10 Clever Health & Fitness Hacks Every Woman Should Know!
Staying on track with your fitness goals can be tough. We all have those moments when we struggle to find the motivation to eat clean and hit the gym but that doesn’t mean we should give into temptation. Instead, try out these genius health and fitness tricks and tips to make your life that little bit easier. We’ve found 10 clever health and fitness hacks to help you at home, the gym, and the kitchen so staying healthy and fit will feel like a breeze!
1. Cover a blister with duct tape in a bind:
So you’re at the gym, enjoying your run, when you feel the impending doom of a blister coming on. Luckily there’s no need to panic and call it quits for the day. Just apply a piece of duct tape over the irritated spot as smoothly as possible, taking care to avoid creases and you’ll be good to go. The duct tape cushions the blister and won’t peel off when you sweat. Don’t believe us? This hack comes courtesy of seasoned power-walkers and runners who swear by this method when a plaster isn’t within reach or isn’t quite doing the job. Just make sure you keep a small roll of duct tape in your gym bag and you’ll always be ready to keep pressing on.
2. Turn your beauty routine into a workout:
We’ve all heard the claims that doing everyday tasks like vacuuming, shopping, and washing the dishes count as exercise but let’s be honest, that’s just the lazy girl inside us trying to find justify spending more time vegging out on the couch. If you really want to turn everyday tasks into a workout then you need to up the ante! Think about adding some oomph to your daily beauty routine to really see results. Add wrist weights to your arms before you start blow-drying your hair in the morning or using your flat iron and your arms will love the extra workout. Leave them on while you do your makeup and you could add an extra 30 – 40 minutes of total workout time to your day!
3. Start off your day the right way:
Starting your day off with a healthy boost will help you stay motivated to eat clean and be active all day long. Drink a glass of warm water with lemon first thing every morning and your body will love you for it. The lemon drink will wake up your organs and offer major antifungal, immune boosting, and detoxification properties. Lemon juice also helps to aid digestion and cleanse the system.
4. Switch up your workout
Doing the same workout day-in-and-day-out can be boring and lead to repetitive strain injuries. Keeping your exercise regime more dynamic and varied makes it more fun and encourages you to follow your fitness plan — in fact, the best workout plan includes multiple types of exercise including cardio, weight training, and stretching. If you love trying new things and switching up your workout then something like F45 could be for you. The interval-based ‘functional’ workout sessions are guided by personal trainers and are designed to deliver maximum results in the shortest possible time. Every session is different and the team behind F45 pride themselves on using innovation and technology combined with everyday ‘functional’ movements as a workout plan. Click here for more information and to find an F45 near you.
5. Pimp your water bottle:
It’s important to drink at least 8 glasses of water every day but sticking to it can be a chore of note — especially if you’re super busy. The easiest way to remember to drink is to pimp your water bottle and keep it with you all day long. Use a black marker to upgrade your water bottle by marking on-the-hour intervals along the side. With a marker pen, draw lines at intervals of 200 ml. Then, write the time beside the marked level in hour intervals so you know when you need to drink. Easy peasy! Click here for a how-to-guide.
6. Ease sore muscles with ginger:
If you’ve worked out too hard or your muscles are super sore, ginger will go a long way to help ease the pain. Ginger has great anti-inflammatory properties and eating just 2 grams of ginger a day can help reduce post-workout muscle soreness by 25 percent! Ginger also helps relieve pain and can be added to everything from stir-fries to juices, tea, and smoothies.
7. Forget expensive gym memberships, use Youtube instead!
If you never use your gym membership or are trying to cut back on costs then try working out at home instead. It’s free and with YouTube you basically have a free personal trainer at your disposal 24-hours a day! Log on and get searching for free fitness tutorials on YouTube and you’ll never have to cough out for a trainer again. With videos on everything from ab workouts to Zumba, there’s something to keep every type of gym bunny happy and motivated. We love BodyRock TV’s HIIT workouts and 30-day challenges. Click here to check them out.
8. Roll it out:
If you exercise often then you might want to consider investing in a foam roller for post-workout treatment. Foam rolling is a great form of myofascial release and can help to give you better movement during your workouts, improves circulation, help prevent injuries, and remove lactic acid in the muscles. But be warned, foam rolling isn’t for sissies and it can often be painful. If you’re not sure where to start here are some foam rolling moves you should be doing at home.
9. Take your workout outside:
If you hate spending an hour or more in a stinky gym then you should consider taking your workout outside. There’s something about the fresh air, sunshine and beautiful scenery that helps you stay motivated to keep going. If you’re not sure about going it alone then try signing up for the Adventure Boot Camp for Women classes. You can choose between 1, 3, or 5 sessions a week and you’ll get expert advice and customised training sessions in a safe and nurturing environment. Click here for more information.
10. Eat more to lose weight:
It’s important to listen to your body and give yourself enough fuel to stay fired up and motivated to reach your goals. If your body is tired and you don’t have enough energy to keep going then you won’t be motivated to get off the couch and move. Try the three meals and two snacks meal plan and your energy levels should improve as time goes on. Just remember to keep your snacks under 200 calories each and aim for snacks that are loaded with protein as they will keep you fuller for longer. Try treats like hard-boiled eggs, yoghurt, or protein shakes.