How To Squeeze Exercise Into Your Routine
Many people share the common goal of wanting to get in better shape or lose a few pounds, but it can be difficult. In order to do this, you have to eat healthier and workout. Unfortunately, life gets busy and it can be extremely hard to find the time to exercise in between all your other responsibilites. Thankfully, there are several tips that will help you squeeze exercise into your routine and make it a part of your lifestyle.
1. Plan Out Your Week
The best way to make time for anything is to be smart with your time. The first step to this is keeping track of your schedule and planning out your days and weeks. A planner is essential for this. Having a planner holds me accountable for all of the things I have to get done. The key is to just include working out into your responsibilities. In my planner, I write down the dates and times of when I have to work, go to class and when I exercise as well. I also keep track of any assignments and upcoming due dates as well. Having a planner allows you to keep all this important information in one spot. Once you write down all your weekly tasks, you will be able to see where you have any time left over. Look for empty slots in your schedule. Anytime when you have a few hours to spare is a great time to exercise. This could be in between classes, before or after work or on your days off.
2. Work Out In The Morning
After reading the first tip, you might realize you just don’t have enough time in your weekly routine to workout. Between school, work and other commitments, life can easily get overwhelming. The only real solution to this is to create more time in your day by waking up earlier. You can accomplish a lot by simply waking up an hour or an hour and a half earlier. You can wake up and go to the gym right away and squeeze in a 45 minute workout before you get the rest of your day started. Or, if you have less time, you do an at home workout in the comfort of your own time. There are no excuses for not having enough time in the day because you can simply get up a little earlier and create more time for yourself. You just have to make exercise a priority.
3. At Home Workouts
I briefly mentioned this earlier, but at home workouts have so many benefits. They are free, usually don’t require any equipment and are fairly easy to follow along with. There are tons of workout videos available for free online. You can find workouts for cardio or strength training, depending on what your goals are. YouTube is a great place to start looking for the perfect workout for you. If you’re willing to spend money, you can also purchase workout programs that come with DVD’s, such as Insanity. These programs offer great results and can all be done at home. The best part about at home workouts is that you don’t have to add extra time in to travel to the gym. At home workouts can be done whenever you have a little extra free time at home. At home workouts require no money and take up very little time, so there’s no excuse to not try them out.
4. Make Exercise A Group Activity
Chances are that you make plans with your friends at least a few times a week. Next time, suggest doing a workout as a fun experience that you can all share. Instead of going out to eat or shopping, try going hiking, on a walk, or trying a new workout class together. This will be a win-win because you get to spend time with your friends and exercise, which is extremely beneficial for your health. I have a group of friends that I get together with and we all go to SoulCycle. Cycling classes are super fun and a great form of cardio. I also feel more motivated to go and workout when I know that it is something that my friends and I have planned and I have to follow through. Hiking or going on a walk is also a great idea. It gets you and your friends out in nature and gets your heart rate going, but still allows you to talk and catch up as you all exercise.
5. Make Working Out A Part Of Your Daily Routine
Having a healthy lifestyle means making choices throughout the day that are better for your body. Exercise doesn’t necessarily have to be an intense gym session or a long at home workout. Exercise comes in many variations. Incorporating more exercise into your busy schedule can be as simple as taking the stairs instead of the elevator at school. Or, you can walk instead of drive if you are going somewhere close by. Just think of ways to do more physical activity as you go about your daily routine. Making these small changes will add up in the long run and can really benefit your health.
