Struggling to stay active and have energy during the say? Here are 5 attainable health tips for every day energy and fitness from nutrition expert Bob Seebohar!
Some days are just crazy – between work, chores at home, fitness, meal planning and cooking, sometimes there doesn’t feel like there are enough hours in the day!
Even though life seems to get away from us at times, it’s still important to make the time to take care of our bodies with exercise and good nutrition. No matter how busy you are, you can still fit activity into your day a little bit here and there.
Something small is better than nothing at all when it comes to fitness. Small bits of activity do add up to positive change! If you’re busy and struggling with having the energy to stay active, we’ve got some tips from fitness and nutrition expert Bob Seebohar, MS RD, for ways to fit exercise into your day and how to have more energy during your day.
Bob Seebohar is a Sport Dietitian for the United States Olympic Committee, exercise physiologist, a USA Triathlon Certified Elite Coach, a NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and a competitive triathlete and runner. This guy knows his stuff when it comes to fitness and nutrition!
How to fit activity into your day (and how to have more energy during the day)
If you’re busy and need to add more activity, here are Bob Seebohar’s 5 tips for staying active (and energized!) throughout your day:
Carry a smaller-sized water bottle (20 oz or less), and drink it!
Every few hours when you get up to refill, do 10 squats at the water cooler, and another 10 before you sit down at your desk.
Make a daily push up goal, and complete in blocks throughout the day
If your goal is 100 per day – do 25 when you wake up, 25 before lunch, 25 in the afternoon, and 25 before bed. Track them on a post it note or a smartphone so you have a visual of your accomplishment.
Make sure you have the energy to workout
To ensure you have the nutrition energy to workout, carry healthy snacks and a few CLIF Organic Energy Food Oatmeal (COEF) packets with you in your purse or gym bag. A COEF Oatmeal flavor provides pre-exercise energy to get you through a workout successfully.
Incorporate strength training
Two benefits to strength training: it doesn’t take long and it doesn’t require special equipment. Alternate body weight exercises for 15 minutes (walking lunges, chair dips and burpees) for a quick and effective workout.
Plan a reverse pyramid workout to build strength in a quick workout
Reverse pyramid routines are a great way to build strength in a quick workout. Choose 1-2 upper body and 1-2 lower body moves for each exercise, starting with 10 reps on your right, then 10 on your left. Follow with 8 on each side, then 6, then 4 – no rest in-between.
A CLIF Builder’s Bar is great after a workout like this as it gives you an optimal amount of carbohydrates and protein for effective recovery.
If you want to get the most out of your workouts and have energy to workout each day in addition to your daily life, it’s imperative to stay properly energized. I know if my eating is off or if I’m busy and I’m not eating enough food, my workouts suffer and I have zero energy and workouts fall by the wayside.
Proper nutrition is threefold: you need to have energy for your workout, during your workout if it is longer than 60 minutes, and post-workout to replenish protein and glycogen stores in your body (ideally within 20-45 minutes after your workout is finished).
If you need to energize your workouts, CLIF has you covered! For pre-workout energy, CLIF has created the Organic Energy Food pouches for getting ready for your workouts. Try the new CLIF Organic Energy Food Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal or Banana Maple Oatmeal pouches for pre-workout, or try flavors like Pizza Margherita (gluten-free) or Banana Mango with Coconut during your workout. Not all of the flavors are certified gluten-free so check the labels if you have celiac.
CLIF Organic Energy Food is:
- USDA Organic
- Non-GMO
- Kosher
- Comes in 6 savory or sweet flavors (4 of which are gluten-free)
Once your workout is done, you can recover and top your glycogen and protein levels with a Clif Builder’s Protein Bar. CLIF designed these bars with carbohydrate and 20 grams of to recover your muscles and to prepare your body for your next workout. CLIF Builder’s Bars are:
- Free of trans fat
- Free of partially-hydrogenated oils
- Free of high fructose corn syrup
- Non-GMO
- Fortified with vitamins and minerals to support protein metabolism
- Comes in 6 flavors including Chocolate Hazelnut and Chocolate Mint
Try out Bob’s tips and let me know which one is your favorite! I love the water bottle tip – I’ll try that one this week 🙂
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About Bob Seebohar, Sports Nutrition Expert: Bob is a competitive athlete for more than 30 years and is one of the top sports dietitians in the country. Bob is one of the first Board Certified Specialists in Sports Dietetics and is a Sport Dietitian for the United States Olympic Committee where he provides nutrition expertise for Olympic athletes.
He is one of the foremost experts on nutrition for endurance athletes and is a regular speaker at many national level conferences as well as triathlon and cycling coaching education clinics. He is also an exercise physiologist, a USA Triathlon Certified Elite Coach, a NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a competitive triathlete and runner.
Sarah Jane Parker is the founder, recipe creator, and photographer behind The Fit Cookie. She’s a food allergy mom and healthy living blogger based in Wyoming. Sarah is also an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer, ACE Certified Health Coach, Revolution Running certified running coach, and an ACE Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist
I felt more energy once I started to give up my daily coffee. I think it really helps! On top of eating well and exercising of course.