Whatever your goal, whether getting fitter, losing weight or packing on some muscle, it will involve a certain amount of preparation and training time. This part of the process can often be daunting. Having the time and energy left prior to or after work, before social events and over family time can be a struggle. However, following some simple steps can make fitting in your fitness training and preparation that little bit easier without offsetting your social life and vital time to relax.

don’t over train
For most goals outside that of a professional athlete you don’t need to train any more than 4 days a week (if that) to see results. Too much training puts excess stress on the body, and can lead to injury and lowering of immune function – alongside many other factors, both physical and psychological.

A good training session should take between 30-60 minutes, no longer, as this gives you time to work hard, stress the body to a good level and perform a good warm up and cool down. Exercising too frequently can lead to under-recovery, which puts undue stress upon the body and can actually lead to weight gain!

the world is your gym
All physical activity does not have to be confined to a gym. Performing exercise in your front room using your body weight, or using a local hillside to perform hill walks or runs can be extremely beneficial and easier to fit in with a busy schedule. Exercising outside can actually burn more calories due to your body using energy to keep you warm or keep cool, and with the added benefit of exposure to clean air and vitamin D!

interval and circuits
Using a form of circuit training can be very efficient if you are strapped for time. Choose 3-8 different exercises that work your whole body and perform them back-to-back for a timed duration or repetition range. Interval training involves performing a period of exercise of 20-60 seconds at a fast pace, then performing a slower period to recover, before repeating. This can be done on an exercise machine such as a rower, or simply running on the spot. These two forms of training can be completed in less than 20 minutes and – if done effectively at a high intensity – can increase your metabolism, burning fat for up to 12 hours after exercise!

recovery is key
Recovering after exercise, especially if performing the above exercise, is vital. Getting the right food and fluid in after exercise will help your body to repair and re-energise. Sleep and rest is important, as this allows your body to recover and adapt to the stresses of exercise, making you fitter and stronger for your next session!