Living here in Tokyo, working over 40 hours a week, and a 2 and a half hour round trip commute left very little time for me to exercise. Spending most of my time sitting at a desk in front of a computer certainly didn’t help either. Now that I have quit my job (see the full story here) I have been spending time every day getting back into shape. To be honest,

I am lucky and have a body type that doesn’t really gain too much weight, but my body had grown week, soft, and I would get tired very easily. Now getting in to good shape can take a lot of hard work (though that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun), but there are a few things you can start doing right now that can help make a big difference. And while they will probably not give you the six pack you want, they may help take off a few pounds.

1. Anytime is a good time to exercise- it can be difficult for someone with a busy schedule to set a side an hour or two a couple times a week to go to the gym. Instead, do a few push ups, sit ups, stretches, etc a few times though out each day. Even if it isn’t a full workout, it will help get your body into a little better shape. The benefit of this type of workout is that you can do it anywhere and anytime. For ex: stretch five minutes after waking up, do 10 push ups and 10 sit ups before eating lunch, and 10 minutes of exercising and stretching before going to bed. It may not seem like much, but it is enough to help your body to start getting in shape.

2. Stop using technology- One of the ways I found to get a little more exercise when I didn’t have time, was to do things the old way. Instead of elevators and escalators, use the stairs. Instead of calling someone on the phone at work, walk over and talk to them. Is the store you normally drive to within walking distance? Start walking instead of driving. You can also do things like using an exercise call to sit on instead of the couch. Not only is it good for posture, but it will give you a little more exercise a day.

3. Get rid of your scale- Everyone wants to judge their progress by how much weight they have lost. Walk into the store and you can find a headline on just about every magazine about how to lose weight quick. Unfortunately, weight isn’t really a good measure with your progress and will vary for each person. When you first start exercising you will lose fat and so your weight will go down. However, you will also gain muscle that can raise your weight. Instant results is one of the biggest reasons people give up their exercise routines. Get rid of your scale and just exercise because it makes you feel good.

Additional tips:

Of Course eating habits also has a great influence. Don’t try to change your eating habits all at once. That will just set your up for a higher chance of failure. Do it a little at a time. Maybe try and eliminate one item from your diet. For instance stop drinking soda and start drinking water or juice. Then start slowly switching others out for more healthy alternatives. The further a long you get the less you will want to eat crappy foods.

One great way to get in better shape is to find an activity that you love to do. If it is fun, then you can get your exercise without having to think about it. The funner it is for you and the more you are able to move the better.

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