‘I just haven’t got the time’. It’s the one thing that many of us say when it comes to explaining why we don’t follow through with our fitness goals. And, you know what? For many of us it’s true. For people with children or working long hours or even both, it’s tough to squeeze in enough time.
If you really would like to get a workout up and running there are some ways to try to rearrange your time better. Here are some top tips to help you to get started…
Routine
When you’ve got a busy life, especially when you’ve got children, you’ll undoubtedly get into a routine and, once that’s set, it’s tough to break out. Try to start from scratch, rejig your regular timetable and see if you can build in workout time. Do you have to ferry the children off to friends or sports training, for example? Why not try to make time for yourself around this? What about the weekly shop? Does it eat into your weekend too much? Why not switch to shopping online and utilise the time for your own fitness?
If you go through your regular week stage by stage you might well find a portion of the week you could put to better use or, indeed, a way to clear your schedule for a workout. You don’t need masses of time, especially not when you’re just starting out. Even a small amount will be a great start.
Friends
Your friends could be the key to helping you with your workout plan. Often, unbeknown to you, they will be in the same boat and pondering how to find time for fitness in their lives. A problem shared is, indeed, a problem halved and by teaming up you could help to motivate each other to success. Go to the same gym, class or sports club as your friend and you’re much more likely to make this a priority and not let it slip.
Home
One simple way to cut down the amount of time it takes to keep fit is to stay at home for your workout. Weights and gym equipment can be purchased at a fairly low cost and you can learn and perfect a series of exercises that will genuinely help to get you fitter from the comfort of your own living room. Online tutorials and blogs will point you in the right direction and you needn’t worry about being judged from seasoned gym-goers at home either – you can wear what you want and sweat it out in peace.
Supplements
Busy lifestyles often require creative planning to fit in your meals too. That’s where supplements can help. A decent workout needs to be backed up by the right diet so that you don’t jeopardise the effects of exercise and can provide your body with the right fuel. It’s tough to get the right amount of essential nutrients such as protein required by an active lifestyle. Allow yourself to get the balance right through the use of supplements and you won’t need to waste time preparing and cooking lots of big meals.
Goals
The last thing you need to do is set goals. Small-scale achievable targets are essential as, without these, there is a chance that the other priorities competing for your attention will take over. The structure you get from having goals will help you to feel like you are being productive.
To fit time for a workout into your life you need to re-asses your regular routine, consider teaming up with friends and/or working out from home. Supplements will give you a quick and easy route to a diet with the right balance of nutrients and sensible goals will help you set and stick to a viable plan. Do that and you’ll soon find that your workout is a seamless part of your schedule.
* This is a collaborative post *
