STAYING fit throughout the year may be your goal, but then life happens.
“I have heard first-hand from clients the challenges they go through while they’re trying to stay active and fit throughout the year,” said Jerry Diaz, a National Academy of Sports Medicine certified personal trainer.
These challenges include family trips, off-island business meetings, the holiday season, double jobs, finding a babysitter, and class schedules.
“Any of these can easily spoil your fitness plan, but most of us can also incorporate at least 10 minutes of physical fitness a day even with no gym equipment,” Diaz said.
Building a habit of daily movement — even for just 10 minutes — will help you stay fit, he added.
Totally stopping regular exercise and movement should be avoided, Diaz said.
He suggests the following exercises to help maintain overall strength: push-ups, pull-ups, squats, lunges and primal flows.
High intensity interval training, swimming, shuffles, jogging, walking and dancing can help sustain your circulatory system, stamina, and cardio levels, he added.
To maintain a strong core, Diaz recommends Vinyasa yoga or Mat Pilates.
Repetitiveness, however, could be tiresome and one could lose interest after a while.
“To keep it fun and to counter boredom, individuals can shuffle exercises around or skip a few of them,” Diaz said.
One can also add resistance or modify the total number of reps and sets according to how much time one has, he added.
“The important thing is to stay consistent, disciplined and motivated in order to reach your fitness goal,” Diaz said.
“So the next time life gets hectic and you can’t perform your regular workout, try to find at least 10 minutes to stay in shape.”
For professional fitness nutrition inquiries, contact Jerry Diaz through Instagram at @BBJ_Athletics or Facebook.
Lucy and Ricky Baba participate in a Tatuha Hula Fitness activity in Tamuning, Guam.
