That’s exactly me the years ago. Full time job, three kids, a house and an inbourne need for nine hours sleep every night. Nope, no time for exercise. But then the black shadow of meaninglessness came upon me. I was near depression. I know exercise works as an upward remedy, and so I started taking long walks and fast bikerides. It felt good, but took too much time. I needed something shorter. Then I found the 7-minutes regime. With intro, outro and small pauses it takes nine minutes. Not even ten minutes, I couldn’t argue I didn’t have this time for me. Because honestly, it was about getting exercise, but also prioritize myself. I set the alarm 15 minutes earlier and do it every day. No meddling with myself, should I do it today, should I do I later. Just like a medicine, I just do it before breakfast. If I’m not feeling my best, I might not lift my knees as high as I usually do when running with high knees, but I do it. Good luck finding what works best for you!
When is your energy at peak? Schedule exercise accordingly, don’t procrastinate to after dinner! Also. You make time for the things that you value the most. Pheraps you don’t value exercise enough right now as it’s not part of your routine yet. Try scheduling with a friend for buddy support, or start simply with a walk around the block.
Break you idea of "exercise" up. If you think I need to exercise for 30 minutes, break it up to 3x a day for 10 minutes each. Like before or after you meals go for a 10 minute walk. Start slow…the more you do it, the more energy and confidence you will feel.
Just begin. Just put your shoes on, turn your workout music, and begin. Aim small, a few pushups, a few minute run, or sets on the benchpress. Whatever your exercise of choice is you will often see that by just beginning you do more than intended.
I find myself making those excuses whenever I delay my exercise regime to later on during the day. I believe the key is to always exercise in the morning, free from any mundane distractions the day brings. Wake up early, take a quick jog or push-ups or even dance and you’re already on your way to a happier and more productive day!
Tell yourself you only have to do it for five minutes. After, you can stop or continue. (Usually the hardest part is starting!)
So I have an irregular schedule which makes any kind of planning outside of my job and my music responsibilities very difficult sometimes. Instead of thinking of exercise as “exercise” I’ve decided to think of it as movement and plan some kind of movement everyday that works based on my schedule. So if I have a busy day and can’t go to my yoga class, I just plan a short walk outside after I get off rehearsal. If I’m at my desk all day, I just plan to walk around my room during lunch.
There is always time. Telling yourself that you don’t have any means your not actively trying to find or make time for a workout. We waist so much time in our day on our phone, watching tv, or doing things that are not productive to our day. If we were to take all that time combined, you will find that you do in fact, have time for a workout. It doesn’t have be that long either. 30 minutes or less of intense core, running, weights, yoga, etc. For me, working out in the morning is a great jump start to my day. Getting up may be hard but once I’m at the gym, it’s totally worth it. Consistency is key! So start small by telling yourself you WILL workout in the day at some point. Then begin to find a time that works for you and keep going from there. Never give up on yourself, you can always be better than your self yesterday and today.
Try and squeeze in exercise first thing in the morning, that way its out of the way. If you dont have time try and break it into little chunks, 5 mins and 10 mins there. Even doing some little exercises at your desk if you work from home could help.
Are there ways you can incorporate exercise into other activities in your life? For example, are there any errands you can run by walking or biking instead of driving? Can you meet with a friend at the gym or go for a walk or a hike together instead when you might normally grab a drink? Can you put dumbbells in front of the TV and lift weights while you watch a show? If you have kids, can you incorporate them into an activity, such as playing an intense game of tag? If you can incorporate exercise into something you already do, then you don’t have to find new time in your schedule just for exercise.
Answers reflect the personal experiences of Fabulous community members. They are not medical or professional advice — for guidance about your health, talk to a qualified professional.
