06 Jul 2021 | 4 mins

When I moved out of home, started university and two new jobs whilst trying to juggle a new social life, let's just say my health was chucked out the window. Exercise? Don't know her. Vegetables? Say again?

If you told me to try to fit a workout session into a day jampacked with lectures, tutorials and then a bar shift that night, I'd tell you, quite frankly, to get rooted. 

Buuut things had to change. My body craved nutrients (the type of nutrients that 2 min noodles unfortunately just weren't giving me) and movement. Since I was giving my bod neither, it rioted against me, making me lethargic, unmotivated and stack on some kilos.

Here is how I took simple steps in balancing being fit and healthy with a busy schedule.

Food

Before you become a gun at meal prepping (it just becomes a habit), why not start small by literally just bringing healthy snacks everywhere.

For example, I'd always buy lunch at uni, as well as spend the price of Jesus' tears everyday on snacks that were normally in the realm of pastries, brownies or chips... Sue me! I'm a snacker. 

I just started bringing healthy snacks instead, like fruit, healthy oat/yogurt bars that I frothed and would buy in bulk when on sale at Woolies, maybe some rice crackers with peanut butter... whatever floats your dingy!

Fun fact, when you eat small snacks in between meals, you can help balance your metabolism, normalise your blood sugar and maintain your energy levels! Up the snacks!

When you're up to it, it's time to meal prep the crap outta the kitchen. All you have to do is: A. look up great recipes for meal preppin' or B. just make your fave meals in bulk.

It would take me about 20 minutes to make a ginormous serving of stir fry or curry. It would last me about 6 meals and save me $10 a day. I mean, I was microwaving those bad boys up at uni/work rather than buying fast food. Keeping healthy AND saving $$$?!?! Big fat yeehaw!

Also, if you're not drinking enough water, I will fight you. Yes, that is a threat. A Year13 threat. H20: Just Add Water isn't just a hit TV series, it's a motto to live by. So drink more water!

Exercise

You're probably about ready to ditch this article now. I mean, no sh*t sherlock you need to exercise but the whole point is that you don't have time...

Look, I spent most mornings scrolling through Tik Tok and Instagram before I even rolled out of bed. Then I got ready for work/uni or whatever.

I then made a choice to fit in a 20 min workout most mornings from the comfort of my own room thanks to YouTube exercise videos. I stuck to this mostly because I had a plan.

I had a Youtube playlist of my fave workouts that I'd rotate throughout the week. There were different options to make sure I was never bored, like HIIT, cardio, bodyweight training, yoga, pilates, and deep stretching workouts.

I'd also spend a few minutes planning out the week. I'd think "alright, I defs won't have time to work out on Wednesday, by I have most of the morn off on Thursday so I'll do a longer workout then". It hardly takes any energy to quickly think ahead so that you can just roll out of bed, chuck some workout gear on and start exercisin'.

Maybe joining a gym or going for quick runs with mates will hold you accountable. Maybe you'd rather just go for long walks most days to and from work, or have a dance party in your room. Just make a conscious decision to get moving!

You time

Being fit and healthy will only work if you're really looking after yourself. 

What do you love to do? Paint? Write? Bake? Surf? Whatever hobby you're working on, no matter if you're a gun at it or an absolute kook, fit in something you love to do for a few mins each day. Ditch the social media and swap that time out for YOU.

Have a night where you just watch all the Shrek movies and eat a tub of ice cream. Yes, being healthy is BALANCE people! Treat yo'self! Have a morning where you just meditate and journal. 

When I was juggling a million things, I thought that I didn't have time for me. But I made time. Even if it was literally just me reading a book on my bus trip from uni to work. Look after yourself!