Too busy to fit fitness into your day? That’s probably one of the biggest complaints I get from friends, family and clients – it’s not having the time to exercise. No it’s not always easy to fit fitness into your day, especially when you have children, work full time and commute to work plus all the other daily responsibilities. However, no matter what our lives are like, I don’t know one person who doesn’t say “I’m really busy”
So let’s stop using the “I’m too busy” phrase, and give one of these ideas a go to fit fitness into your busy day.
1. Workout together as a family When I was a kid, it was playing outside with dad, either baseball, or basketball or some type of running around in the grass activity after dinner. If it’s nice weather, make it a habit to get outta’ the house after dinner. Go to the park, go for a bike fide, get out in your backyard and get your childs play on. If it’s winter time, bundle up and get outdoors. Make a snowman, get some snowshoes. If you’re kids are too young for these types of activities, put them in the sled and pull them. (that’s resistance training at it’s finest!!)
2. Get your dance party on. At our house, after dinner and before bedtime is what we call “Dance Party” time. We play a few songs and dance around the living room or bedroom. It’s usually an upbeat Drake or Justin Beiber song, but even after a song or two everyone is breaking a sweat. Make it even sweatier by trying to copy Beyonce’s choreography!
3. Take advantage of odd times – before our second baby was born, my husband and I would wake up at 4:45am to workout in the basement together. Before you groan and say you can’t do it. You can. It’s hard, but did you know that on average it take 21 days to form a habit. Just 21 days, so if you try this for 4 weeks weekday mornings, you should be used to it. It gets easier and eventually your body will start waking up before your alarm does. And if you really need more help waking up, just dress in your workout clothes and sleep in them! Seriously, I’ve never done it, but I know people who do.
The World Health Organization has proclaimed that sitting all day is worse than smoking.
4. Use your lunchtime wisely Maybe you have a gym at your work, or you get a 1 hour lunch you can fit in a quick workout. Many gyms offer quickie lunch classes. If you don’t have a gym nearby, how about splitting up your time and just going for a fast paced walk around the area or building? Maybe even a jog? Need to do some errands at lunch? Walk 10 blocks to the grocery store and get something for dinner. Either way, Sitting at a desk at work all day is terrible, and the World Health Organization has proclaimed that sitting all day is worse than smoking. Yikes, get your ass up off that chair and get some exercise if your job allows for it.
5. Implement Fit Friday’s or Superfit Saturdays with your family – every Friday night make it a fun night either going out or at home. You could go swimming with the kids, take them for a nice walk, do something special and out of the ordinary. I knew a family and every Friday night they went bowling. They had their own bowling balls, and shoes and it was a family thing they did every single week!
6. Home workouts with the kids still count –Whether you’re a stay at home mom, a mom on maternity leave or a working mom- instead of spending that 10 minutes wasting time on FB (it’s a serious time suck right?) put on some comfy pants, get the kids and turn it into some spare time into circuit training. Some quick and easy exercises you and the kids can do:
a. jumping jacks
b. cartwheels
c. skipping rope jumping
d. pushups
e. working out your arms by lifting your kid up and down
f. jogging in place
g. running around a large area
7. Go shopping. Window shopping that is. During my first maternity leave I was at the mall alot. I got a couple mom friends together and we walked, FAST around. Luckly we had a mall that wasn’t so busy during the day and was a great place for getting our fast paced mall walking on.
Fitting fitness into your day doesn’t mean you need a gym membership, or workout equipment, it just means getting creative with your time, and your kids, and using your time wisely!
Tweet me. I’d love to know how you fit fitness into your day.
In Fitness & Nutrition
xoxo