I know first hand just difficult it can be to fit exercise into a busy schedule, but if you don’t do it regularly, it will be very hard to see results. Occasionally situations and circumstances are out of our control and may get in the way of our fitness programs, and so it is important to remain flexible enough to adjust your schedule in order to accommodate the additional responsibilities while maintaining your current lifestyle. It is often easier to adjust your schedule in order to stay consistent than what you may have initially thought it would be. Just give it a try before you completely write off exercise.
Last night I was talking to my neighbor about just that—fitting it all in when things get hectic. I remember what it was like when I was still in college and found that I had very little time aside from work, school, and homework to go to the gym. I also remember that to my surprise I was able to adjust my schedule and cut back on how often I went to the gym. I changed from a four day a week, split lifting routine (meaning Mondays and Thursdays I worked legs, and Tuesdays and Fridays were dedicated to upper body), to a three day, whole body routine. This allowed me the extra time I needed to finish my other responsibilities while still allowing me to continue my fitness program.
This is just one example of change to allow more flexibility within your schedule. For others of you out there, your schedule may require more drastic measures. Even if you have to cut back from four or five days at the gym to only two, it is still a lot better than nothing. Recently I have been inundated with home improvements and there just doesn’t seem to be enough time in the day to get everything done. So in order to compensate for the extra time I now need to dedicate to home improvements, I not only cut my own routine down from four sets per muscle group to three, but I also started getting up earlier in order to run a couple days a week before work. It’s actually working out well because I’m doing it with a friend of mine who has a difficult time getting motivated to run on her own, and so this forces me to get up and get my cardio work in early since I now have another person depending on me.
Some other ideas that may work well for you are listed below:
- Exercise on your lunch hour
- Condense your workouts
- Turn your social get-togethers into active ones
- Wake up earlier and exercise before work
- Work exercise into your day (bike to work, walk rather than use a currier, etc…)
Remember that when things get stressful, exercise helps you to stay strong so that it’s possible to deal with everything you do. It truly helps me to maintain a balanced state of mind and allows for perseverance over the seemingly impossible. So don’t give up, you can get through the rough times, and exercise can help you to do it!
Melissa Allen, BS, CPT, CES is a certified personal trainer, corrective exercise specialist and Medifast health coach, is the owner of the Optimum Condition Corrective Exercise & Performance Center, located in El Cajon, in the East County of San Diego. We specialize in customized fitness training and corrective exercise for both recreational athletes and post-rehab clients, as well as guaranteed weight loss programs or your money back. You can schedule a free consultation to help you get started. Please visit her website at OptimumCondition.org.
