What should I do when I only have a limited time to work out?
There is no doubt that life gets busy sometimes, or even all the time for some. One may think to themselves that after a busy day of work, coming home and taking care of the kids, household chores, etc. that a workout regimen is not even in the deck of cards for them. In the fitness industry, we hear people say that they would like to get into shape, but they just don’t have the time. Sure, you may not have the time to dedicate 2 consecutive hours to rock out a workout, but you may have the accumulation of two hours throughout the day to get done what you wanted to do.
Reshaping the brain from that all or nothing mentality can benefit you in a big way! As mentioned before, a successful workout doesn’t have to mean driving to the gym, working hard during long bouts. Instead, take advantage of your down time throughout the day! Maybe that looks like doing 15 body weight squats while you’re brushing your teeth, do some lunges while walking room to room in your house. These small victories can add up in the long run. Any movement is good movement! You can even make little changes at work, instead of using the elevator, use the stairs, or purchase an under the desk treadmill just to try to get those steps up! Making substitutions or being intentional about adding movements into your day will add up. Getting into that groove, you will start looking for ways to incorporate movement into your day as a behavioral change.
The American Heart Association says that a body needs 5-10 hours of moderate activity a week. This breaks down to 42 minutes-1.25 hours a day. Again, trying to reshape the thought of exercise, some of the ways to get this level of activity at home can look like taking a brisk walk, playing doubles tennis at the park, or even raking leaves in your yard. One can always break those bouts up! Those 42 minutes don’t have to be continuous! If the time isn’t available, go for 4–10-minute brisk walks for example. One can also kick up the effort level. American Heart Association also says that the recommendation of vigorous activity is 2.5-5 hours a day. That breaks down to 21-42 minutes per day. So, if you have 20 minutes available in a day, (most people can generally find 20 minutes for themselves a day), you can get that work out in! Some activities that would be considered vigorous would be jogging or running, shoveling snow when it’s that time of year, or even carrying groceries.
Overall, if getting some more movement in your life is important and/or you are chasing a fitness goal, time should not be an excuse. Reshaping perspective on what a good work out looks like and getting a little creative, one can make some serious life changes by just thinking outside of the box and STAYING CONSISTENT!