To my friends who are lazy but still care about their health,
I feel you. I am you. Laziness is my default mode of existing. Despite this sometimes unfortunate quality, I’ve learned how to work past the intense desire to be a vegetable on the couch to actually get stuff done. Healthy living, especially, requires some very special acts to stay on board with not gaining 500 pounds.
Whether you have a super chaotic life, or your schedule is so open that you have entered a whole new realm of lazy, we all deserve to be healthy. If we do a little bit here and there, I believe we can all eat nutritiously and stay active. It might look different from one person to the next, so I’ve come up with 9 powerful ways to stay on top of your health goals, even if you don’t want to use your possibly limited amount of free time to do the necessary maintenance.
Hopefully these tips will actually make you want to spend your time living the healthy life…or at the very least, help you get it done.
1. Pick an exciting show that you only watch while working out.
I’ve considered doing this for awhile because it would be such good motivation. If I want to watch the show, I need to be on the treadmill, doing a circuit workout, or even just stretching in the living room. (There’s a good chance it might just turn into a stretching show though. 
)
2. Bring a large water bottle everywhere you go.
This is, hands down, the most effective way I stay hydrated and on top of my goal of drinking one gallon per day. Instead of having to get up and get my water, or buy water when out (THE WORST), I always have my handy 32-ounce Nalgene by my side.
3. Prepare healthy snacks in bulk to grab on-the-go.
Whether you’re putting them together yourself or buying already prepared snacks, having a stash ready to grab can make a huge difference. Great options I’d recommend include cut-up veggies, banana bran muffins, string cheese, yogurt cups, apples, and harvest trail mix.
4. Set out workout clothes the night before.
If you workout in the morning, lay out what you plan to wear the night before so you don’t have to think and just have to throw them on when your alarm goes off. (I’ve heard of some people even sleeping in their workout clothes, but I’m just not about being in that stretchy prison when I sleep.)
5. Meal prep like a boss on Sundays.
It’s a tip I have for almost everything, it seems, but it’s extremely helpful so I’m adding it again. If you meal prep at the beginning of each week, you won’t have to worry about meals or snacks throughout the week when you’re, most likely, busier and possibly even lazier (#Guilty #IveLostTheWillToCook).
6. Use the crockpot as much as possible.
I often wonder WHY I don’t do use our slow cooker even…weekly…anymore. Whenever I make dishes in our crockpot, it makes my day so much better. Sometimes I’ll get home from work and smell food cooking, and I completely light up at the realization dinner is already made. Helloooooo hour that has been added back into my night. Let’s do this, Netflix.
7. Do your workouts at home.
This may not be right for everyone, but for me, driving to the gym sounds horrible—performing circuit workouts at home makes my fitness goals so much more attainable. I often wonder how people muster up the motivation to drive to the gym after a long day, but I know it helps some people commit to their workout. You do you.
8. Workout at the same time every day.
It’s all about making fitness a habit. I’ve found that working out at different times every day causes me to think too much about whether or not I want to actually do it. Then I start to reassure myself it’s okay if I don’t workout, and then I’m just in a downward spiral of making it optional and suddenly having to restart a workout schedule because I took an extended break. Having it as a routine part of the day makes such a huge difference. I highly recommend it if you need structure in your life like I do.
9. Get more sleep.
I love this tip because I love sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults should get, on average, about 7-9 hours of sleep every night. If I don’t get at least that, it’s noticeable. When I get 6 or fewer, I’m cranky, have an appetite that’s out of control, and I tend to care less about eating healthy and getting active. Basically, sleep deprivation causes me to become a couch potato—no bueno. By simply getting enough sleep, we have a better chance of keeping up with healthy habits. Plus, our brains and bodies will feel and perform better. Just go to bed earlier. You won’t regret it.
And there are your tips for being both lazy and healthy. It’s a contradiction that is possible with the occasional spurts of motivation and a bit of balance. If I can do it, I know you can too. So let’s be lazy and get it done!
Which of the above tips do think would be most helpful for you?
What are some methods you use for being healthy that require minimal effort?
