7 expert hacks to lose weight on a busy schedule

Busy father of four Eric Hall underwent an incredible transformation with Centr. Read his story (and discover his advice for you).

2. Create a healthy morning ritual

Achieving your goal starts with setting good habits. For Luke, that means jumping out of bed and into a workout.

“When I’m getting strict with my diet, I train first thing in the morning,” he explains. “It helps me stay disciplined. You get up, you do your thing and you’re on the right track for the day.”

For you, it could be preparing breakfast the night before, so it’s ready in the fridge when morning comes. Or you could take a few minutes after waking up to breathe and set good intentions for the day. Whatever sets you on the right path.

3. Go slow (cooked)

When you’re on a mission to lose weight, it’s essential that you keep your protein intake high to minimize muscle loss. Protein will also help to keep you feeling full between meals, so you don’t sabotage your goals with endless snacking.

But where is all this protein going to come from when you’re too busy to cook? Angie’s solution is to head for the slow cooker.

“Toss a few skinless chicken breasts into a slow cooker with some broth or water and let the cooker do all the work! Once it’s cooked, you’ve got a versatile protein ready to use in multiple recipes throughout the week. Soup, sandwiches, tacos, salad – take your pick!”

Plus, a slow cooker makes it easier to batch cook and freeze meals – saving you even more cooking time down the track. (More on why you should love your freezer below!)

Want set-and-forget slow cooker recipes to save time? We’ve lined up 6 of the best on Centr.

4. Don’t put all your eggs in the training basket

If you’re spending endless hours in the gym attempting to lose weight, it’s time for a rethink. Take it from Luke: “Diet is key. If you’re pressed for time, prioritizing your diet is the best way to lose weight.”

Luke is definitely not saying you should ditch your workouts. But the fact is weight loss comes down to achieving a calorie deficit (consuming less energy than you expend).

So instead of smashing yourself in the gym day in, day out, it’s more beneficial for your goal to do a couple of short and effective workouts, then spend the extra time planning and optimizing your nutrition.

5. The freezer is your friend

Do vegetables keep going bad in the bottom of the fridge because you’re never home to eat them? Angie is here to tell you not to fear the freezer.

“Buying frozen vegetables means you have a simple low-calorie, high-fiber side ready to go. Pre-chopped frozen vegetables contain a similar nutrient content to fresh veg, and sometimes even more if they’re snap-frozen." Angie says.

“So not only are you minimizing waste and cutting out chopping time by buying frozen over fresh, you’re still getting all the goodness you need. Just toss them into a skillet or pot to warm up, then enjoy!”

Did you know strength training can boost your metabolism? Start pushing those weights!

6. Make your time count

As Luke pointed out, the key to losing body fat is diet. However, smart training is going to support that goal. So when you’re short on time, what workouts should you prioritize?

If you have 3 days per week: “To get maximum bang for your buck, make sure you’re doing full-body workouts,” says Luke. He recommends:

• 2 x HIIT/HILIT (high-intensity cardio) workouts to maximize fat burn, like his HIIT HIRT Strength: Big Burn session, or Alexz’s Bodyweight HILIT: Torch & Tone.
• 1 x strength workout, like Ashley’s HIIT Strength: High Voltage.

  "Strength training is great when you’re trying to lose weight because the more muscle you have, the more calories your body will burn. Even adding a little bit of muscle will spike your metabolic rate.”

If you have only 1 or 2 days per week: “Focus on HIIT. There are studies that show people have achieved huge results just by training a few minutes a day – so long as they are putting a lot of effort into those sessions." Luke says.

“High-intensity training (like any of the workouts I’ve recommended above) will create an afterburn effect, where you’re burning calories even after you finish the workout. Keep it short and sharp, but bring the intensity.”

7. Sleep well to eat well

When we’re tired, we don’t make the best choices. Luke knows this all too well.

“If I don’t sleep properly, I eat badly. It’s worth prioritizing good rest because it will set you up to eat well throughout the day.”

Angie says this feeling is backed by science, as sleep is important for “maintaining optimal energy and hormone levels” – both of which impact your hunger and food choices.

So if you find yourself slipping on your nutrition goals, you know what to do: set a regular bedtime, select a sleep visualization from Centr, and aim for a solid 7-9 hours’ sleep each night.