I have found that one of the biggest barrier to committing to a fitness program is the belief that it takes to much time or days are so full that creating the time is very difficult. Trust is we are all time challenged and some of us still find a way to get in at least 30 minutes of focused fitness 5-6 times a week. So what is the difference between people that find a way and people that struggle to make this part of their daily routine. Here are some things to consider especially if you are in the camp of people who struggle to bring this into your life as a daily healthy  habit.

  • Do what you love-create a menu of fitness activities that you enjoy and/or like. Have at least 3 different options but having a few more is even better.
  • If you enjoy working out with people build that into your choices. This can help with accountability and feeling like your not alone especially on days that your less than motivated.
  • Have some sort of accountability system. It could be a person/persons, an online group, health coach, a dog!, and a calendar tracking the days you have committed to getting in your fitness time.
  • Make sure you cover your basis: Cardio, strength,mobility and stretching. I suggest alternating activities. To much of any one thing can contribute to injury plus it is important to have a chance to recover from those cardio days. One popular form of cardio exercise, HIIT, can be extremely effective if it is alternated with other forms of fitness.
“Ace Fit for Life” article states the following and I agree 100%.
One simple fact that many people—and even many fitness professionals—forget is that your body makes progress from exercise when you recover from a hard workout. The hard workout is the stimulus for improvement. If all you’re doing is breaking down and challenging muscle, there is no rebuilding time. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has gotten popular because it works and is effective at creating change. If something is good, more isn’t always better and the same is true with HIIT.

 

The body needs time to recover. Because the more powerful fast twitch fibers are used to a greater extent in HIIT training, greater muscle damage is occurring. These muscle fibers need a rest and recovery day to hypertrophy and grow stronger. Be kind to your body and alternate days of HIIT training with days of steady state training.”: “The best exercise you can do is the one you can sustain. Anyone can work out for a few months, but who can sustain a lifetime of movement free of pain and limitations?”
So when you are creating your menu of fitness options it is key to take into account your preferences, passions, recovery as well and the challenge and enjoy-ability factors. If your having fun or at least feeling good about your workout time it will be much easier to commit to this practice for long term lifestyle change. Obviously this approach does not work if you are a competitive athlete or have a very specific fitness goal in mind like running a marathon. Certain activities will require a more narrow focus. If your looking for ways to stick with a fitness program, have had a hard time with this in the past and want a solid habit in place I trust the above ideas will be helpful.
In the end behavior change is not easy for any of us. We all gravitate to our comfort zones even when they don;t serve us. I like a very simple, easy to follow guide with small gains. I have found this to be more effective. Further, most of us do not have hours a day to spend working out and more is not necessarily better. I trust that my suggestions help with the “lack of time” road block and help pave the way for a sustained, fun and balanced fitness program.

In support of you!
Laurie

Laurie Bagley MS in Outdoor Adventure Leadership, is a mother,  ACE certified health coach and group fitness coach, entrepreneurial business owner, VeraHeart coach and teacher. Her Health Fitness Coaching Business, focuses on assisting people reach their health/wellness/fitness goals. She is also
the 6th woman to summit Mt. Everest from the North Col route and has written a book called SUMMIT

life coach, health fitness wellness coach