How I got fit working a 9-5

When I'm not dancing, I also work full-time! Spending 9-5 sitting at a desk, I found it difficult to reach my fitness goals. Even though I was quite active (running and dancing nearly 7 days a week) the sitting all day really got to me. I felt so sluggish and tired by the afternoon, and would turn to food out of boredom. If this sounds like you, keep reading for the 5 lifestyle changes I made that helped me achieve this transformation:

September 2016 February 2018

Please know this is very hard for me to post! The photo on the left is so cringey - especially because I'm trying to look hot LOL. I'm sharing this because I sometimes I find myself looking at fitness models/influencers who look amazing, unable to imagine them looking any different and wondering how they got there. It's not very motivating to compare yourself to someone who (seems) to have been born that way. That said, I hope that my sharing this will be worth it by helping at least one other person working towards their goals, fitness-related or not.

Disclaimer: While I do not like how I look on the left, I also recognize that I was by no means fat. I am one for body positivity, and do not aim to promote unrealistic beauty standards or unhealthy behaviours. If you are genuinely feeling happy and radiant and full of energy, then your size does not matter. For me, I was not feeling like my best or most confident self on the left. I truly believe that in order to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle it needs to come from a place of self-love rather than self-hate. You must be working out and eating healthy because you LOVE your body, not because you hate it! That said, please read on for some small and sustainable changes I made to become my best self :) Maybe some will work for you, maybe some won't! I love talking about this stuff so if you have a question or just want to chat, lmk!

1. Weights: Believe it or not, I was actually quite fit in the photo on the left. I was dancing nearly 7 days a week and had been training for my second half marathon, which I ran a personal best of 1:48 in a few weeks after this shoot (after which I went straight to a 3 hour dance rehearsal!). I was killing myself with cardio but not getting anywhere. It wasn't until I started incorporating weights and HIIT that I started to see results (more on this coming up).

2. Go to the gym during lunch: This is the biggest life-hack!!!

My workout of choice is Bootcamp at Fit Factory. They have a 45-minute class at lunchtime, perfect for the 9-5ers. Read my post called "Studio Spotlight: Fit Factory" for more about their workouts and why I love them!

Working out at lunch has 3 major benefits. First, you're not losing any time since you would have just been on lunch anyways. You still have your mornings and evenings free! I understand that not everyone has this luxury, however I think most people impose that limit on themselves, and would be granted this opportunity if they simply asked.

The second benefit of working out at lunch is that it makes you conscious of what you eat in the morning, and helps you make healthy choices for the rest of the day. If you're worried about being hungry; I eat a bowl of cereal for breakfast and then a second breakfast of oatmeal, peanut butter, berries, and banana. Then I have lunch after the gym, it's perfect.

The third and best benefit is that working out in the middle of the day gives you so much energy and boosts your mood for the afternoon. It breaks up your day so you have something to look forward to in the morning, and combats the sluggish feeling and unhealthy food cravings that come along. This is a great point to make to your boss if they are hesitant; argue that you will be more productive in the long run by taking that hour to recharge and doing something good for yourself.

As the T-shirts at Fit Factory always remind me, you can't out train a bad diet. That's why another part of getting fit with a 9-5 is avoiding temptation, where it is everywhere. In my office people are always bringing in treats, going out for lunches and drinks, and going for smoke breaks (not a temptation for me, but I'm sure it is for some people). It is hard to avoid and I'm not perfect either, but here are the rules of thumb I use to stay on track:

3. Pack lunch as often as possible: I personally am very strict about this, I can't even remember the last time I bought lunch! Extra bonus is saving tons of $$$.

4. No casual drinking. I used to always participate in Friday beers at the office, until I realized it was doing me more harm than good.

5. Just say no. I've trained myself so that whenever someone offers me something unhealthy, my reflex answer is no. I've gotten extremely good at this for Little Nicky's donuts, since someone brings them in at least once a week! Bulk Barn chocolate almonds on the other hand are my weakness. Bring enough healthy food and snacks for yourself to make this easier!

I came to these guidelines on my own by recognizing how terrible unhealthy behaviour makes me feel, and using that as motivation. I don't count calories or weigh myself, I simply listen to my body and live a very active lifestyle, because that's what makes me happy :) If you need a buddy to try Fit Factory with, hit me up!