I often hear people saying that exercise isn’t for them and usually the reason behind it is that they aren’t able to find more time to keep up an active lifestyle. As much as I disagree with such arguments, I also understand how it might look and feel at first.
I wasn’t always this active, you know. I used to say the same things as many people do, and I used to be super lazy about changing anything. In fact, I kinda hated exercise. But then one day I realized that a) I wasn’t doing the right exercises – back then I didn’t know what I really like and what suits me the best and b) I didn’t understand the importance of it.
If any of this sounds familiar to you, I highly invite you to check out my 7 day fitness course where I talk a lot about its importance and why intellectual fitness is the key to long lasting results! For now, let’s check out some tips that will help any busy person out there to fit exercises into their daily routine!
First of all – fitness has to become a part of you. Making this happen is easier than it might sound at first. Once you let exercise into your life you will start to realize just how many benefits it brings – without a doubt you’ll truly understand it’s importance. So far I can say that everyone who’s into an active lifestyle confirms that workouts improve their productivity, health, mood, sleep, feelings/emotions, work, friendships, relationships – all the good stuff. But I truly believe that each one of us falls in love with exercise for our own reasons.
For me, mornings are the most important part of the day. I cannot imagine my life without an early morning workout at the beach these days. I’d give up coffee, but exercises – never. Yes, I’m that crazy, but there’s nothing as inspiring and motivating than a good workout while the majority of the world is still asleep. It refreshes my head, helps me to get started for the day, it boosts my productivity and I no longer need endless cups of coffee to keep me going if I get busy with work. I often do a little exercise during midday as well – that strikes some energy and I can focus more. The list of adjectives is endless, and I could talk for days about why I love exercising so much, and why I can keep up with it even while I’m traveling! But today we are here to make exercise become a part of your daily life, and that, my friend, is easier than you think! So let’s get started…
1. Limit your time online – cut down on social media. Trust me, you spend way too much time on it than you need. All of us do – unless you have a Facebook limiter plugin installed on your browser which helps you with that, or you’re able to control it by yourself and set some kind of alarms to stay on track. But if you don’t, then chances are you don’t use your time wisely in this case. Stop it and try cutting down on media – all of it! Then just see how much extra time you’ll have, and try using it for exercise!
2. Ask for help – mix socializing with exercising. I love running, although I was always a bit too lazy to push myself and do it. But couple of years ago my dear friend Ugne got me to come along for a quick run and I was hooked. I really loved it! We then started to go for a run occasionally, and then we used to do some extra exercises together after. It was superb! I really miss that – because of our social run I ended up running longer distances and started exercising even more. That’s how I got to my everyday workout routines which are now a part of me, and a big part of my life. So go on and ask a friend to join you! Maybe you don’t catch up with each other that often because you’re too busy, but both of you need to implement fitness into your daily life. In that case, a combined fitness regime is a great idea which will only make both of you happier. Or simply ask your partner to help you – you two can sign up for a gym, or at least include romantic evening walks into your daily plans!
3. Find pockets of time for exercise. Yes, even a 15 minute walk can be a good start! This means that you could go for a brisk 15-minute walk after breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Not only will you feel refreshed, but it also helps with digestion! I often find myself with 10-15 minutes to spare, so I have a mental list of things that can be completed in that amount of time. If you have your own 10-15 minute activity list, just add exercise to it.
4. Combine exercise and transportation. In many parts of the world, this is an obvious one. However, sometimes it’s easy to forget that getting from Point A to Point B can be a wonderful opportunity to exercise. Here are some options: bike or walk to work/school; bike to the grocery store; walk over to a friend’s house; walk or bike to the coffee shop. As long as it’s at least 10-15 minutes and getting your heart rate up, it’s exercise! I know it’s bit of a risk in a bigger city – yas, it’s hard to bike everywhere and always be on time! And I cannot speak for everyone, but here in Australia lots of people drive their cars even if the grocery store or coffee shop is just around a corner. I know Perth is big, but come on! If it’s just a 10-15min walk – you can perfectly do that and it won’t hurt!
5. Turn chores into exercise. While cleaning a house might not be the most fun activity, it’s something we all have to do, and it can definitely be a workout if you want it to be. Set a kitchen timer or phone alarm for 20 minutes and see how much of the house you can clean. Try to be as efficient and quick-paced as possible, and I guarantee you’ll work up a sweat. If you’re doing lighter housework that is harder to get your heart rate up (like laundry or organizing), throw in some lunges or push-ups every few minutes to start feeling the burn. It’s fun, it’s different, and it’s exercise! I love putting some of my favorite tunes on as well – I then end up dancing and having way too much fun!
I hope these tips will inspire you and you’ll find more time for exercise in your daily routine. But please let me know what motivates you to fit fitness into your life and keep up with an active lifestyle – share them all in comments below, let’s inspire and support one another!
Don’t forget to checkout 7 day exercise camp for butt and legs which is suitable for every entrepreneur, business owner, boss lady, or anyone that spends lots of time in static positions during the day. The lower part of the body is that part we need to focus on the most! So give this fitness course a go – I’ll be happy to have you on board!
Photography: Vaida Tamosauskaite
Post-Processing: Rae Tashman
