Hi there,
Welcome back to ‘Hey Coach Darren’ – the advice column where I’ll be sharing my top three tips on a different topic each week, inspired by real-life scenarios from our current members (and you)!
At one time or another, most everybody feels as though there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done that they need to get done. Between family responsibilities, work, social commitments, and let’s be honest, sometimes procrastination, exercising can be easy to move to the back burner when time is feeling crunched.
That’s exactly what was happening to this FitTRAC member (except the procrastination part). Today we’re talking about how to maintain health and fitness even when things continue to push themselves to the top of your ‘to-do’ list:
“Hey Coach Darren, I’ve been a proud member of FitTRAC for over a year and a half now. When I first joined, I was on fire, hitting the gym 4 to 5 times a week without fail. But over the last couple months, life has been throwing curveballs my way, and it’s been a struggle to keep up with my workouts.
Between the demands of my job, unexpected family matters, and the general busyness of life, I often find myself changing my plans from working out to taking care of everything else. It seems like just when I’ve planned to leave the house on time for my workout, something comes up, and I have to abandon my workout for the day!
I’m still working out once or twice per week at FitTRAC, but I miss the days when I could dedicate 4+ days per week to my health and fitness. I’m actually a bit worried that I’m losing the progress I’ve made! Can you help me find some ways to stay committed to exercising even when things unexpectedly pop up on my schedule?”
24 hours may feel cramped on some days, no doubt, and life can indeed get in the way of our best-laid fitness plans. But with a little strategy and flexibility, we can overcome these obstacles, no doubt! Here are my top three tips to help you stay consistent with working out to keep your health and fitness on track, even when unexpected events arise:
- 1. Embrace the mini-workout – When time is tight, remember that something is better than nothing – even short bursts of exercise can make a significant impact! The next time that you’re feeling overwhelmed with responsibilities and you feel like you need to miss a workout, instead of skipping it altogether, break it down into shorter, low/medium/high-intensity bursts throughout the day.
You can perform a quick 5-10 minute circuit of bodyweight exercises in the morning, try squeezing in a brisk walk during your lunch break, or finish the day with a short stretching or yoga session before bed, any day.
Mini-workouts don’t have to be complicated at all either. Try something like this: 30 seconds of a movement (squats, high knees, jumping jacks, etc.) with 10 seconds of a break, six times through. That’s only 4 minutes, which is only 0.28% of the minutes you have every day (you have 1440!). These mini-workouts add up and ensure you’re staying active, even on unexpectedly hectic days.
- 2. Remember that exercise is only part of the picture (prioritize other healthy habits) – Exercising is of course hugely important, but so are other healthy habits! If you’re starting to feel like your day isn’t going to be conducive you working out as normal, prioritize your other healthy habits that day, as early as possible.
Have to take care of a sick kid at home? Make sure you’re staying hydrated while you work from home that day. Have to stay at work late for an unexpected meeting? Make sure to get to bed early that night and get enough sleep for the next day. Stuck in traffic and unable to make it to the gym in time? Eat a nutrient-rich dinner with plenty of veggies and lean protein.
Making sure that your lifestyle habits outside of exercising are on-point on days that you don’t workout can go a long ways towards helping you stay on track with your health and fitness. - 3. Identify consistently open times in your schedule, and be accountable – If you have health and fitness goals, you must be committed to doing things on a daily/weekly basis that will help you reach those goals. Which means sometimes you’ll have to do things that are difficult – they call it “resistance” training after all!
One thing that may be difficult is finding those times in your schedule in which things typically don’t pop up – ie early mornings and late evenings.
It may not be easy to know which days are going to become overloaded. But if you work out prior to the day starting for most people (5-7am), or work out after most of the day is over (9-11pm), you’ll be able to find the time.
Identify other windows of opportunity too – take advantage of your lunch break and work out for 10-15 minutes, encourage your friends/family/coworkers to join you in exercise during times spend with them, or try walking during recurring weekly meetings/calls/other responsibilities if possible!
Remember, staying consistent with exercise is about finding what works best for you in your unique circumstances. Don’t be too hard on yourself when life gets in the way. Adapt, be flexible, and keep striving for progress rather than perfection.
Stay tuned for next week’s ‘Hey Coach Darren’ where I’ll be sharing more valuable tips to help you become happier, healthier, and stronger.
Stronger Together,
Coach Darren
P.S.
Do you need help with your health and fitness? Just hit ‘Learn more’ and I’ll be sure to give you some tips in an upcoming ‘Hey Coach Darren’ blog post.