BlogCheck out free tips on exercise, nutrition and lifestyle to help you start getting back on the fitness track!
|
Being parent is busy and it can take a lot out of you. The consistent changes of kids interests, the continued maturation of children and how this really leads to self neglect. Dad's are kind of up against it with ghost from the past creeping up reminding you of what you once were and how far from that we have gone. Whether that's looking in the mirror, hopping on a scale, seeing an old photo, or somebody making a comment that just sits in the mind and festers. Frustration begins to swell and there is the trigger leading to change. Let's dig in and learn ways to fix this issue even with little time to allocate. 10 tips TO GET FIT WITH LITTLE TIME: fitness for busy dads Being a parent is a busy job. Add a job and all the external things in life and we’re talking a pretty packed schedule. So where is fitness for busy dads? Sometimes it’s just nonexistent and no thought of it ever being put in. Most dads can remember back to when their testosterone was at an all-time high and just not having to worry about what they ate. Then 20 years later busy as ever and a gut that cannot be shook. Multitudes of things have occurred since then and some are within control while others are not. With time being a constraint and overall motivation the thought is why bother and that is completely understandable given the situation. For those who are reading this we are going to help change that thought and give tips that can help dad get back physically and mentally better than ever. 1. sleep over cardio Really sleep over almost anything because without it hormones, body fat, cognitive function and recovery are thrown out of balance. The expression “Sleep over Cardio” is more so do not lose sleep over fitting exercise in. If waking up early is the only way to get a workout in, then going to bed earlier will ensure sleep isn’t lost. This does not mean forget about exercise but if in the process of exercising health declines or becomes limited what does it matter that dad is exercising if his health is taking a hit. 2. stop eating junk food Fast food, sodas, alcohol, processed foods and sweets are just messing up any chance at getting healthier. Fast food kills calories for the day because there is less protein and more carbs and fats that are in these types of foods. Each meal can be loaded with enough sodium to fill the daily requirements. Soda and alcohol are liquid calories that provide issues with gut health and take up space with in macros. Processed foods are much like fast food and have no place in a diet. Sweets have a greater issue and that is the large influx of carbohydrates and the inability to absorb all of these carbs and utilize them as fuel. 3. boost the metabolism How do we best boost the metabolism? By adding more contractile tissue this improves the basal metabolic rate. The basal metabolic rate is how many calories are burned at rest during the day. Lifting weights puts the muscle on and avoiding cardio will eliminate losing muscle in the process. Weight lifting should be done 2 to 4 times per week 30-45 minutes. Using a simple split of lower body one day and upper body on another will hit the larger muscle groups. Utilizing compound exercises like lat pull downs, squats and deadlifts can hit multiple muscle groups. Using compound exercises helps hit muscles otherwise would require isolation exercises. This saves time and can get you in and out of the gym in no time. Same principles are applied with at home workouts. 4. post meal walks Throughout this article, cardio has been dismissed and for good reason. There’s a better way that is less time consuming. After every meal eaten walk for 10 minutes this will improve physical activity and the glucose spike after eating. Recommended physical activity per week is 150 minutes and with this plan in place 210 minutes can be achieved if three meals are eaten a day with three walks. A glucose spike can last for an hour after starting a meal. Walking helps speed up the absorption rate and improves the digestion process. Simply put when standing there is a straight line from where the food enters to where the food exits. 5. micronutrient intake Everybody talks about macros, myself included, but micronutrients can be just as important in maintaining health and fitness. Micronutrients are many so we’ll name a few: zinc, magnesium, B6, Vitamin C and vitamin E. Micronutrients play a huge factor in immune function, muscular contraction, hormone balance, hydration and many other valuable duties. When getting adequate micronutrients means having optimal body function, better hormone regulation and improved energy that will contribute to making normal daily task a lot easier to perform. Proper nourishment is best taken from food rather than supplementation. There are many cases where supplementation can provide more than we actually need and a balanced diet can create less of an over consumption of these items. 6. prep at least breakfast and lunch Two meals that seem to be the most difficult to get in are breakfast and lunch. Breakfast usually consists of coffee with a piece of toast or something that really has no nutritional value. Then lunch is picking something up like fast food, food trucks or something that’s at work. All these options are horrible. If the meals are prepped there’s no temptation, there’s no guess work and the food is right in front of you to nourish the body. Dinner most people have little trouble but if it is a problem prep three meals a day. Plus meal prep according to many articles is the only reliable indicator of whether somebody’s diet will succeed. 7. red meat Many of the tips are nutrition related for a reason. Micronutrients and macronutrients dictate our personal health and are things that can be measured. Protein may be one of the macronutrients that most of us do not get. A western way of eating has transitioned more towards that of fats and carbohydrates. Protein is lost in the conversation. With so many hit pieces on red meat people avoid it like the plague. However there are no studies that actually give the exact meats that were eaten or what state these people during the studies were in. Red meat is the most nutrient dense food there is. The protein, the creatine, the l carnitine and many micronutrients are packed into red meat. Vegetables, fruits and pretty much anything else that could be thought of does not compare to the nutrients in red meat. Eat quality red meat to obtain these benefits. 8. avoid caffeine Caffeine in the moment can seem like it’s great to get through the day or to give that boost needed. Caffeine can affect many facets of life in a negative way. Recovery becomes more difficult with adrenals being taxed beyond the capacity. Cortisol levels get messed up destroying sleep and as sleep is disrupted the body produces more body fat. Caffeine can seem good in the moment and definitely can have it’s place but abuse of it is pretty common nowadays with coffee, energy and pre workouts that have 300mg in them. 9. get at home workout equipment Get equipment for home. Driving to the gym is eliminated, having a strict schedule is eliminated and equipment is readily available for use whenever. Many pieces of equipment can be utilized at home: TRX, dumbbells, kettlebells, medicine balls, bands and many other items are inexpensive that can be bought for home. Body weight exercises can be utilized as well. Not much time is needed to do these types of workouts and can implemented into any lifestyle. 10. set a firm schedule Without planning most things won’t occur. Adding exercise, nutrition and proper sleep must be thought out and planned. Scheduling a day will allot time for all items deemed necessary. Time that is wasted usually will be revealed through the process. Typically people find phone use, streaming, and many leisure activities use up a lot of the day. Finding where there is time can give time to meal prep and exercise.
Fitness for busy dads is usually more of a lack of structure and knowledge than anything else. Scheduling time frees up more time to implement the changes needed for success through meal prep and exercise being inserted into free time. Implementing nutrient dense foods like red meat will help with balanced hormone production. Avoid caffeine and junk food is eliminating irritants to goals and the body making the steps toward the goals that much easier. Having workout equipment at home making working out more accessible, easier to schedule and like most things saves time. Post meal walks eliminate time consuming cardio, aid in reducing the glucose spike with better digestion and improve physical activity. Getting sleep and boosting metabolism will be the icing on the cake once the other tips are achieved. Have trouble figuring it out or simply need help let’s chat.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorCasey Christianson Archives
January 2023
Categories |
Services |
Company |
Support |
© COPYRIGHT 2018. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
|
Website Design by My Personal Trainer Website
|