Trainer Sam Wood: No workout? No worries if you do these five things instead

Celeb trainer Sam Wood knows life gets in the way of working out some days, but you can get around that with five simple rules.

Life happens. And even with the best of intentions, there are going to be days where we miss our workout.

And you know what? It makes us human, it makes us normal, and it is OK.

A lot of people think: “I’m not going to make any progress on a day that I miss my workout”.

Well, if you do these five things you will still make progress, even if you didn’t sweat it out in the gym or go for a run or do 50 laps in the pool.

1. STRETCH

Just because we aren’t in the gym or doing a designated workout doesn’t mean we can’t stretch and move our body. I start every day with a good stretch. Bending, twisting, extending, rotating – getting my joints loose and blood pumping. It’s wonderful, both mentally and physically.

Sam Wood doing morning stretches at home.

I’m not a terribly flexible person and, as I’m getting older in particular, I find it’s the best bang for your buck to have 5-10 minutes in your day just stretching.

If you don’t use it, you lose it, and moving your body is the best way to keep those joints and muscles lubricated.

2. LIFT OR CARRY

You may not have done your workout but why not carry the groceries, kids, or yourself up the stairs rather than taking the lift?

You can activate your lower and upper body and postural muscles probably 50 times a day without trying hard if you take the physical option rather than the easy option.

Park your car a little further away so you carry the shopping bags further, hold those shoulder blades back, walk the stairs, get those calf, quad and butt muscles working rather than taking the easy option over and over again, leaving those muscles to not do what they are there to do.

3. THREE IN THREE

Commit to three good quality, real food meals, and three litres of water.

Guess what? If you do that and that alone, but do not have a designated workout that day, I promise you, you will still make progress.

Sam Wood eating healthy food with his daughter Charlie.

Fuelling your body right and maintaining hydration is 70 per cent of getting into shape.

The problem is that most people say to themselves, “Stuff it, I’m not working out today so I’ll be a bit more slack with my food”. It’s the worst attitude you can have.

You can never out-train a bad diet and on the days you can’t get to the gym, or miss a workout, doing these two things with three meals and three litres of water will hold you in better stead than you realise.

4. STEPS, STEPS AND MORE STEPS

Walk the dog, walk the kids to school, walk yourself to work – get those steps up and you’ll burn calories, you’ll stay in a calorie deficit, and won’t gain weight or fat.

Walking is great for your bones, lungs and muscles – incidental steps are an untapped goldmine that most of us don’t capitalise on. The best thing about these little incidental activity bursts is that they don’t have to be in one hit.

You get just as much benefit in eight five-minute walks as you do with one 40-minute walk.

Breaking it up into little patches throughout the day is the best way to stay on top of your calorie deficit and stop you gaining unwanted weight.

Sam Wood getting some incidental exercise at the park by pushing his daughter Charlie on the swing.

5. MAKE YOUR TOMORROW COMMITMENT TODAY

Even though you missed your workout today, before your head hits the pillow that night, lock in your 30-minute, 45-minute, or whatever window of a workout it may be, for tomorrow.

Make it an appointment to yourself you must keep. It’s as important to you as picking up your kids up from school and not leaving them there waiting for you, or missing a work meeting. Don’t put it in there in a wishy-washy way – lock it in for as early in the day as you can, as a 30-minute window that you will keep to yourself.

Then you don’t have two, or three, or four days of no workouts in a row, which becomes a slippery slope where you lose momentum.

If you get back on the horse and work out for one day, you’ll be incredibly consistent – and consistency brings results.

If you’re feeling a little stuck and want to kickstart your fitness, check out 28 by Sam Wood’s 4-week program with Sam coaching you through the early stages of building great fitness and nutrition habits.

Visit: 28bysamwood.com/offer/back-to-basics

Originally published as Trainer Sam Wood: No workout? No worries if you do these five things instead