Thanks to Andrew Rubalcava for this Guest Post! Andrew’s site Go Healthy Go Fit is a newcomer in the health and fitness blogosphere having just started a couple months ago. Be sure to drop by and read Andrew’s interview of me if you haven’t already.
Everyone has got a different schedule these days. Whether you’re a business person working 9 to 5, a college kid with a varying schedule, or anything in between, eating healthy and staying fit poses the same challenge to any lifestyle or schedule. On my site, Go Healthy Go Fit, I break up different lifestyles by categories that encompass a certain type of schedule. This way you can identify what category best matches your current lifestyle and read about the tips. It’s just about tweaking it to fit your particular schedule. So here are a few helpful tips about staying Primal in any lifestyle!
The Business Person
The great thing about having a 9 to 5 job is that it’s consistent. You can build a routine for yourself that allows you to maintain a healthy diet (i.e. getting all your fruits and vegetables, good fats and lean protein). Here are a few points on how to stay healthy throughout the day.
Pack a lunch, save some money – As Mark can tell you, nothing substitutes for a good salad! Plus you can always change it up by substituting in different type of nuts (Almonds, Brazil nuts, Walnuts) and berries. Hint: put your dressing in a separate small container
Pack small meals for throughout the day – Mark just wrote about 10 steps to Primalize Your Pantry, and in that post he’s got my 3 favorite mid day snacks: Nuts, dried fruits and jerky! You don’t have to refrigerate them and they’re great for when you’re on the go. Make sure you pack an appropriate amount so that you won’t binge out on these.
Get a sturdy water bottle – Keeping water handy is a really smart idea. Sometimes if you’re working, you’ll just forget to drink water for long periods of time. If you buy a strong, reusable water bottle you can refill it often and cut down on waste.
As for staying fit, this may be easier than you might imagine. Only you are able to make the decision about when to go to the gym. But that doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of your time at the office.
Wireless headset – If a big part of your day is spent on the phone, get a wireless headset and make a habit of walking while you talk. It might not sound like a workout, but as the Primal Blueprint has shown us, walking is a very important part of sound health. So why not maximize the time you have to simply walk around?
Get a grip – You can use a stress ball, grip exerciser, etc. to exercise your grip while you’re pacing around on your wireless headset. These days, a lot of people tend to forget about working out their grip, but it’s a key component in the amount of weight you can lift.
Join a weekend sports league – This is a great way to satisfy your inner need to play, exercise, get some sun. By joining a league, you create a commitment to others and thus are more likely to honor that commitment.
The College Kid
You can substitute blogger, business owner, or independent personal trainer in for this title. This category is basically for those of us whose schedule requires a self-starter mentality. We don’t necessarily have a set schedule, however, time can fly when you are constantly moving from one thing to another.
Set reminders – Set an alarm on your phone or computer to remind you to eat. This doesn’t have to include every meal or be the same every day, as intermittent fasting has shown us, but it can be a reminder that it’s been too long since you last ate.
Cook your meals – This is key. If you work from home, take advantage and make your own meals. It’s a much healthier alternative and it doesn’t have to take up your whole day. Check out Mark’s tips for quick cooking in 15 Minutes Or Less.
Take a cooler – If you are always out and about, think about bringing a cooler with you. It will take away the temptation of fast food on the go.
While the consistency for the 9 to 5’er is a plus, the inconsistency for those with dynamic schedules is also just as much of a plus (I always like to look on the bright side!).
Switch it up – Since you make up your own schedule, go to the gym at different times of the day. It will help you get better results if you workout in different ways and at different times of the day. Mark talks about why mixing it up is important for your fitness progress as well. It will make visits to the gym more fun as you’ll see different faces. Simply by exercising your freedom to go to the gym whenever you want can be rewarding in and of itself.
Go for a walk – Please, if you don’t have to be confined by a cubicle, take advantage of it and go for a walk. You’ll get some sun, a Primal exercise and you’ll put a smile on your face in the process!
Those are just a few tips to incorporate living a healthier, more Primal existence under different types of lifestyles. The key is to find out what works for you. I want to give a big thanks to Mark for asking me to write this guest post and to all of the faithful readers of MDA!! I look forward to hearing your comments on how you incorporate leading a healthy lifestyle into your schedule.
