Want to get fit but can’t find the time? Here are some tips from James Haskell. James is the health and fitness ambassador for The Healthcounter.
Planes, trains and automobiles Exercises to do on the move, don’t let that long haul journey effect your health
The obvious one is walking the cabin. If it’s a Jumbo or a large plane you can create a circuit by walking down one aisle and back-up the next. However you might not be too popular with the Air Hostesses if they are working the aisles with the drinks trolley or they are in the galley, when you do your circuit end turns!
Another must-do exercise is stretching, when you get the chance. You can also do some simple exercises to switch muscles on. Like standing, feet slightly apart, one leg to the front the other behind and imagine that you are trying to push the earth apart. Hold this for 20 seconds and then rest for 20 seconds.
You should feel all the muscles in your leg work. You can repeat this with your feet a shoulder width a part. Find a wall or divide in the cabin – put your hands on it and try to either push-in the wall, keeping straight arms, or trying to split the wall down the middle of your hands. Hold all of these for 20 seconds and repeat 4 times
Spare 5 minutes? Exercise you can do in your garden, on the beach etc. Simples exercises that will work the all muscles as well as target areas
“I would say you should do a 5 minute tabata, which is a form of high intensity interval training. It is a method that is much more beneficial within this specific time frame than regular, moderate intensity training, such as jogging, biking, skipping, and so forth and in my view much more fun!”
One suggested circuit which is guaranteed to get your heart rate-up and sweating.
10 x standard press-ups
No rest
10 burpee jumps – start standing up – feet slightly apart. Then drop down to a crouching position on the floor, with your knees, which should be up to the chest, with your hands either side of the knees, palms to the floor. Then jump out into a press-up position. Then jump back into a crouching position and then jump back up into the air landing back into the standing position. Then repeat
No rest
10 Spiderman’s – Position yourself on the ground in a push-up position with hands a shoulder width apart and feet together, resting on your toes. Keeping one’s spine straight. Then using your abdominals, move your leg forward, bring your left leg to your left hand and then back to the neutral position. Repeating for the right leg.
No rest
10 sit-ups – Unlike the “Crunch”, which is predominantly a shoulder movement as the lower back should be kept on the ground. The sit-up you lift-up your whole torso off the ground moving through the vertical sit-up position and then back down again.
No rest
10 each leg lunge change-up to the other leg
No rest
Sprinting on the spot for 10 seconds
Repeat as many circuits as you can within the scheduled 5 minutes.
James’s top 10 lifestyle changes to get you on the path to fitness
1. Diet is everything. In any successful programme diet will always comprise 70% and exercise 30%. Most people think it’s the reverse. There is a great truth in the saying “You can’t exercise your way out of a bad diet!”
2. Make small changes and stick to them. Don’t try everything or indeed to do everything in one go. Sadly you will never stick to it.
3. Have breakfast every day – protein based ideally. Eggs are great
4. Eat a massive variety of vegetables, put a lot colours into your food. Don’t worry too much about fruit. Vegetables are more important and remember with vegetables you can eat as much as you want
5. Avoid processed food and ready meals
6. Try and exercise for at least 10 minutes a day, every day. Get your heart rate-up. Walk the dog; go running, do some body weight work just do something!
7. Always seek advice and guidance before you start. So may diets and exercise plans fail because people get disillusioned. That’s because they were doing it all wrong to start with and sadly they were never going to achieve what they wanted.
8. Create a plan. As Scott Alexander says “if you walk into a gym without a game plan then walk straight back out again. Get one sorted and then re-enter the gym with purpose, knowledge and vision. Execute the plan with precision.” So start properly and stick with it for a minimum of 4 weeks. You have got to give anything you do reasonable time to work. Everyone has an opinion, try it and if you don’t get results after giving it a reasonable shot then change. Don’t change every 5 minutes and don’t give up after the first week or two
9. Preparation is the key. Double-up food when making dinner and put in the fridge for the next day. Hydration is also key, Avoid fizzy drinks, especially the diet ones as they are more often or not worst for you to drink because of the hidden sugar levels.
10. Keep a record of your results and achievements through pictures and measurement’s. Avoid worrying about the scales.
James Haskell is the health and fitness ambassador for The Healthcounter, to see James’s blog topics visit www.thehealthcounter.com”
