One of the biggest struggles of working adults is striking a balance between balancing work and ‘me’ time. It also becomes a source of stress for a lot of people. With demanding jobs and productivity-driven culture, it becomes challenging to fulfill all your duties. Research suggests that regular exercise and healthy eating habits may lower stress, enhance your energy levels and maintain a healthy work-life balance. But it is often the first thing people become unable to do.

Attempting to manage work, life, exercise, and a healthy diet might seem impossible within the few hours you have, but it is not unattainable. Doling out some serious fitspiration in her latest IG post, Malaika Arora helps you understand how you can strike a balance between work and fitness. If not completely, you can slowly and gradually progress to sustainable fitness goals.

Malaika Arora strikes a balance between work and exercise

While Malaika playfully cautioned people not to try what she is doing in the video in real life, she encourages people to “learn to balance.” Check out the video right here:

She captioned the video, “This month is all about balance. Often we’re so caught up with the events of life that we forget to take care of ourselves. We forget to tend to our minds and body. That’s why today on a very rare occasion I decided to work while I stretched. Yoga time for me zoning out the distractions and creating a sacred space, but I understand sometimes it becomes difficult to take that time out even if I want to. And that’s why all I have to do is learn to balance.”

Why is it important to exercise?

Yes, it can be difficult sometimes to squeeze in a workout when you have so much to do in one day. But research has shown that a 9-5 sitting job not only mentally exhausts you but takes a toll on your overall health. If you don’t believe us, scroll down to know science-backed reasons for why it is important to work out. Here’s what can happen if you don’t exercise!

You may develop Type 2 diabetes

It is a lifestyle disease that doesn’t allow your body to use insulin the way it should. Levels of sugar or glucose build up in the bloodstream of people who have type-2 diabetes. Since it is a lifestyle disease, a sedentary life can lead to problems. As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), not getting enough physical activity can increase your risk of developing type-2 diabetes.

Heart disease risk may increase

CDC found that not getting enough physical activity can increase your risk of developing heart disease risk. The report further states that the likelihood of developing risk factors such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and high cholesterol levels, which are associated with heart disease also increases.

Cancer risk rises

Regular exercise is one of the best things you can do to lower your risk of developing diseases, including cancer. Research has found that getting the recommended amount of physical activity can lower the risk of several cancers.

Recommended time of exercise

The National Institutes of Health recommends doing at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week. You should also avoid lying down, sitting, or taking breaks for longer periods. It is best to talk to your healthcare provider to know the suitable exercises and timing.