Fitness guide for working women

Work-life balance sounds very ideal in theory but actually managing it in real life becomes challenging! A woman plays many roles simultaneously, a homemaker, daughter, wife, mother, a professional working nine to five, but her day begins early, and her nights end late.

Between all of this, they often forget to prioritise health. The hectic schedule coupled with social events, irregular eating habits, sedentary lifestyle all results in health down a spiral.

Points to keep in mind

1. Starting with the Basics –First you have to assess your strength, capacity, and stamina. Initially, begin by including simple bodyweight exercises.

For example, you could start with a routine that includes exercises such as knee assisted push-ups to build upper body strength, bodyweight squats andlunges for your lower body, planks, and crunches for the core to name a few.

These exercises will help you form a solid base just like the foundation of a building.

2. Getting Stronger - A few sets of adjustable dumbbells and resistance band goes a long way. Not only are they affordable and easily available, but they also don't take up much space either.

With added resistance, not only it can assist in losing fat, build muscles and make you look good but it will also make you stronger, taking off pressure from joints during strenuous activities such as walking and running etc.

3. HIIT -High-intensity interval training is especially advantageous for people with limited time.

These short burst sessions include performing exercises with very limited rest period resulting in torching lot of energy and taking a toll on you in just 30 minutes! An example routine is shown below.

4. Increasing activity level throughout the day –Majority of us have a very sedentary lifestyle. Contrary to what many believe, we barely burn 400-500 kcal in an exercise session.

Our body utilises much more by non-exercise activities such as moving, talking, walking etc.

Habits such as taking stairs instead of the lift, walking around after your meals, tracking and im proving your step count throughout the day will further help you reach your healthier self.

5. Nutrition for Women – Protein! One of the most important as well as neglected macronutrients. Our diet lacks protein. Contrary to what most people believe, it's not made only for people who go to the gym, it's actually a building block and the dietary recommended dosage is around 0.8g per kg of your body weight.

Food sources such as chicken, fish, eggs, paneer; and soya are some options to include in your diet on daily basis. For convenience, protein bars and whey protein are good options as well.

Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy, from supplying energy to the brain to strenuous workouts. You do not need to go anti-carb or follow in-trend 'Keto' to even lose fat!

You can do just the same with the proper amount of carbohydrates. Keep a check on the quantity and try to include food items such as rice, oats which are more satiating.

Try to avoid deep fried oily food, they are easily available at canteen but are very calorie dense! Even a small piece of quantity frequently could overshoot your calorie intake and would lead to gain unnecessary fat gain.

Green tea doesn't help you lose fat. But it does help curb your hunger. Hunger doesn't mean that you have to eat! It could also be if you are not drinking enough water and irregular meal timings.

Lastly, fix a routine. Plan your diet which includes a good amount of protein with proper fat and carb around your lifestyle. Sustainability is the key.

-by Anshul Dhamande, health coach, nutrition and wellness consultant at FITTR