As a professor, wife, mother, chauffeur, cook, laundress, maid, coach, community organizer, blogger and physical therapist, I get it when people tell me there are never enough hours in the day. The thought of spending even more time sleeping, eating right and exercising is understandably daunting. But if you’re not working out because you don’t have the time or place to do so, I can help. Here are seven strategies that work:
[See: 10 Excuses for Not Exercising, and Why They Won’t Fly.]
1. Exercise wherever you are.
I have two sons, ages 9 and 12, and both play three sports. This means I devote several hours a week to transporting them to practice and watching them play. But rather than ditch exercise to do so, I see these moments as perfect opportunities to work out. Sure, I get strange looks from the other parents as I walk or run the perimeter of the field, but it’s worth it. I also look for nearby trails and safe running routes close to the boys’ events. When they have games, my husband often drives the kids to the field while I run there. Then, I stay for warmups while he goes on a walk. I’m also not above doing air squats on the sidelines or walking up and down in the bleachers during timeouts and halftime.
2. Ask for help.
While your tendency may be to take care of others before taking care of yourself, keep in mind that exercise should be a priority because it’s an important part of physical and mental well-being. Tell people close to you — your spouse, kids, friends and coworkers — about your goals; this will help you form a type of support network. Share responsibilities like driving, cooking and childcare. The more people you can bring into your network, the more time all of you will have to exercise.
3. Schedule exercise into your calendar.
You wouldn’t think of missing your kids’ scheduled swim lessons, so why do you miss your own exercise? Perhaps because you don’t put it on the calendar. Scheduling fitness into your day will encourage you to stick to your “appointments” and, before you know it, you’ll have established a habit. It’s also a great idea to share your calendar with your family, so they know you arranged this commitment in advance and should not be interrupted.
To increase your chances of success, try to select a time that fits into your circadian rhythm. Some people are morning people, but if you’re not one of them, it’s unlikely you’ll actually get up an hour earlier to exercise. If you don’t have any large time blocks on your calendar, figure out when you can sneak in exercise. For instance, if you have 15 minutes in between meetings, plan to walk up and down the stairs during that break.
[See: Easy Ways to Get 10,000 Steps a Day.]
4. Make it a family affair.
Many of us see caring for children as a barrier to exercise. But in fact, parenting can facilitate fitness. Whether you have an infant or a teenager, you can go for walks, run around the playground or play a game of catch in the backyard. Not only will you benefit from the work out, but you will also be modeling a wonderful example for the rest of your family.
5. Be prepared.
This Boy Scouts of America slogan can apply to all of us. I, for one, always have a pair of sneakers, not to mention a swim bag full of equipment, in my car. When you have the appropriate gear on hand, exercising is much easier and excuses like “I would go for a walk if I only had my sneakers” are less likely to creep in. It’s also helpful to pack a small towel and hat in your car in case you break a sweat or need to disguise post-exercise hair.
6. Embrace the post-workout glow.
Many of my friends will tell you they never see me in anything but fitness gear. I do dress professionally at work, but I keep an entire wardrobe of fitness gear in my office (and car) since I don’t have time to shower in between the many activities I need to fit in during the day. And I am here to tell you: No one at the grocery store cares if you are wearing lipstick and the most on-trend boots. I’m a big fan of combining activities. For me, that means going to work, literally running to the store in 30 minutes, grabbing the items I need for dinner and heading to the bus stop. A hidden bonus might be that wearing active wear encourages me to shop faster!
[See: 7 Ways to Hack Your Grocery Trip for Weight Loss.]
7. Eat a shorter lunch.
I know this might be controversial, but do you really need 60 minutes to eat lunch? Consider going on a 30-minute walk with co-workers or alone during your lunch break. This time will allow you to go outside, de-stress and still enjoy plenty of time to eat. Better yet, pack your own lunch — it’s quicker and will also likely encourage better eating habits while saving you money.
More from U.S. News
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How to Actually Make Time for Fitness This Year originally appeared on usnews.com
