Throughout my day I wear many hats. I am a father, a husband, an attorney, a nonprofit board member, a Rotarian, a Red Cross volunteer, and a wannabe Ironman. As a result of my many roles that I play during the day, it is essential for me to be prepared in order to be successful. I?m sure many of you are also in the same situation and probably even have more obligations and responsibilities. It is essential for you to be prepared as well.
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Now I?m not going to throw down some impressive time-management routine that I?ve figured out, or refer you to some mapping software sight that will help you run your life directly from your iPhone. But as a person who has spent the past two years changing his life through diet and exercise, I will share with you some of the tips and tricks that I use to keep myself on a the health and fitness routine.
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As far as nutrition goes there are several things that I do to keep myself on track. I have discovered that as soon as I stop planning ahead, my nutrition suffers. I am quick to grab something that is easy and convenient and then rationalize, after the fact, that the grilled chicken sandwich really wasn?t that bad for me.
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One of the biggest things that I have done to keep myself on track for my nutrition is to make my grocery shopping trips twice a week. I will always be at the store on Sunday to make sure that I have the supplies that I need to get me through most of the week. I will then always go back to the store on Wednesday night to pick up those items that I run out of during the week.
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As you start to eat healthier foods you will find that they expire must faster than the processed foods. If you load up with a lot of perishable items once a week you will soon find out that you?ll be throwing a lot of money away. You will also spend a lot of time in the store if you?re going only once a week and nobody likes to spend a lot of time at the grocery store. So by going twice a week you can save time overall and save money.
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Another tip that I have is to find foods that you really enjoy and make them a staple of your diet. There is nothing wrong with having a routine with your eating. Actually I find it quite helpful to know that week after week I?ll be buying the same things when I go to the store. Now that?s not to say that you can?t mix things up once in a while and add new foods to the menu, but if you have a core group of foods that make up the base of your nutritional plan it will save you time each week in planning and preparation.
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I also make a grocery list before I go to the store. I spend a few minutes going through the refrigerator and the pantry to see what items I?m low on or out of. That helps me a couple of ways once I get to the store. I know exactly what I?m looking for so I?m not aimlessly wandering through the aisles. It also keeps me from impulse buying. I?m really a check the list kind of guy and if it?s not on my list chances are that it?s not going to end up in my cart. I highly recommend the app Grocery Gadget to help with your grocery shopping. You knew I had to throw out at least one app, right?
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As for food preparation, after I get back from the store I will chop up enough vegetables to make salads for lunch for a few days. I store the chopped veggies in plastic containers in the refrigerator so that in the morning I can just grab the containers and make a salad. It really saves me a lot of time and it helps me stay on track to eat healthy. Most of us are extremely pressed for time in the mornings and this can be a great way to save you time.
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Another good tip is to use an insulated lunch bag. This has been such a help to me because I travel a lot for my job. With the insulated bag I can throw my snacks and lunch in there and take them on the road with me. By keeping a healthy lunch and healthy snacks with me, I?m less tempted to hit a fast food restaurant, which is really easy to do when you?re on the road.
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Your training also requires planning. I have my kids every other weekend so I want to spend as much time with them as I can. A three-hour bike ride can easily interfere with that special time together. So I will plan accordingly and get up early on the weekend mornings to get my workouts completed before they get up. Yes, it stinks to have to get up early on your days off, but making time for my family is my most important priority. Try to find times that you can get your workouts in without interrupting your normal daily routine. That can be very difficult to do but it is very rewarding.
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I also will keep checklists for myself to make sure that I have everything with me for the day, especially if I?m working out immediately after work. I love riding with the Bluegrass Cycling Club, and twice a week we meet at 6 pm. I don?t have enough time after work in Georgetown to get back to Lexington to get all of my stuff and then get to the rides. Because of that I will pack everything up in the morning, including strapping my bike to my car, so that I can go straight to the ride.
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Maybe that sounds fairly simple, but when you have to pack shorts, shirt, socks, riding shoes, gloves, helmet, bike, pump, water bottles, sunglasses, RoadID, Garmin, towel, nutrition and whatever else it is important to make sure that you have it all, it can be mind-boggling. Making list helps me make sure I get all the things I need to have a great ride. Otherwise you could miss your ride because you don?t have what you need. Making lists ahead of time can be a lifesaver and keep you from being rushed when you?re trying to get out the door.
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This week I want to challenge you to look at your health and fitness routine. Is it where you want it to be? Do you find that you don?t eat as healthy as you should, or work out like you should, on some days simply because you ?don?t have the time?? If you developed some simple planning strategies could you overcome that excuse? I bet you could. Give it a shot this week.
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Have a great week, and happy training.
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Mark D. Rucker is an attorney from Lexington who spent the majority of his adult life struggling with weight issues. As a result of his unhealthy lifestyle and weight, he suffered from high blood pressure, sleep apnea and was borderline diabetic. In February of 2011, at the age of 42, Rucker weighed over 365 pounds. It was then that he decided it was time to change his life. He now hopes to use his experience to help inspire and encourage others to begin their own journey to health and fitness. By focusing on his ?small steps? philosophy, Rucker believes that anyone, at any age and in any physical condition, can change his or her life. Recently, he create a Facebook page called Get Moving Lexington to encourage the people of Lexington to get active.
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