I think it’s safe to say a lot of people are pretty lazy these days. And I don’t mean in every thing. We live in a busy world and have a million obligations and by the time the day is done (family fed and bathed included)… we instantly become lazy.
All we want to do is kick back and relax. Or even just go to bed early because tomorrow is right around the corner. I get it. Trust me. But honestly, it all boils down to excuses. And the biggest excuse of them all is “I don’t have time”. We’ve all said it. But with so many busy moms, dads, students with jobs, etc. shedding pounds, we can’t deny the fact that it can be done. We all only have 24 hours in a day.
The key is to make small changes so you don’t get overwhelmed with trying to do it all. That’s why I love lazy girl hacks! Lazy girl hacks are just habits that you can develop by doing them every day and they are simple enough they won’t overwhelm you. So here are some of my favorite lazy girl fitness hacks!
1. CREATE A PLAYLIST THAT IS THE SAME LENGTH AS YOUR WORKOUT
Are you the type of person that checks the clock a lot while you workout? The likelihood of stopping your workout early increases with every glance at the clock. A great remedy for this is to create multiple playlists for different workout lengths.
This will depend on where you are at physically. You are reading this post so I’m assuming you’re just starting out (or starting again). So start out with two playlists. One that’s 10 minutes long and also one that’s 20. The average song is 3-5 minutes long. You could start out with a song to get you motivated, a song to get you pumped up, and a song to wind you back down.
And when you’re more advanced, create a few more playlists. 30 minutes, 45, and an hour.
2. JUST 10 MINUTES
This goes with the hack mentioned above. You can always start out just working out for 10 minutes a day. This will still help you in so many ways. Lots of healthy benefits, but it also will help you build the habit of working out every day.
And when you do move up to more time working out every day and you have a bad day, tell yourself “just 10 minutes”. Give yourself permission to stop after that. But you might find that your motivation is back up and that you can go longer.
3. DRINK MORE WATER
Yea, yea… you know you need to drink more water. But did you know that drinking water suppresses your appetite and helps you burn more calories throughout the day? Drinking cold water can help you burn up to 2-3% more calories within the next 90 minutes. So if you’re drinking water throughout the day, you are burning more calories with very little effort.
To help you drink more water, here are a couple of tips. Keep water with you at all times, drink a bottle of water with each meal, add fruit to your water, and eat more soups and fruits/veggies since they have a high water content.
4. REWARD YOURSELF
Rewards work. With kids and pets, but also with us adults. But it’s got to be a short term reward. You have your weight loss goal and that will be an AMAZING reward when you hit it, but that could take a little bit. So give yourself some small rewards because it’s easy to lose sight of the end sometimes.
Be careful when rewarding yourself with food. It’s so easy to go overboard. You could do a piece of dove chocolate after a whole day of doing good and meeting your goals (that’s about 44 calories). Or if you have some more patience, wait till the weekend and get yourself a cheat meal and dessert.
A better reward would be something that’s not food related. Like buying workout clothes, taking a fitness class, getting a massage, fitness gear, etc. It’s all up to you.
5. WORK OUT WHILE WATCHING TV
Doing some simples exercises like lunges, squats, planks, push-ups, and sit-ups while watching TV is a great option for days when you missed your workout. You could also just workout during the commercials so you’re not distracted from your show!
6. MAKE IT A 30 DAY CHALLENGE
I love 30 day challenges. There are a ton on Pinterest for pretty much everything (relationships, parenting, finances, health and fitness, you name it). You could find one on there to do. Or you could create your own.
I downloaded this free app on my iPhone called 30 Day Trials (I’m sure Android has a similar free app). You can pick any name you want (i.e. Summer Body Challenge), add a description (Say you want to workout for 20 minutes, drink 8 glasses of water, and eat only healthy meals every day), and set reminders throughout the day. I like to set mine for 8am, noon, and 630pm so I don’t forget at any point in the day that I’m doing a challenge. And then you check it off as another day of the challenge complete!
7. WATCH TV SHOWS OR LISTEN TO PODCASTS ONLY ON CARDIO MACHINES
Save watching your favorite tv show or listening to your favorite podcast for when you run on the treadmill or elliptical. You probably watch the TV screens at the gym already so why not give yourself something to look forward to every day.
But don’t watch your particular show any other time! This will mess up what you are trying to achieve. If you don’t just watch it on the cardio machine, you won’t look forward to it! And also, it’s a great way to get distracted from your killer workout.
8. USE WIRELESS HEADPHONES
Headphones with wires are so aggravating at the gym! They always get in the way. I recently switched to wireless headphones and LOVE them! I can do anything at the gym… for real. Every tried doing sit ups with wired headphones in? Ugh.
There are a ton of different brands out there to choose from and each pair has their ups and downs. Personally, I had the Apple AirPods. My husband got a pair and I was jealous of how they never got in the way. So like usual… I had to copy him. ?
9. FIND YOUR PERFECT WORKOUT
The best way to get in shape and lose weight is to look forward to your workout. It needs to feel like a hobby, not a chore. Finding what you love can be tough, but there is something out there everyone loves.
Do you like yoga, dancing, Zumba, bicycling, swimming, or rock climbing? What is it that you like to do or would like to try? This doesn’t always have to stay the same. Sometimes I like to go to yoga once a week along with going to the gym the other days. And then sometimes I like to take a group workout class now and again. Just get active.
10. MAKE IT PART OF YOUR ROUTINE
Your workout should be part of your daily routine. It can take some time to get there. That’s why I created the free Healthy Habits Resource Library. The only way to get where you want when you’re lazy is to make small sustainable changes and overtime you will build better habits.
Those habits will be what keeps you going when the motivation is gone. Motivation will only get you started.
11. EAT FAT BURNING FOODS
Certain foods like fish, apple cider vinegar, blueberries, green tea, greek yogurt, cinnamon, grapefruit, sweet potatoes, and oatmeal (the list goes on) all help you actually burn more fat and feel fuller longer with a lower amount of calories.
Try incorporating some of these foods into your diet. I like to eat a boiled egg with salt and cayenne pepper plus a half grapefruit for breakfast. And then for a mid morning snack I eat some yogurt with berries. Such a great way to start the day and it keeps me wanting eat healthy all day long.
Related post: 10 Healthy Foods That Are Terrible For Weight Loss
12. KEEP GYMS CLOTHES IN YOUR CAR
Having your gym clothes with you at all times helps eliminate excuses. You can throw them on and go for a jog at any point in time or even stop by the gym. Convenience is what we all want these days. Use that to your advantage with your health and fitness.
13. DRESS FOR THE OCCASION
When we look good, we tend to feel good. I work at home and I feel way more motivated to take on the day when I throw some clothes on and even makeup from time to time. The same goes for working out.
Having some cute workout clothes will make you want to show them off! And once you are at the gym, hit the cardio machine and watch your favorite show!
14. DON’T FEEL BAD ABOUT TAKING IT SLOW
You don’t have to be a rock star every day. That’s totally fine. Maybe on Monday you’re dragging a bit, but Tuesday you’re pumped up and ready to go, but Thursday you’re just ready for the weekend so again not much motivation. It’s okay!
The only thing that matters is that you show up every day. And after a while of doing that, you’re going to start having more and more good days because you have made working out a part of your routine.
If you want a fat loss plan that actually WORKS, check out our 30 Day Fat Loss Habits Challenge!
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If you’ve been struggling to lose weight for some time now, I promise you that you won’t regret giving the challenge a try! Just click the button below to learn more!
30 DAY FAT LOSS HABITS CHALLENGE
Have you tried a ton of weight loss programs, but you always seem to fall off track? Learn how to create healthier nutrition, fitness, and mindset habits the simple way.
YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY…
- 11 Lazy Girl Hacks That Will Help You Lose Weight Fast
- 11 Yummy Low Calorie Snacks That You Need To Know
- How To Lose Weight When You Always Lose Motivation
- 10 Fascinating Habits Of Fit And Healthy Women
Do you know any other fitness hacks? Let me know in the comments below!
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This blog is totally for some like me. I can completely relate to this.