How many time have you used these or heard these statements when it comes to working out?
I don’t have time for a workout.
There is only so much time in a day.
They need to make days longer.
I’m too tired after work.
I can’t get up as early as you morning people.
All I hear is a lack mentality and negative statements. If you wanted to fit in fitness you’d make it a priority and figure out the best time of day to fit it in. I’m not going to cajole you or tell you it’s easy because it takes organization, scheduling and being dedicated to a new habit to fit in fitness if you’re just getting started.
Last week I launched the Live Like An Alpha Female Challenge. A 5 week challenge to help optimize your life in 5 areas from fitness to health to nutrition to staying healthy at work to smart phone optimization.
The ladies who signed up for the challenge received week 1 emails last night so they could watch a short video from me and then sit down with their 3 homework assignments. Which weren’t that complicated but required a bit of time to organize. One of their tasks involved scheduling their workouts into their phone for the week.
If you’d like to sign up. Click Here.
Here are 3 simple ways to fit in fitness if you work a corporate 9 – 5 job but the principles can still be applied if you work part time, are an entrepreneur or do shift work.
- Schedule your workouts in your phone at the start of the week. I use the MindBody app which most gyms use to book & then schedule the classes into my phone. For gym workouts I simply just type Leg Day or Back Day or Shoulders & Abs into my phone with the time of my workout.
- If you want to become a morning person, start by waking up 15 mins earlier than normal the first day and do a 10 minute workout in your living room or basement or bedroom or wherever your heart desires. The next week try 30 mins and so on and so forth until you find the perfect amount of time for a morning workout. This habit does require you go to bed earlier than you’re used to. You still need 7 – 8 hours of sleep a night to make this worth it.
- Pack your gym bag the night before so you’re not running around in the morning packing.
I have 3 times a day I can fit in a workout. Morning, noon & after work. I’ve been able to learn to get morning gym workouts in before I have to be in the office. I pack a gym bag & toiletries and shower and get ready at the gym. If I want to get a run in mid week I pack run clothes and go for a quick 5 – 8k at lunch, rinse off in the office shower and I’m back at my desk in under an hour and last but not least I keep accountable appointments with myself after work when I’m tired and just want to go home by heading to my obstacle race training facility to do a class. I know friends will be there so I don’t have an excuse to head home when I want to socialize with others while getting an amazing workout in.
Throw in kid’s or taking care of dependants and I understand it gets tougher. Everyone has the capabilities to find time in there day and locations to get in a workout. You just have to discover what works for you, schedule it in and keep that appointment with yourself.
Last but not least, CLICK HERE to download 5 easy exercises you can do anywhere from the gym to a hotel to your house. See example below of exercise one. Each image includes the starting position, the exercise mid action & the name!
Happy Working Out!
Scheduling workouts is definitely the key to my success. I look at the other commitments or appointments I have during the week and then realistically plan my workouts around it.
Scheduling workouts might be key to success, but some people have a lot more on the table than others. While you allude to it, by saying “Throw in kid’s [sic] or taking care of dependants [sic] and I understand it gets tougher. Everyone has the capabilities to find time in there [sic] day and locations to get in a workout,” this actually isn’t true.
Not all of us can devote 100% of our day in pursuit of ourselves. I have two kids and I DO make time to workout almost every day, but it is a sacrifice. When I take time to workout, it means that something else isn’t getting done – either I’m not spending time with my kids, or I’m not getting the house cleaned up/organized, doing the laundry, cooking, getting extra work done, etc. When you are a full-time working and commuting parent, unless you want to live in a hovel and eat fast food garbage, there really is not enough time in the day to get everything done. Choices are made, but they aren’t simple choices (i.e., workout vs sit on the couch) but real choices that come with both cost and sacrifice.
I didn’t want to make it about what everyone has on the table. We all have commitments and things to do and people to take care of. It’s not about being comparative but inspiring everyone to find (make) time. I’m trying to simplify fitting in fitness so it seems less overwhelming for us all. I totally agree that to make time it requires sacrifices but I prefer to think about it as making yourself a priority so that you can take care of everything else with energy and vigour because you’ve taken care of yourself first 🙂
Variables come and go in our day to day lives, but no matter how busy life gets there is always 90 mins a week (30 mins a day x 3 times a week) to find time to get some sort of workout in! If you aren’t in the mental state to accept this or realize it, then taking a step back first and prepping your mental mindset is going to be the key to your success first! You have to want it! Great article 🙂
Love the article. I definitely need to make myself a priority and schedule my workouts. It is possible to encorperate fitness into your life even if it is 10 squats while playing with the little ones or maybe a few wall pushups while cooking dinner…being busy is just an excuse to get creative with your workouts. 😀