Posted by Christiana Carmichael on August 21, 2020

As If I Have Time (To Workout)

Share On:
Facebook
Twitter

Written By Christiana Carmichael

Find Your Ambition Founder, NSCA Certified Personal Trainer, NASM Certified Nutrition Coach, Certified Yin Yoga Instructor

As If I Have Time (To Workout)

We’ve all heard the recommendations: you need to exercise for AT LEAST an hour a day on most days of the week; you need to be sweating bullets in order to reap the benefits; if you don’t start eating ‘healthy’ foods, your health will be in jeopardy. Woah. Those are some pretty daunting expectations. We’ll save the diet for another day, but let’s go back to those first couple of recommendations: how much exercise do we actually need and what IS exercise?

I know what you’re thinking: an HOUR a day? Is that supposed to happen between dropping the kids off, going to work, and picking them back up again to bring them to their soccer and hockey games which are in two completely different locations? Or am I supposed to just not go grocery shopping this week so I can ‘work out?’ Let’s take some time to breathe and think this through.

Don’t have time to workout?

Does 4% of your day sound doable? That’s what a one hour workout amounts to. 4%. And what if I told you that you don’t need to workout for an hour? That just 30 minutes a day could do the trick? That you can reap the benefits by dedicating only 2% of your day to exercising? Still don’t think your day is long enough? I know how that feels. Let’s break it down a bit further and look at some ways to make time for yourself.

1. Break up the 30 minute workout. Setting aside 30 minutes at a time can be hard, especially when you have a lot to do. You may even feel guilty taking 30 minutes away from your work, friends, or family to workout. So don’t. Take 10 minute breaks three times a day. Whether that’s a lunch break, a walk around the neighborhood, or a quick 10-minute total body workout in your living room.

2. Stop hitting snooze. Who are we kidding? It’s not like we’re even getting quality sleep in those 10 minutes we doze off. Get out of bed the first time your alarm sounds. Place it further away from your bed if you have to. This way, when it goes off you’ll have to get out of bed. Your first 10 minutes of exercise will be under your belt before the day has begun.

3. You’re not someone who hits snooze? Set your alarm to go off 10 minutes earlier. Throw on some shoes and take a 10 minute walk around the block. You’ll still be able to start your morning routine at the usual time, but now you can do it with mental clarity and a positive outlook on the day ahead.

4. Sucked-in to social media? How much of your day is spent aimlessly scrolling through pictures of people you don’t even know? Or taking ‘What Color Am I?’ quizzes? Before you know it, an hour has passed and you can’t even remember anything you read. It can be hard to keep track of time when you’re scrolling. So set a timer! Give yourself 30 minutes to scroll. When that timer goes off, lock your phone, and stand up. You’re already on your way to exercising.

5. Try a circuit workout. If you’re someone who likes to ‘feel the burn’ or you don’t feel satisfied until you’re soaked in sweat, try a circuit workout. There are hundreds if not thousands of total body workouts [link to FYA workout] at our fingertips just waiting to be clicked on. The great thing about them? You don’t need to have weights and you don’t need to leave your house. Circuit workouts cut down your rest times and are likely to burn more calories than other workouts–definitely more calories than social media scrolling, right?

Main Takeaway

Long story short, there is no one-size-fits-all exercise prescription. You should never feel like you need to spend countless hours working on yourself in order to feel the benefits. At the end of the day, moving your body is what it’s all about. Whether you’re doing a full body workout, jogging, or just walking for 10 minutes at a time, moving your body is far better than doing nothing at all. Any time you feel like you ‘don’t have time,’ remember, you DO have time. You just need to use it wisely.

Free Personal Training Consultation

Find Your Ambition Offers Free Personal Training Consultations For New members. 

Sign Up Today!

Christiana Carmichael

Find Your Ambition Founder, NSCA Certified Personal Trainer

Christiana is the founder of Find Your Ambition and has a passion for helping others through personal training. She is a highly sought out fitness coach and takes pride in her ability to inspire others to reach their fitness goals.

Christiana offers new clients a free online personal training or nutrition consultation through Find Your Ambition and would love to help you take the next step on your fitness journey!

Questions? Email Us!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *