If you think that you need to do more physical activity during the week to help you lead a healthier life as well as reduce stress, then you need to know just how you can fit exercise into a busy schedule.
It is not easy being able to do a full-on fitness routine in your daily life, especially if you are someone who works a lot or has very full days with important commitments.
However, with the right plan in place, you can start a daily routine that will help you feel fitter without you having to sacrifice a big part of your day.
Why is Fitting Exercise Into Your Daily Life Important?
When you ask someone what the definition of a healthy lifestyle is, they more than likely will say eating healthy foods and exercising.
It is basic, but it is part and parcel of a healthy and thriving life.
When we take care of our bodies, our bodies will take care of us. It can help us fight off diseases, prevent illness, and make us feel and look stronger overall.
Plus the mental benefits are important as well, as they can reduce stress, and alleviate depression and anxiety through the release of endorphins.
You Don’t Need To Go Overboard
Some people may think that to have a healthy life you need to do a heart-pumping exercise routine daily as well as only eat foods that are healthy and full of vitamins and minerals with no exceptions.
This can be a little excessive, and if you try and adopt that lifestyle completely, then you could be looking at burnout and stop altogether.
Taking Your Time
Just because other people find specific workout routines to be the best way to keep fit/lose weight, does not mean that you have to do the same thing, you can still achieve the results you want in the time that you have.
If you are a busy person who has a lot on your plate, your well-being can fall to the side, and you probably don’t make time for an effective workout or even just a daily brisk walk.
It is essential that you at least do some kind of exercise session per day, even if it is just something light, anything will aid you in feeling healthier and help you keep fit. This is where opting for online fitness by hiring a personal trainer online can be advantageous. These virtual fitness mentors offer curated training plans designed to suit your schedule and goals. Their guidance ensures that, despite a packed agenda, you can still make strides toward a healthier and fitter you.
How to Fit Exercise Into a Busy Schedule
Putting a fitness routine on your daily to-do list is going to help you focus on your goals and aid you in achieving a better lifestyle for yourself.
Here are some ways that you can fit exercise into your schedule and have you get a good workout no matter the time of day.
Focus on Making it a Habit
Trying to fit in exercise is not always going to be easy to do, anything can come up that can stop you from doing your physical activity for the day.
However, if you know that there is a certain time on some days that you can do, and some space to move around on other days, you can start to form a habit that will help you stick to your fitness routine.
Keep Yourself Consistent
It can take around 2 months or so to form a habit (not the 21 days myth that goes around), this is why consistency is always key.
Creating a schedule that fits in your workout routine, whether it is just before work, after work, or during your lunch break, can help you get in the extra exercise you need without you scrambling to find a time because you didn’t plan it out beforehand.
Go For Simple With Support
You don’t technically need to go out and do your workout, you can actually start an entire routine from the comfort of your own home with YouTube.
In this day and age of digital reigning supreme, people can watch all manner of videos online created by a professional such as an ACSM-certified personal trainer or fitness fanatics that have their own workout routines which you can follow along with, without having to go to a gym.
It helps you save money, and you can take it bit by bit, pausing as much as you need until you have the workout routine down to a fine art.
Your Workouts Won’t Be Stale
The great thing about using online platforms to help you work out is that you can switch up as much as you like, trying new and exciting things as so many videos are uploaded constantly helping you reach your goals.
Get a Workout Buddy
A lot of annoyance and avoidance can be stopped when you have a workout buddy as you will be able to spur each other on whether you are with them or you text each other during the day to keep you going.
If you work together or have classes together, you can do it during your lunch break or after class, just remember to keep your workout clothes to hand either in your car or your bag so you can make a quick change and get ready in enough time so that you aren’t stalling.
Try Doing Shorter Workout Sessions
You don’t need to do an hour session to get the full benefit of working out.
Just doing around 10 to 20 minutes of a workout can help you out a lot.
Research has been done on the impact that shorter sessions can have on a person and it is said that working out in shorter bursts can have a positive impact on your health and fitness levels.
To make these short sessions count, it would be a good idea to incorporate some high-impact workouts such as HIIT also known as high-intensity interval training.
HIIT offers quick and effective workouts that get your heart rate up and your blood pumping.
If you don’t want to do specific sessions, you can also do individual high-intensity exercises such as jumping jacks, running in place, mountain climbers, jump rope, and squat jumps, these can also help improve your cardio which can have an impact on other workouts that you do.
Improve How You Commute to Work
If you always drive your car or take the bus to work, why not think about changing that routine that will get you active first thing in the morning?
You don’t have to run or jog to work, especially if it is quite far away, you could look at taking the bus some way there and getting off at the midway point so you can walk the rest, or you can drive in and park further away from the office to do the same thing.
Any little tweaks here and there will be very beneficial for you and you won’t feel like you are wasting away your day from sitting down too much.
Think About Getting a Bike
If you do not have the patience to walk part way or you would rather not rely on buses to get you to work, you can always take up cycling.
Cycling is a wonderful workout to help you get in shape plus after a day of sitting behind a desk all hunched over, you can give your legs a stretch and get your body moving.
Walking is not for everyone, and if it takes too long to walk to and from work, a bike can be an effective and quick exercise that will get you from A to B in a shorter amount of time but with great benefits.
Keep Your Workout Equipment in Your House
One way to motivate you to get up and moving is by stocking up your home with equipment that you are definitely going to use.
Quardon off a section of your home where you can store your equipment, or empty out a space in your closet to put it all, making it easier to pick up as and when you want.
With bigger equipment such as treadmills or exercise bikes, you may want to get the collapsable/foldable ones as they will be a lot easier to store and you can just unfold them without delay when you want to start working out.
You don’t have to pay through the nose to get good equipment.
If you just want to pick up different kinds of weights, resistance bands, yoga mats, or a jump rope, you will still be able to get a full workout with these items, you don’t necessarily have to have electronic equipment to feel the benefit of a workout.
Additionally, you could also look up options for “handyman near me in East York” (if that’s where you live) to install any additional fitness equipment you might need, like pull-up bars or a rack for your weights.
Incorporate Activity Throughout The Day
No matter what you are doing, there are little things that you can do throughout the day to get your activity levels up and have you feeling good:
- Walk up and down the stairs a few times.
- Do bodyweight exercises when you are watching the TV, making dinner, talking on the phone, etc.
- Put your headphones in and dance to some music around the house.
- Ask to have meetings at work outside or request a walking meeting, you don’t have to go too far and it will be nice to get some fresh air and talk. This would be good for one-on-one meetings.
There are plenty of everyday things that you can turn into exercise.
Conclusion
Now that you know how to fit exercise into a busy schedule, you will be able to get your workouts done a lot easier with minimal excuses.
It can be hard to get in what you want especially when it feels like the days are always full of something else you need to do, but you have to put priority on your health and well-being because if you don’t you could find yourself feeling a lot worse as you get older all due to the fact that you didn’t take 20 minutes out of your day to do something beneficial for your body and mind.