If you’ve had a lifelong battle with fitting exercise into your busy lifestyle, you’re not alone.
Many people put exercise on the back burner for the sake of getting everything else done.
But movement doesn’t have to be a chore or a stressful endeavor. Plus, most of us know that in the long term, our health is the most important thing.
You were made to move – it’s in your biological makeup. Your body craves a challenge! Let today be the day you finally make the change and honor your roots.
It’s time to put your foot down and commit to a happier, healthier version of yourself. I’m going to share with you 5 different ways to become consistent with your workout routine, even with a crazy busy schedule.
Hint: it’s not about adding more to your plate
1. Do shorter workouts
People tend to get stuck in the all or nothing mindset when it comes to fitness. But you can actually work out for 10 minutes every day and be in much better shape than if you worked out once or twice a week for an hour. High intensity interval training is an extremely effective way to boost your endurance and strength, resulting in maximum calorie burn in a short period of time. You can find 4 to 10 minute HIIT workouts on Youtube for free with no equipment required. And yes, 4 minutes absolutely counts and you can do them right from home or your office.
So, start thinking of a 4 minute HIIT as a full workout. Then, you don’t have to stress about going all the way to the gym because guess what? Your daily workout is already done. Fitting in 10 minutes is much better than foregoing your gym/studio workout all together because you don’t have the time or energy. Eventually you can increase the length and intensity, but just start with a few minutes and do it until it’s a habit. Once it becomes non-negotiable part of your day, you can play around with longer workouts.
I can’t stress this enough, start small with movement. You have your whole life ahead of you to do it big!
2. Make physical movement a habit
It’s all about making choices on a daily basis. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk around outside during your lunch break, take more stretch brakes. Perhaps instead of staying out late on a Friday night, get some good sleep and go on a hike on Saturday. Do the things that you know will make you feel better in the long run. The best way to do this is to find someone else to motivate you. Which brings me to number 3….
3. Get accountability
Research shows that accountability is one of the main factors that helps people achieve their goals. You could get another person to hold you accountable. For example, if you and your neighbor decide to meet up for walks every day, you’re more likely to stick to it.
You can also hold yourself accountable by signing up and paying for a race. You really have to experiment with what will work for you. Many busy people hire a coach to stay consistent. My clients work with me specifically because they know they need a high level of accountability to thrive. There’s nothing more powerful than a person who knows what they need.
4. Prioritize your time better
We live in a world of abundant information and opportunity at our fingertips. The downside is that we are plagued with so many decisions all the time. You can literally spend an entire day deciding what type of vacuum to buy on Amazon. Right now, it’s more important than ever to prioritize and manage our time on a daily basis. Sometimes I forego putting on makeup for a longer yoga practice because I know that my mental health is more important than what my eyelashes look like that day. It’s decisions like these that will give you that few extra minutes each day. Ultimately, time management impacts your quality of life.
5. Wake up earlier
If you’re still struggling with finding time in your day for movement, morning might just be your best bet. Early mornings are a sacred time – they’re quiet and your mind is fresh. If you can forego that extra 10 minutes of snoozing in the morning, you can change your life. Like I said, a hard 4 minute HIIT counts just as much as an hour at the gym.
I’m not advocating for depriving yourself of sleep. Sleep is incredibly important, but most of us can afford to carve out some extra time in the morning for ourselves.
Side note: I highly recommend getting a sunlight alarm clock for a more peaceful wake up and a better mood during the day.
Hey, you got this! Start viewing movement as something your body loves – even if your mind doesn’t yet. Building a routine takes time, but once you get into your groove, it’s smooth sailing!
If you want to take the stress of fitness off your plate, check out my Balanced Bodies program for high performing women via my website link below.
Sophie is a personal trainer and 500 hour yoga teacher based in Colorado. She has 3 fur babies, loves to go on adventures in the mountains and is passionate about helping busy women fall in love with movement. Check out her fitness programs here: www.sophiemariewellness.com
