Fitness Lessons: Fitting Exercise Into A Busy Schedule

It is possible and within your grasp to find time to exercise. Even though we know exercising is important for a healthy life, we prefer to spend out extra time socializing, in front of the television, having a BBQ or even doing some boring housework. This is due to psychological barriers we set in our minds.

We all have a reason or an excuse as to why we do not exercise. For most people, the main reasons are fear and time. People have a fear of pain and this is associated with exercise or a fear of not getting it right. Some may even have a fear of being embarrassed due to weight or other problems.

However, without some exercise, the situation may only get worse. Think ahead, what will it be in five or ten years? Are you comfortable and will you still be? You may end up needing numerous visits to a doctor, will you have the time and finance for it? You may end up with diabetes, blood pressure, heart problems or more.

What can you gain from spending a couple of minutes a day exercising and what can you lose if you do not take action now? Here are some top ways to fit your exercise routine into your busy schedule that requires little of your time!

Starting point: Planning and subdivision

Start by planning your days, weeks and months. Find times between breakfast and work, or between meetings, before lunch or supper, or even just before bed time. All you need is five, ten or fifteen minutes a day. You can even subdivide these times.

Planning will help you find the time and stay motivated. Take a brisk walk to work and home instead of driving, unless you live in another town or too far from work. Take a jog through the park before supper or a swim. Try jogging upstairs to run your bathwater. Small things can make a difference.

Positive thinking is the key

Think positively about exercising. Make it fun and break down the barriers you have built in your mind. Forming positive thought about exercises has been proven to assist in making changes to a person’s lifestyle.

Conditioning your mind with positive thought such as “I want to be healthy”, “This is for my health”, “I have time for myself” and so forth, allows your mind to empower you. In time, these thoughts will become a positive pattern.

Instead of going to dinner and a movie, take your date hiking or take dancing lessons together. Go swimming or ride bicycles through the park and have a picnic. Sharing activities also build healthy relationships.

Fitting exercise into a busy schedule with your kid

Having small kids and staying at home also leaves one with little time for exercises. Yet, it is not impossible. Instead of bending over to pick-up toys and more, do squats. Run around with the kids outside in the garden. Fitting in some form of exercise is easy.

Do some family activities like after dinner walks, playing soccer in the backyard and take some hiking trips. Your kids need to see you value exercising and they will make it part of their lives. This will also make a difference in their lives.

Fitting exercise into a busy schedule at home

All you need is five minutes a day. No one can say they do not have five minutes to spare. Between commitments, meetings, cooking and family you can spare five minutes to care for your health.

Buy a home gym, exercise bike or treadmill and exercise while watching television. Start with five minutes a day and increase it to five minutes every week, in two months’ time, you will be doing 30 minutes easy.

You can also do some yoga, squats, lunges or push-ups while preparing dinner, running bathwater, watching television or in the mornings or evenings. Finding ways to fit your exercises into your busy schedule in easy.

Household chores can also be turned into exercises. Do squats while hanging the washing, push-ups with the dishes and lunges while vacuuming.

Master it by hitting play

Breakfast workout DVDs are a good way to start your day. Get up ten minutes earlier and do some Pilates, yoga or dancing. It will give you great energy and go for the day, plus keep you healthy.

Stretch regularly during the day. If your work requires you to sit, take a stroll around the office every couple of hours. Walk to the office kitchen and grab two bottled glasses of water, do some reps or squats. None of these will break a sweat but will keep your muscles working throughout the day.

Do some wall push-ups, leg stretches while on the phone, leg raises or body twists just there where you are sitting. Even the slightest exercises will assist your body. Make these habits, part of your daily routine and see the difference. It may be slow at first but it will help.

Fitting exercise into a busy schedule – and sticking to it!

Adopt a positive mentality and fit your workout into your busy schedule. Do more for yourself and by hand. Get rid of the remote, get up every time you want to change a channel. Allow your body to work.

Stop using your tumble dryer, hang your clothes out to dry. Shovel the snow in your driveway and use your body’s natural energy.

Take your conference call while strolling through the park. Call your family and friends to catch-up while riding your bicycle around the block. There is always a way and time to fit your workout into your busy schedule.

Have we left anything out? Share with our readers your ways of fitting exercise into a busy schedule.