How to manage time for exercise

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Managing your workout schedule with your busy lifestyle can be a difficult thing to do. Many clients tell me they miss workouts and can’t make them up due to hectic schedules. I know it can be hard balancing life and juggling various events, but you need to schedule your workout time and stick to it! All of the practitioners know how important exercise is to be able to accomplish fitness goals. We work at a gym and still struggle to find time to exercise. We understand that your schedules may be even busier than ours, but it’s important that we all stick to our exercise schedules to reach our goals! These four tips for staying on track help us, and they can help you too!

Four simple ways you can become more consistent with exercise:

Mark it down on the calendar:

Write your workout time down on your calendar. Have a backup day scheduled just in case something extremely important comes up and you absolutely cannot do your workout. Your workout appointment should be like any other appointment. You wouldn’t miss a meeting with your boss or an appointment with your doctor. This is just as important NOT to miss.

Pick specific times:

Pick times throughout your day when you know you are able to exercise. Keep in mind that you don’t need a long period of time to get an effective workout. You can get in an interval workout in a very short period of time. If you only have a few minutes, do a 1minute work to 1 minute rest or a 1min:30s workout at near max effort for at least 30 minutes. Doing something is definitely better than doing nothing when trying to reach your goals.

Be selfish:

If you don’t make the time for the things you need for yourself, then ultimately, you will never reach the goals you want or even need. It’s okay to say that you need to take that time for yourself –go ahead and be selfish for your own health!

Ask your practitioner:

If you only have a certain amount of time, ask your practitioner for a workout that will allow you to expend more calories throughout the day, as well as fit in with your work/ life schedule.

Conclusion:

The take-home message is “Don’t let anything come in between you and your workout!” Make a plan and stick to it; everyone needs time for themselves, and everyone deserves to live a healthy life. If you’re having a hard time sticking to that plan (for whatever reason), talk to your practitioner. Once you start scheduling your workouts and making them a priority in your life and are consistent about food logging, you may achieve goals you never thought were achievable!

 

 

About the Author:

  • Michael Stack is the founder & CEO of Applied Fitness Solutions and Frontline Fitness Pros. He is a faculty lecturer for the University of Michigan’s School of Kinesiology. He is also the creator and the host of the Wellness Paradox Podcast, produced in conjunction with University of Michigan.

    Michael is an exercise physiologist by training and a health entrepreneur, health educator, and fitness industry advocate by trade. He is dedicated to enhancing the standard of practice of, and advocating for, fitness and wellness professionals to ensure they become an essential constituent in the healthcare delivery system.

    With a career spanning over three decades in fitness, health, and wellness Michael has a deep knowledge of exercise physiology, health/wellness coaching, lifestyle interventions to mitigate chronic disease and leadership. He is credentialed through the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) as an Exercise Physiologist (ACSM-EP), Exercise is Medicine practitioner (ASCM-EIM), and a Physical Activity in Public Health Specialist (ACSM-PAPHS). Michael is a National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA) Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), and a CDC Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) Lifestyle Coach.

    Michael received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan’s School of Kinesiology in 2004 and is currently a Master’s of Public Health (MPH) candidate at University of Michigan, with a specific concentration in health behavior and health education.

    Michael is a board of directors’ member for the Physical Activity Alliance and Michigan Fitness Clubs Association. He sits on the University of Michigan’s School of Kinesiology Alumni Board of Governors. Michael is an expert curriculum reviewer for the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. Finally, he is a member of the executive leadership team for American Heart Association’s Heart Walk.

    Michael lectures nationally for several health/fitness certification and continuing educations, including; IHRSA, the Medical Fitness Association, the National Strength & Conditioning Association, and SCW Fitness.

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