Work can be extremely stressful. Today, we’ll discuss how people can use exercise as an outlet to relieve their stress. When it comes to fitness, there are hundreds of trends that come and go. Rather than looking at what’s popular today, consider what you’d like to accomplish instead. Jumping into the latest fad isn’t always the best option. Furthermore, weight loss should never be your primary motivator. Your mindset should be that you’re going to lose weight by adopting better habits as opposed to adopting better habits for the sole purpose of losing weight. That being said, here are a few components of the fitness industry to consider when trying to relieve work-related stress.
Wearable Technology
Similar to work, when it comes to fitness it is always a good idea to measure your efforts. Streamlining fitness and broadening accessibility, wearable technology can provide easy motivation and tracking when a personal trainer isn’t an option. The visual component of tracking apps brings a tangible element to exercising even when you don’t see results right away. Heart-rate monitors, smartwatches and step counters are great ways to reveal the incremental changes happening to your body. There are several options available that are widely affordable. For example, Fitbit has been a leading technology in the fitness space for quite some time now.
Group Training
The great thing about group training is that there are so many different kinds of classes that are taught on a regular basis, it’s just a matter of time until you find out what works best for you. Also, many people find it motivational to be in a group setting. Circuit and HIIT training are good ways to keep your workouts varied and get immediate feedback from someone who will correct your form while pushing you to do more. It also happens to be a great way to meet new people with a common interest.
Nutrition/Exercise Balance
Many people assume that just making changes to their diet or just exercising more is sufficient to make a real impact on their overall fitness. However, real results happen when they combine the two facets. A great way to monitor intake while ensuring you’re eating properly is to meal prep. Meal prepping allows you to portion out your meals for the week, and there are lots of easy meal plans that can be found online. If eating the same thing every day really isn’t your thing, consider making two different meals for the week and alternating.
Food for Thought
I’d like to circle back to the idea of figuring out what you’d like to achieve. Keep your goals manageable – i.e. lower your BMI by a small amount or cut fat/sugar from your diet two days a week. There’s no goal that’s too small. Pick one and get started today. As you get the hang of things, feel free to create more goals as your fitness journey evolves.
