Building Sustainable Fitness Habits: Bite-Size Movements for Busy Days

1 Mar

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I get it, life can get really crazy, and it's easy for our health goals to be pushed to the bottom of our to-do list.

Like you, I've also struggled to create habits and fit movement into my day.

I used to be very active with my work, travelling around and teaching in person.

Now my work is primarily online, working from home so I find myself spending most of my day at the computer.

I lost my little pockets of movement in my day.

Does this sound familiar?

Now I have to intentionally create them and build movement habits into my day.

It started with recognizing the small, otherwise unnoticed moments I spent waiting.

Waiting for the kettle to boil, became a chance to stretch, do squats, or have a dance party in the kitchen to shake out the hours sitting at my desk.

Using bite-size movements, or what I like to call 'movement snacks' these brief bursts of activity became part of my day.

Read on to find out how you can start to fit fitness into your busy days and create habits that stick.

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Bite-Size Movements

What are bite-size movements, you ask? Good question.

They are quick and effective actions that can take just minutes to do but deliver numerous benefits.

These tiny actions help us feel more energised, be more productive, boost our mood, and clear our heads. We're talking about movements that can be sprinkled throughout the day to keep us moving.

Remember, all movement counts, and something is always better than nothing.

Breaking Down Routines

To incorporate bite-size movements into our busy days, we need to break down our usual routines.

For example, instead of finding a full hour to go to the gym, how about finding five minutes to do some squats while waiting for the coffee to brew or the kettle to boil? It's all about finding those pockets of time and getting creative with how we incorporate movement into our lives.

Simple Bite-Size Movements:

Here are some simple bite-size movements that can help you work out your whole body in less than five minutes:

1. Squats: The go-to movement for your lower body. Start with a comfortable squat position and gradually increase intensity over time.

2. Push-ups: Start with simple wall push-ups if you're new to this movement. Gradually work your way to doing push-ups on a countertop or a desk. Customise the intensity based on your fitness level.

3. Pulling movements: If you have access to equipment like a pull-up bar, great! If not, you can simulate pulling movements by sitting on the edge of a chair and dipping yourself down and back up. Start with what works for you.

Remember these movements can be done in small increments throughout the day, and consistency is the key to success.

Building Sustainable Habits

To wire in these habits, follow these important tips ⬇

Anchor your new habit to something you already do

⭐ Use an existing routine as a trigger or reminder for your new habit. For example, every time you boil the kettle, do a squat.

Make your habit really small

⭐ This makes it easy to accomplish, even on your busiest days.

⭐ Start with the smallest possible action that you can do consistently.

Prepare and make it easy for yourself to remember

⭐ Keep your workout gear or equipment readily accessible.

⭐ Don't worry about getting fully dressed for exercise; you can do it in your work clothes or even your pyjamas.

Celebrate every time you complete your habit

⭐ Celebrating your wins helps wire the habit into your brain and motivates you to keep going. It could be as simple as doing a little fist pump or saying, "Well done!"