If you find it difficult to fit in exercise during the workweek or on busy weekends, you need to take time to plan. Busy people are often stressed people. Exercising is vital to their health. If you have a specific time in your schedule that you exercise, you’re halfway to your goal. The task then becomes planning for those days when life interrupts that schedule. Whether it’s a trip with the family, an out-of-town business meeting, or overtime at work keeping you busy, there’s a way to include exercise in your day.
Start with a daily schedule.
Whether your workload is always the same or it ebbs and flows, putting your workout on your schedule is vital for consistency. Are your mornings hectic? Schedule your workout later in the day. Does your day start to fall apart as soon as you walk into the office, and you often work far longer than you planned? Schedule your workout in the morning, even if you are a night owl. Choose the time you’ll be able to do it consistently.
Focus on shorter sessions throughout the day.
If you can’t find a block of time, break your exercise into shorter sessions you do throughout the day. You can even combine it with your family life. Do a five to ten-minute workout with the kids when you get home. It will herald your arrival and become a family tradition everyone will enjoy.
Chose the best type of workout.
Intensity makes a difference. The more intense workouts are, the shorter they can be. Instead of doing steady-state workouts, do HIIT—high intensity interval training—ones. HIIT isn’t a specific exercise but a way of doing any exercise. You alternate between the highest intensity possible and a recovery pace throughout the workout. You’ll get the same benefit in half the time. Circuit training and kettlebell workouts can also cut exercise time.
- On days you don’t come to the gym, find ways to incorporate exercise into your life. Walk to lunch, take the stairs, and get up and move about for five minutes every hour. Walk or dance with the kids after work.
- You can do some exercises at your desk. Thigh presses, twists, stretches, and desk planks are a few that will help you stay in shape. Create a desk workout schedule for those busy days when you need the extra time to workout. Break your workout into five to ten-minute sessions.
- If you meet with the guys or gals after work for a drink or coffee, ask if they might want to switch and meet at the gym. It can bring relief from stress and make everyone healthier.
- Evaluate your workday. Are you really too busy to exercise, or are you using that as an excuse because you don’t like exercising? If it’s the latter, find something active you enjoy, like boxing, and use that as your exercise.
For more information, contact us today at Revolution Training