No Time for Fitness? Think Again.
A lot of people struggle to find time in their daily life to workout and be physically active.
Making time for physical activity can definitely be a challenge, but the most important thing to do is make your physical health and fitness a priority by finding time in your day to be active.
I recognize that physical activity looks different for everyone based on ability and preference of activity, but one thing is for sure - we can all make time to bring activity into our days and prioritize our health and fitness.
To make sure you set aside time for physical activity, start by evaluating your typical day and think about the time you allocate to different activities and tasks. Then, identify areas of your day that are unproductive or “wasted” time to see where you can prioritize physical activity instead.
Here are some examples of how I’ve optimized my days to make time for movement:
Swap out Social Media Time
I know I spend too much time aimlessly browsing social media unnecessarily. By tracking my social media time and setting reminders for when my daily time limit is up, I can reallocate time previously spent on social media towards something more productive, like working out. That’s not to say that browsing social media is bad, but too much time spent on social media means less time to spend on other things, like being active.
Netflixercise
For those of us who love watching Netflix or any other streaming service (Guilty!!), consider doing physical activity of some form while watching your favorite show or movie! It’s pretty easy to put the TV on and do a HIIT circuit or run on the treadmill. Now, this isn’t to say that every time you watch a TV show you have to do a workout, (trust me, I know the feeling when your body just needs sweatpants and the couch) but it’s something to think about if you love watching TV and are struggling to find the time for the physical activity you want to incorporate in your day. It doesn’t always have to be a really intense workout either. Sometimes I toss on a 20 minute episode of something and just do step-ups on my aerobic step - anything to get the body moving!
Walk & Talk
Another way I sneak in additional activity into my day is when I want to phone a friend or family member, I’ll head out for a walk and call them while I’m walking (I like to use my bluetooth headphones rather than holding the phone up to my ear the whole time). Not only do you get to chat with someone, but you can also get your heart rate up and get lots of activity at the same time.
Errand Running. Literally.
Finally, incorporating physical activity into running errands is another way I recommend fitting in more activity into your day. Heading to the grocery store and only picking up a couple items? Try walking or biking to the store instead of driving (obviously dependent on proximity of the store). Yesterday, I jogged to my dentist appointment and back, about 2.5 km each way! If it’s not feasible, to walk, bike, or jog to the place you’re headed, why not try and park your car a bit further from the place you’re going to mix in a few more steps and active minutes.
These small changes can increase your daily active minutes, calorie burn, and most importantly, your feeling of overall health and fitness. At the end of the day, it’s your choice as to where you allocate time in a day, and it’s up to you to prioritize your health and wellbeing by fitting in physical activity where you can! “No Time” is no longer an excuse ;).
