10 Fitness Hacks to Help You Get in Shape Fast

It’s important to exercise, even if you’re busy or don’t think you have the time. Not only does exercise help you look and feel better, but it also provides numerous healthy benefits such as improved heart health, better sleep and greater brain function. Plus, exercise can help alleviate some of the effects of aging as well as helping you lose weight and maintain your weight loss if you are overweight or obese. To make sure you are able to fit exercise into your busy schedule, follow these 10 fitness hacks to help you get in shape fast without spending hours at the gym.

1) Use a trash bag as a sweat suit

You've probably seen those plastic trash bags that people wear to sweat out the pounds, but you may not have realized that you can actually use them as fitness gear. Wearing a trash bag while working out will make you sweat more, which means you'll burn more calories. Plus, it's a great way to stay warm if you're working out in a cold environment.

Here's how to do it

-Get a large plastic garbage bag and lay it on the ground with the opening facing up.

-Sit down on one side of the garbage bag and pull your legs up to your chest so they are pointing straight ahead at an angle (like a V).

-Wrap one arm around your bent leg and tuck it under your bottom. Wrap the other arm around your other leg and tuck it under your bottom as well.

-Pull both arms close to each other so they overlap and hold them tight against your body (this should cause some tension). Now slowly lie back onto the garbage bag so that you are lying flat on top of it, with your arms still tucked tightly against your body.

2) Borrow expensive equipment to try it out

You don't have to spend a lot of money to get in shape. In fact, there are plenty of ways to work out without breaking the bank. One way is to borrow expensive equipment from a friend or neighbor before you buy it. This way, you can try it out and see if it's something you'll actually use. If not, you're only out the cost of a short-term loan, rather than the purchase price of the equipment.

Health articles about fitness recommend borrowing a bike from a family member or friend, borrowing exercise DVDs from the library, using your own body weight for pushups and crunches instead of buying weights.

3) Play games on your phone while you workout

You can stay fit and have fun at the same time by playing games on your phone while you work out. There are many health articles about fitness and how important it is to stay active, but sometimes it's hard to find the motivation to do so. That's where these fitness hacks come in!

By playing games on your phone, you can trick your brain into thinking you're actually working out. And who knows, you might just come to enjoy it.

4) Create your own personal gym

If you want to get fit without having to leave your home, consider creating your own personal gym. You'll need some basic equipment, like dumbbells, a yoga mat, and a fitness ball.

You can also find helpful fitness articles online to give you work out ideas. With a little bit of planning, you can easily create a space that's perfect for getting healthy.

And with all the information out there on how to stay active, it's not difficult to do. There are plenty of health articles about fitness and workouts available online. Just googling fitness hacks will lead you to a number of results where people share their best tips.

5) Track what you eat and drink so you can keep improving

If you want to get fit, you need to be mindful of what you're putting into your body. The best thing to do is to keep a food journal, recording everything you eat and drink.

This will help you see where you can make improvements. For example, if you notice that you are consuming too many high-calorie drinks like juice or soda, switch them out for water or low-calorie options like seltzer water with lemon.

On the other hand, if you're not getting enough protein each day, add protein shakes or yogurt to your diet. Your food journal is also a great way to spot trends over time so you can make changes when necessary.

Plus, it's easy and convenient because all of this information is stored on your convenient journal preference!

6) Workout with friends and family

One of the best ways to stay motivated when trying to get in shape is to work out with friends or family. By encouraging and motivating each other, you can keep moving forward. Plus, it's more fun than working out alone!

There are tons of free options for exercising together: Walking outside, taking a class at your local gym, playing tennis or basketball with friends.

If you don't have any friends that are interested in fitness then meet someone new by signing up for an activity at your local recreation center such as Zumba dance classes or tennis lessons.

7) Get lost in a book while running on the treadmill

Don't have time to read and workout? Well, now you can do both at the same time! Just strap on your Kindle or other e-reader and hit the treadmill. You can even download audiobooks if you want someone to read to you while you run.

Have a day when you're just not feeling it? Try sprinting for short periods of time: Sprinting for 30 seconds, then continue by walking for 60 seconds. Do this six times and before you know it, an hour has passed by and you'll be able to enjoy dinner guilt free with a side of ice cream.

8) Track your weight loss progress online

The internet is a great resource for tracking your fitness progress. There are many websites and apps that allow you to track your weight, food intake, and physical activity. This can be a great way to stay motivated and on track with your fitness goals. It’s also easy to connect with others who have similar interests.

One of many favorite ways to track progress is through MyFitnessPal. It’s a free website and app that allows you to enter your food intake, exercise activities, and body measurements. With its easy tracking features and large database of foods, it’s very easy to use and stay on top of your weight loss progress.

If you don’t like using technology or prefer not carrying a smartphone with you at all times, there are many other apps that can help you track your weight loss online too.

Just be sure to stick with an app or online platform that tracks more than just your body weight—you want one that tracks how much water you consume each day and how much caffeine you take in as well.

9) Use apps to track workouts and diet plans

There are tons of great apps out there that can help you track your workouts and diet plans. Apps like Fitbit are great for tracking your progress and helping you stay on track. Plus, they can be motivating because you can see your progress over time.

One example of an app that helps people meet their fitness goals is DietBet. DietBet gamifies the process of dieting by allowing users to put money down on themselves as if they were betting at a casino. People are then matched up based on how much they want to lose and how quickly they want to lose it; the winner receives all the money in the pot!

If you’re serious about getting into shape, investing in a smart scale is a great way to keep track of your weight loss progress. Smart scales connect wirelessly with apps and software, allowing you to measure important metrics like body fat percentage, BMI, muscle mass and more.

This information can be invaluable for figuring out how much weight you’ve lost over time. A scale like these will also ensure that those two-kilogram fluctuations that happen when you eat or drink lots of water don’t get recorded as fat loss!

10) Focus on activities that get you outdoors instead of inside

We all know that staying active is important for our physical and mental health. But sometimes it's hard to find the motivation to get moving. If you're struggling to get your fitness routine going, try focusing on activities that get you outdoors instead of inside.

Here are 10 outdoor fitness activities that will help you get in shape fast

1) Try snowshoeing. Snowshoeing works out your legs and core muscles as well as helping to improve cardiovascular health because you have to go up and down hills with the extra weight of snowshoes strapped onto your feet. And if you don't have a pair? Pick up some from any sporting goods store, online or at a local retailer before heading out into nature for an invigorating walk or hike!

2) Jumping rope. Many people turn to jumping rope when they need a quick burst of energy. In addition to being a cardio workout, jumping rope also helps strengthen your calf muscles and ankles which can improve balance, coordination and agility over time. The best part about this fitness hack is that you can do it anywhere - indoors or outside!

3) Head outside for some running. Running outside can be so much more refreshing than being cooped up on the treadmill indoors all day long. Not only does running release endorphins (which make us feel happy), but it also gets blood pumping through our bodies which releases toxins and boosts circulation while burning calories which helps keep weight off too!

4) Skateboarding. Skateboarding may seem like a challenging activity at first glance, but once you learn how to do it properly, skateboarding is actually one of the most efficient ways to burn fat and build muscle.

5) Fencing. Fencing has been proven to be great exercise: It burns around 600-800 calories per hour depending on intensity level while strengthening your arms, shoulders and backside as well as improving hand-eye coordination and flexibility.

6) Yoga. Yoga offers numerous benefits including improved flexibility, range of motion and muscle tone in just about every area of your body: From your hips to your neck to even fingers! Although yoga classes can be pricey, there are many free videos online and YouTube channels that offer yoga tutorials so you can save money by following along at home.

7) Biking. When done correctly, biking offers a low impact form of aerobic exercise that increases stamina and builds endurance without putting undue stress on joints.

8) Go for a swim! Swimming laps is another low impact form of aerobic exercise and is helpful for building strength in areas such as upper body and abdominal muscles which come in handy whether you're working out or trying to avoid injury from sports related activities.

9) Hot yoga. Hot yoga is a more intense version of traditional yoga and is done in a room heated to 90 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. This type of yoga is not for everyone, but those who can handle the heat reap the rewards of increased flexibility, reduced chronic pain and improved mood.

10) Strength training. A good way to get in shape and lose weight quickly is to start strength training! Lifting weights not only gives you leaner muscles, it also helps you maintain better posture which can reduce back pain as well as prevent future injuries from happening.