How to Workout with a Busy Schedule

We all have pretty crazy lives. I’m not sure if it's just how society has made us feel we have to be or it has just become the “normal” way of living. Each and every day that passes, we feel the need to do more and more work and spend less and less time for ourselves. I personally believe social media has a lot to do with this since we are constantly bombarded with accounts of influencers that always seem to be doing something productive and make us feel bad about ourselves if we are not. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with choosing a day of just being lazy at home with your family. Life doesn’t always have to be about going a million miles a minute. Sometimes having some downtime is actually a good thing. I always wonder if this life of always feeling we have to be better is what is causing all this anxiety and stress? But that’s a topic for another day. 

 Don’t get me wrong, being productive and doing things to better our careers and our way of life is always a fantastic idea. However, if we are constantly putting ourselves and our health on the back burner, what good is all of it? If you are feeling so burnt out that you can’t even enjoy the fruits of your labor, or even worse if your health won’t allow it then what is the point. The best way to have the best of both worlds is finding a balance. Balance is the key to almost everything in life. Too much of one thing is ever a good idea. 

When I talk to clients and friends about working out, they automatically think that it is only about losing weight and trying to reach a specific body goal. However, that is not always the case. If that's your prerogative then go for it. However, sometimes it is more than that. Many of us don’t realize that working out is also about health and feeling good. A huge misconception that I see a lot is that working out only involves lifting heavy and restricting your diet. I for one, have a passion for weight lifting and that is what I really enjoy and love to do, but I am not going to judge those that don’t. Working out is really anything that gets you moving. If that consists of yoga or pilates for you then go ahead and do that. If you enjoy CrossFit, go to your favorite box. Or maybe Zumba is more of your vibe and that is completely ok. All I really want for all of you is to workout whatever which way makes you happy and finding the time to do it. 

Whenever I have a client who comes to me for a consultation and starts off by saying, “I know I need to work out and I really want too but I just can’t seem to find the time.” I always say, do you find the time to go to your dentist appointment? Or to get your nails done? Then you can definitely find the time to workout. The problem is you really don’t want to find the time because your scared of it and look at working out as a burden. It really shouldn’t be. Like I said above, the first step in starting any fitness routine is finding something that you love and don’t fear. Perhaps your sister loves Orange Theory, but you prefer a much slower pace class like yoga. Then go ahead and do your yoga class. Studies show that people are more likely to stick to an exercise regimen if they actually enjoy it. If not, you are more likely to find excuses to not go. 

The second step in finding the time to workout is to actually put it on your schedule. Just like you would a business meeting or an appointment, you have to write this one down too. It is an appointment you make with yourself. This helps you know that you have your workout at that time and you will not schedule something else there. Another tip is to try to make it at the same time. So let's say that you have your workout scheduled for Monday at 4pm, then I would schedule your other workouts at 4pm as well on another weekday. This helps you to be more consistent and it is easier to not have to figure out what day and what time you have your workout. You automatically start getting used to the idea that you have 4pm blocked off for YOU. 

The third step is to start off small. Don’t go all out on the first week, scheduling in 5 workouts for the week. What will happen is that you will end up burning yourself out very quickly. This is like anything in life. Just like your not going to move in right away with the guy you met last night at the bar, you don’t want to be too clingy with your new workout. You want to start off slow and steady. Perhaps 2-3 times a week for the first month. This is to ease you into the idea of working out and once you have been able to stay consistent and go to each of your workout appointments, then you can start adding in more days. Each month you can add one more day to your workout schedule. I would never exceed 5 days of working out. You also need to allow your body to recover and rest. 

The final step of creating a workout when you have a busy schedule is to also incorporate better eating habits. The two go hand in hand. Working out makes you want to eat more nutrient-dense foods, and vice versa. You begin to notice how different you feel and it creates a natural high. You just want more of it. We really don’t realize how bad junk food makes us feel until we start incorporating more fruits and veggies into our diets. Not only just fruits and veggies but other foods that are less processed and more natural. Ampd Beauty Greens is a wonderful alternative if you are like me and don’t really like eating veggies.  Something else that most of us are low on is protein. As a society, we tend to eat more carbs and fats than proteins. Have you ever noticed when you go to a restaurant, the thing you have the least of is the protein? That is something that we need to consume more in order to preserve our muscles. As we age, one of the first things to go is our muscles which is why we tend to have so many joint issues. Protein powders are one of the best ways to assure you are getting in a sufficient amount of protein and so convenient to be able to drink anywhere. 

Hopefully, these tips will help you start incorporating a workout schedule into your daily life. Once you start, it automatically becomes a part of your daily routine and you will feel weird when you don’t work out. It is kind of like brushing your teeth. You don’t even think twice about it, you just do it! Who knows, maybe you will shock your family and even workout while you're on vacation!