than a piece of cardboard it came in! Oh, and you've also managed to down 4 coffees to “keep your energy”
Your colleague's leaving do was non stop drinking. You leave feeling ravenous from all that drinking and stop to
grab a kebab on the way home. Your lamb Shish contained more oil than a BP filling station, and had less meat than a butchers apron, but you are not too worried about that as you've hardly eaten anything all day. It's past midnight and you pass out. You wake up the next morning feeling fat, fatigued and dehydrated.
Sound familiar? Would you say your average week looks something similar to this? If so, the chances are you're finding it rather difficult to follow a healthy diet and fitness regime. But there is a way to make your life healthy while still being the life and soul of the party. People who lead hectic lifestyles need realistic training programmes. So before you reach for that second coffee of the day, read on.
No More Excuses!
Below are a few excuses we hear all the time.
“I don't have time to train” The following workouts take only 2 or 3 hours out of your week.
“I don't have time to prepare my meals, so I eat out” If you simply must eat out, then look for the best places. I have listed a few tips below.
“I don't like going to gyms”Fair enough, don't go. Hire a personal trainer that will train you at home or in a studio.
Eating Out
As an executive working in the city, you will be eating out a lot - it's part of your job. But when eating out, whether it's for breakfast, lunch or dinner, you should follow these guidelines to ensure you get the most out of it. If you have a nutritionist or a personal trainer, let them take you out and give you the best tips. Or simply follow these easy pointers:
Choice of restaurant, cafe or bar – Pick a reputable place with an extensive menu. There should be at least one red and white meat dish on the menu. If there is somewhere renowned for its free-range /organic selection, then eat there.
Alcohol - Try your best to avoid drinking alcohol on an empty stomach. Finish your meal then indulge in your favourite red.
Starter - Do not order a high carb meal before your main. This will half-fill you and may prevent you finishing your main. Order a light meat salad or soup without the bread.
Mains - Opt for a meat dish (not deep fried) with vegetables. Do not order a huge creamy pasta meal as you'll probably feel bloated.. For most, meat (especially red) means sustained energy – pasta does not. If you're feeling ravenous you'll end up inhaling your food causing indigestion, which can lead to fungal infection and parasites. Food should be chewed until liquified. We have molars for a reason!
Dessert – Try your best to stay away from sweets. Maybe choose a selection of fine cheeses or unsweetened fruit.
Keeping it real
Let's face it, if you're working 80 hours a week, it's going to be very unlikely you'll have time to train an hour a day, 5 days a week. This is why you need to set yourself realistic times so you know work will not interfere. Schedule your training on the least busy days.
Mondays are usually out, Tuesdays are a maybe, but the rest of the week may be looking better. The time of day obviously depends on when you're most likely to not cancel. The best times of day to train are between late am to early pm. If you can train during these periods then great. The mornings would be your next bet as after work, you'll probably be too tired to train. Your body is winding down when it gets dark and prepares itself for rest and recovery. If you can train your body to wake up an hour earlier on training days then you'll find you'll have more energy for the rest of the day. The body and brain appreciates consistency.
Example Workout Schedules:
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday: Training
Monday, Thursday & Saturday: Off
Monday, Tuesday, Friday & Sunday: Off
Wednesday, Thursday & Saturday: Training
Each of these workouts, with the exception of weekends, are only 30 minutes, max. If you can spare more time then add another set.
Training is ESSENTIAL for you to maintain or better your health. If work is stressing you out, you need to get out of the office and catch up with your trainer, go to the gym, or just simply go for a walk and catch some vitamin D (if it's sunny). Block out two or three, 45 to 60 minutes sessions during the week for your health, wellbeing and stress management. Too busy to even sort your diary - get your PA to do it. If you have a trainer, get them to collaborate with your PA to organise regular slots.
Exercise selection
If you are training for only half an hour a day then stick with squats, dead lifts, pressing and pulling exercises. If you don't mind spending money on a Trainer then that would obviously be the best way to go.
Diet (scary word for most)
Most of us moan and groan at the prospect of dieting. Sad but true, there's no way to properly address fat loss without mentioning diet.
Diet does not have to be based on deprivation, nor will it be mostly carbohydrate based. For most of us, our bodies thrive on NATURAL fats and proteins. I will not go into too much detail as you may get bored. To keep it nice and simple...think natural, organic foods. We weren't designed to consume microwave meals, processed crap that looks like plastic and is covered in sugar.
Our bodies cannot cope with excess artificial sweeteners, colourings and flavourings, soda drinks, sugar, trans fatty acids. Read the nutritional labels on foods and drinks. If there's an ingredient that competes with the longest word in the English dictionary, or has numbers in it, throw it out. If body fat loss is your main objective, keep it simple and natural as often as you can. If you like meat and feel great after consumption then eat meat. Same for vegetable and fruits. Try and eat a protein with every meal. If the meat, egg or fish is free-range, organic, the fat and protein content will be better quality. Good fat is sustained energy for most people, sugar is not. If you've been relying on carbohydrates (bread, pastas, rice, potatoes) for energy most of your life, but have not seen a decrease in body fat levels, switch to the other macronutrients; fats and proteins.
Summarizing up
You have limited time during your week, so it may be hard to fit any training in, but not impossible. If you have only 10 minutes to spare then do some body weight squats, lunges and press ups just before breakfast or bed.
Remember...”all bodies are slow in growth but rapid in decay” – Publius Cornelius Tacitus
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