Saturday 19 September 2015

Gett your workout on during a busy day





Gett your workout on during a busy day! Yes I put two t's in there!

Face it, we live in a busy time. Everyone is constantly on the go. We all tend to feel that work, the meetings and errands never end. On top of that we have these long lists of "To Do's" that we feel we will never get accomplished. Although, I feel that an early morning workout is always ideal, I can relate to those busy days where that extra five minutes of sleep takes precedence.
With that said, there are many things that can be done throughout the day that can be just as beneficial as a one hour workout in the morning.


Lower Body:
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Take the Stairs -Everyone talks about it, few do it. I'm telling you folks, this makes such a big difference, especially when we rely on driving to our destinations. Stairs work your quads, hamstrings calves and flutes!


Walk everywhere -  Walking is crucial for blood circulation and burning those extra calories. A small walk around the home, workplace or to the store help keep you active throughout the day.

Squats and Lunges -  Do them whenever you can.  Jumping jacks and burpees are great too, however if you cannot afford to get a bit sweaty lunges and squats are a great alternative. If you work at a desk, take a breather and do 20 squats.

Lateral Leg lifts -  This can be done at a desk, or can be done when your in between activities (waiting for dinner to cook, brushing your hair or teeth etc.). This will help shape your legs and booty.. and we are all about the booty!

Take standing breaks - Believe it or not standing helps burn calories. Its a slow process but it is one that I enjoy when I have a busy day and can't get a full workout in. Stand when you're answering calls, or stand while your studying. (A friend of mine conducted a  study that showed those with ADHD performed better when they focused on the task while standing versus while they sat).

Wall sits - Take 30 seconds every free moment you get and sit against a wall so your legs are parallel to the floor. I personally hate these but only because I can feel the burn so quickly. 




Upper Body:
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Tricep dips -  I think this might be one of my absolute favourites. Anywhere there is a table or a ledge, do at least 20 tricep dips. These can also be done with chairs, and virtually anywhere. I tend to do these at work, when I get a free moment away from the chaos. 

Pushups -   Along with tricep dips, do pushups. You don't always have to be on the ground for these. Its the same workout, but standing up. It is essentially the same workout as the tricep dips, just turned the opposite way.

Sit ups and Planks and Bike crunches -  Do some sit-ups before bed. If you do not have a lot of time, don't fret, just do a hundred ( The number may seem intimidating, but its not a lot, trust me).

Boxing punches -   If you have been following my instagram, snapchat and other social media, you should know how much I love kickboxing. Its a great stress reliever and workout at the same time. Frustrating day? Take a break and just do some squat punches. 



OTHER:
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Drink Water - This will make a huge difference on a busy day. Instead of choosing a carbonated sugary drink choose water. Water serves many purposes and is a fundamental aspect to our daily diet. 


Schedule a 20 minute home workout like a business meeting -  20 minutes.  If this is possible I highly suggest it, even just to get the blood flowing a little bit before/after school or work. 20 minutes may seem like a big chunk of your day but when you think about it, if you spend 20 minutes throughout the day watching tv on your down time why not incorporate a workout while you watch? 


Pick a few a day to do when you can.  If you know you have nothing to do on an hour break go for a quick walk around the block. Your body will thank you and you'll notice results.

Wednesday 2 September 2015

Traveling on a Budget





This goes without saying, but budget, budget BUDGET!

Find out how much you can spend
 In my last post I talked briefly about budgeting. Realistically, you should always have a budget. By doing so you won't live pay check to pay check. You can plan for emergencies, a night out and of course vacations. I would classify the above as the pre- budget, the kind of budget you must put into action to allow for your travel budget to take place.

Make a List
First things first on your list - is a list
Make a list of where you want to travel to. Put into focus these key aspects.

- What you want to do
- Where you want to stay
- What you are going to eat
- When you want to go
- How much you can afford

All these things are crucial in planning and budgeting your trip. After all when you think about it, you can't go away without planning!

What do you want to do?
While on your trip, there are tons of fun things to do. You can do the typical tourist activities, without doing the typical tourist thing. What does that mean exactly? You don't need a travel guide. Go online, ask around, or look in books. There are many ways to experience what you want to see without seeing a travel guide. I will admit that there is the odd time a travel guide will be your best option, however in most situations that is not the case.
In my experience, a tour guide will give you facts while your a visiting sights. Unless you want to know about every specific detail about where you are visiting - its not worth it. You are very limited when on a tour as well. You don't choose where you go - they do. By visiting on your own or in a group of friends/family. You get to experience all aspects of what Y O U would like to see. The moral of it all is find what you want to see and do and do it with who you want to do it with.

Pack/buy/bring meals/food
Pack fruits and veggies or sandwiches. In my experience food doesn't always last as long when it is fresh. So don't go out of your way to purchase large quantities.
Find grocery stores that have memberships and sign up for those. You will be surprised at the great deals you can find on fresh produce. My personal favourite is Save On. Their fresh sandwiches are on the relatively cheap side, and you also get points when you spend. Those points go toward more savings.


Find cheap flights
Some of my favourite cheap flight websites such are

Flight Network
Priceline
WestJet ( You get points which go toward your next flight)
Apps that work great for finding cheap flights such as Hopper


Traveling Where You know someone
Travel to places were an old friend, or even new friend lives. Perhaps its time you see that person you haven't seen in a while. In most cases, you will have a place to stay

Find Times to travel that are not peak times
Don't travel at high peak times when everyone else is too. Find times that work best for your budget. You can still do all the things you want to do, just at a different time of year. Hopper is a great app for that as it informs you of when the best times to travel are!

Cheap hotels / b&b / Hostels
Go online and find sites that will help you with finding a hotel at a reasonable cost - and CLEAN! ( Again Priceline and Flight Network are great sites for hotels too)
B&B's and Hostels are my absolute favourite... especially hostels. Great way to meet new people and experience a side of traveling you wouldn't have imagined.


***Disclaimer; I am in no way paid or sponsored by the sites above. These are based on personal experiences that I like to share with those who wish to listen.***