Finding Time to Exercise When Life Feels Too Busy

Source: Finding Time to Exercise When Life Feels Too Busy

It's easy to skip out on exercise, especially if it's prioritized as an afterthought rather than a must-do. Tired of making up excuses as to why you keep missing your workouts? Here are some easy ways to make sure that exercise is as much as part of your day as eating lunch.

• Put exercise on the calendar — It's easy to skip out on workouts when your week is filled with happy hours, dinners, and meetings. To make sure you have time to exercise, start putting it on the calendar. When planning out your week, pencil in workouts the same way you would with other engagements. Doing this will be a visual reminder that you have a workout scheduled, and keep you from overbooking the week with other engagements.
• Schedule a fitness date with a friend — This option is a win-win in my book. Your less likely to skip out on a workout when there is someone else counting on you. And on the days when you do feel sluggish, they can help get you out the door and moving! The added bonus is that numerous studies have shown that working out with a friend can lead to greater weight loss, and, beyond that it will give the two of you time to bond.
• Sign up for a class — Many studios and gyms allow you to preregister for classes, which is a surefire way to make sure you keep your promise to stay fit. The last thing you want to do is waste your money by not showing up to class.

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• Keep fitness gear where you can see it — Whether you keep a gym bag under your desk (like I do), or have a corner of your room devoted to fitness gear, keep your workout gear visible. This visual cue will keep exercise in the front of your mind and help motivate you to work out.
• Something is better than nothing — For weeks when you are feeling overwhelmed or have a hectic schedule, know that a 10- or 15-minute workout is better than nothing at all. Try and make the most of what little time you do have and working out twice as hard as you would otherwise. Move a little faster, up the incline, or give yourself a round of supersets. All of which will help you make the most of your time.
• Turn your errands into exercise — If you've got a busy day ahead of you, try and turn it into your own cardio circuit. Run, walk, and bike wherever you can, and fit in strength training moves and stretches whenever you have some downtime like these yoga poses you can do while getting ready in the morning, strength training moves to do in the bathroom, and stretches to do in the shower.