I agree, that title may initially strike as a bit of an oxymoron, but bear with me.  After many years of writing about, discussing, and instructing fitness, it’s become clear no matter how much you prod, poke, and encourage, some people will always be a little lacking in the motivation department.  For some, getting fit just isn’t a high enough priority.

A quick glance around the web would leave you to believe this to be the kiss of death. Seems every trainer or fitness blogger is demanding 110% effort, 24/7.  Now for many of the promises they make, I won’t argue with this.  But really, how many of you need to look like a Sport’s Illustrated swimsuit model?  Yeah, I guess that’s the dream, but you’d be pretty happy if you made just a 50% improvement in yourself, no?

Great news for all of you non-strong willed folks, there are a few things you can do that will make getting fit easier and bring about a noticeable change in your Body without requiring much effort.  In other words, yes, you can be Lazy and still change your body. I’m not talking about laying on the couch, drinking soda, stuffing your face with pizza kind of lazy… just some middle ground between that and your dedicated 5-6 day a week gym-goer.

The Lazy Person’s Guide to Getting Fit

So, all my lazy readers, let’s jump right into it…

1. Replace any caloric drinks with H2O.  Replacing liquid calories with good old-fashioned water is the number one thing you can do to start slimming down your lazy self. This is the foundation of any guide to getting fit for those with a phobia of dedicated effort.
2. Get as near sugar-free as possible.  So many people burn themselves with the one step forward, one step back lifestyle.  They kill themselves in the gym, then give away all their progress by stuffing crap down their gullets.  They’re essentially spinning their wheels and getting nowhere until they finally burn out. I’ve written loads about the perils of sugar, so I’m not going to rehash it here.  Just trust that sugar really is public enemy #1, and to limit the number of hours actually needed in the gym, simply limit your sugar intake .
3. Two hours of workouts a week.  Just two workouts a week, that’s it.  You’re lazy, I know, but you can still find two hours a week for the gym, right? If you can give me two hours a week, I can give you a dramatically improved body.
4. Maximize those two hours.  So with these two hours, we’re going to need to be efficient.  45 minutes of HIIT, 45 minutes strength training, 30 minutes of your choice.  That’s it.  That’s all you need to do.  I think even you can handle that.
5. Stand more.  I’ll admit, it kind of sucks at first, but you’ll get used to it quickly.  Get a standing desk, take a lunch break away from your desk, do anything that gets you off your lazy butt.  The simple act of standing and *gasp* actually walking, is going to significantly ramp up your total caloric burn ESPECIALLY if you’re currently living a mostly sedentary 9-5 type of lifestyle.
6. Get a pet. Study after study has shown pet owners to be leaner than their non-pet owning counterparts.  This probably has something to do with #5 above, but whatever it is, owning a pet is making a positive impact on waistlines everywhere.
7. Mind the company you keep.  Here’s another one backed by loads of studies; individuals with healthier, leaner friends will themselves be leaner and healthier.  It’s easy to fall into bad habits when you’re surrounded by others reinforcing those decisions.  As a lazy person, you’re going to need to take as many small positive steps as possible to get that fit body.  Spend a little more time with those friends who opt for the salad over the pizza, and eventually, you’ll notice a chang in your own mindset and body.
8. Eat more green things. This one is super simple; just eat more foods that are green.  No, this doesn’t include mint chocolate chip ice cream – I’m talking about vegetables and fruits.  These nutrient-dense choices are high in fiber which is shown to bring about a whole host of improvements to your body.  They’ll also help you feel fuller, thus limiting cravings for the bad stuff.

So let’s recap what I’m asking you to do: drink more water, eat more greens, workout two hours a week, and stand more. That’s it.  For even the most dedicated to the chronic laze, this shouldn’t be difficult to adhere to.

I can make you a without a shadow of a doubt guarantee, if you do these eight things you will make a dramatic shift in not only the composition of your body, but your overall health. And isn’t that the most important thing anyways – avoiding the bad stuff like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer?  Now, I’m sure these simple changes are going to be difficult and seem like a mountain to overcome at first.  But give it time.  They say it takes a full 30 days to incorporate a new habit into your life.  In my experience, it usually takes half this time – so just stick with the plan for a couple of weeks and I’m willing to bet the amount of “work” required to live this new lifestyle will be greatly diminished.

It’s not often you’re going to be told you can have your cake and eat it too in the fitness world.  But that’s exactly what I’m telling you today. Keep all of your other habits, continue skipping the gym most days of the week, spend the entire weekend on your back watching the tube.  Just incorporate these few steps and within a few months you’ll notice an entire new you coming to life.