There’s no two ways about it – if you want to drop a few pounds or boost your general fitness, then you’re going to have to get active. But with so few hours in the day, you have to find and stick to that time in the day when fitting workouts work the best for you.
Step 1
For many of us, this is the last thing on our mind when we wake up in the morning, but fitness experts all agree that starting your day with a quick workout does wonders for your overall health and fitness. Whether it’s walking the dog, going for a run or doing a circuit at home, getting your exercise in early fires up your metabolism for the rest of the day and will even help you sleep better.
Jacob Nadav, personal trainer (neatbodies.com) says: “Start every morning with 10 push-ups and a one minute plank. Not only will you get fitter, you will feel more awake and sharper during the day.”
Step 2
And instead of standing there yawning away while the kettle boils, get your legs working. Stand against a wall with your feet a few inches apart, then lower yourself down to a 90-degree angle, and try to hold for as long as it takes the kettle to boil. If you’re really up for getting that blood pumping, add some jumping jacks into the mix before you hop in the shower.
Once you begin to feel fitter you can up the number of reps for all of these exercises, but it’s important to keep a note of what you’ve been doing so you can track your progress. The Excel Exercise Planner template in Office 365 is easy to download and allows you to enter your short and long term goals so you can keep tabs on your diet and activities using your smartphone, tablet or home computer, wherever you are.
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Step 3
Even if you’re chained to your desk most of the day, there’s still hope! Nadav says: “Get out of your chair. Sitting is your greatest enemy when it comes to being fit. You could prevent so many problems down the line if you made an effort to stand.
“If you have to sit, try and see if you can replace your chair with a stability ball.” If you’re too self-conscious of the latter, or too scared of falling off, then just making sure you get up to take short walks to the loo or around your office building every half hour or so can really add up.
Step 4
Which leads us onto our next tip - for extra motivation, you can share literally thousands of photos of your progress with friends and family using Office 365’s SkyDrive. By making other people part of your mission to get in shape, you’ll find you have loads of friends and family offering up encouragement, plus you won’t want to let them down by slacking off.
Step 5
During lunch or on your way home, a few extra steps will go a long way. “Don’t look for the shortest route,” says Nadav. “Make an effort to go the extra mile when walking anywhere. New research shows that targeting more steps (rather than setting a time target) is going to get you fitter.”
Office 365’s OneNote is a particularly useful tool if you want to keep motivation close at hand – use it to keep a note of your favourite walking routes, as well as a new healthy restaurant you want to try and even inspirational fitness videos you’ve stumbled upon. That way, whatever device you’re using – smartphone, tablet or home computer – all your notes are easily accessible from anywhere.
Step 6
Once you’re back at your home, try a quick bout of Isometrics to strengthen your arms. Nadavs says: “Cross your hands and push them against each other as hard as you can. Isometrics (from iso/equal and metrics/length) is a form of exercise that can add strength like nothing else, perhaps even more than weightlifting.
“It’s done by maximizing tension in muscles and is completely static. It’s important to only do them for up to 12 seconds while breathing slowly out. Take your time to read and learn how to do them correctly as they do raise your blood pressure.”
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Step 7
Or, instead of crashing on the sofa at the end of a hard day, strengthen your core by following this simple tip. Nadav explains: “For core and balance training, start washing your teeth, drinking water or tidying up your closet while standing on one leg. To spice things up even more, start bending the lifted leg back and move it in space to challenge your core.”
You should aim to exercise five times a week for around 30 minutes or more – so these tips are just the beginning. But by following them, you’ll feel like you’re getting started for a fitter, leaner you.
Source: http://lifestyle.uk.msn.com/advertorials/office-365/how-to-get-fit-in-seven-simple-steps-1
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