Another thing you can do to stay healthy with a packed schedule is also pretty simple: Eat breakfast at home. It's too easy to pick up McDonald's on the way to work or take advantage of those free donuts in the break room. While breakfast is indeed the most important meal of the day, it's not that important. A better idea is to eat a bowl of cereal before you leave home. It equates to (maybe) an extra ten minutes that you have to give yourself in the morning. But it's so much better to get something healthy into your body at the beginning of the day. Even if you're the world's worst morning person, there are better options than fast food and donuts. Fruit smoothies (not to be confused with fruit milkshakes) can be both filling and healthy. I know someone that has a watermelon smoothie every morning. Not my choice of breakfast, but protein shakes or bars would be a decent way to start off the morning. Oatmeal packets are also quick, healthy, and smart. Add a pint of milk and you’re good to go! You'll definitely want to stay away from Pop-tarts and cereal bars, which are really just the donut's little brother anyway.

The third thing you can do is try to get others to go along with you. Exercise, even twenty minutes of it a day, can be rewarding and can de-stress you. And it can be, honestly, tedious and mind-numbing. Some people do not find exercise to be that much fun (myself included). But it's always nice to have somebody sharing the misery with you. Someone that makes you feel ashamed when they smell that egg sandwich on your breath and someone to pat you on the (sweaty) back after a good work out.

But good workout or not, getting fit is not the idea here. You're not going to give yourself abs of steel or get in shape for the marathon. These would require every-day training—not simply exercise, but disciplined training. And if that is your goal, I applaud your ambition, but you're going to have to set aside at least a couple hours a day for this.

On the other hand, if you're looking for something to fit into a tight schedule, the idea is that you'll allow yourself to stay healthy. You won't reach the apex of human physical conditioning, but you'll add a few more good years to your life. That said, there are definitely ways to find time to stay healthy. It is first and foremost a matter of mindset, a matter of dedication and tenacity. It's about making priorities and doing the things you know you can. It's about putting excuses to bed and finding two hours a week to dedicate to your mind and body. It doesn’t have to be as intense as contestants on NBC’s The Biggest Loser, just a regular walk is all it takes. You’ll thank yourself for it.

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Comments (1)

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written by Christy , February 09, 2010

great article! getting fit also helps you sleep better and, fight off stress!

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