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Fitting in Fitness for the Self-Employed

As a self-employed individual, you may find it difficult to fit in exercise on a daily basis. The self-employed usually work odd hours and sometimes very long hours which makes it difficult to fit in an hour or two for exercise. If you sit behind a desk all day, you are going for long periods of inactivity. You make time to fit in lunch and if you are super busy, lunch may mean fast-food or some other quick microwave dish with tons of fat and sodium. After lunch, you are back at your desk hardly burning any calories.

The good news is there are ways to fit in exercise and healthier eating. All it takes is some planning and follow through. Being self-employed may actually be more of an advantage to fit in fitness compared to the average worker who doesn't have the flexibility to start and stop work. Here are a few tips to add fitness to your daily routine:

• Grocery Shopping - Do all of your shopping for your meals on the weekend. You can take the time to plan out your daily meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This has two advantages. You'll save money by not eating out everyday and you'll make better food choices because you will minimize or completely do away with eating fast-food.
• Gym Membership - If your budget allows, I highly suggest joining a local gym. There are tons of exercise machines to use which means you can vary your workouts from day to day. Plus, being self-employed means you can take advantage of the time and go during the less busier times of the day.
Tip! Building muscle mass involves two things, progressive overload to stimulate muscles beyond their normal levels of resistance and eating more calories than you can burn off. With all the hype about high protein diets lately and because muscle is made of protein, it’s easy to believe that protein is the best fuel for building muscle, however muscles work on calories which should predominately be derived from carbohydrates.
• Take Exercise Breaks - This doesn't mean you have to go run for 2 miles (unless you really want to!) but you can take the time to do some stretching, pop in an exercise video, or follow an exercise program on television. Taking an exercise break may actually boost your energy level and give you that burst of energy you need to finish out your work day.

Of course, always consult with your physician before starting any exercise regimen. When you fit exercise into your daily routine, you'll find yourself more productive, less stressed, and more energized. Try exercising a little bit everyday and soon fitness will be a part of your lifestyle.

Eartha Haines is the author of Self Employed Blog which is a blog dedicated to ideas, tips, and products which promote the self-employed lifestyle. Visit http://www.selfemployedblog.com to learn more.