23 Feb 5 Ways to Fit Exercise Into A Busy Schedule
We’re all aware that regular exercise offers many health and wellness benefits, but it can be a challenge fitting it into a busy schedule. There are so many good reasons to cultivate a regular fitness routine. Not only does exercise support weight loss and boost energy levels, but it also relieves stress and promotes the release of endorphins. Some of the world’s busiest and most successful people make time to exercise regularly and if you can too, you won’t regret it. Here, David, A trainer at fitness app Freeletics shares five simple ways to sneak more exercise into your day.
HOW TO MAKE TIME TO EXERCISE
COMBINE SOCIALISING AND EXERCISING
Having to make the choice between a social life and your exercise? Why not combine the two. Committing to a workout with a friend means you’re less likely to skip your next training session. Exercising with a friend can also make exercise more enjoyable, motivating you to keep up the good work and giving you a chance to socialise while you focus on your fitness. So if you find you’re too busy to exercise because you’ve got a busy social calendar, rope in friends and get the best of both worlds.
EMBRACE SHORT, SHARP WORKOUTS
High Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT as it’s better known, is one of the best ways to fit exercise into a busy schedule. Interval training is a great way to increase your fitness levels and calorie burn and it’s performed by alternating intense periods of physical activity with short periods of rest so that your body can recover briefly before you up the intensity again. Not only is this style of working out a great time saver, its brilliant for building endurance and boosting the metabolism. A full body HIIT workout needn’t be longer than 15 minutes, and who doesn’t have 15 minutes to spare? If you’re not sure where to start, Freeletics has recently launched a 15-minute Training Journey which offers six weeks of 15-minute bodyweight only workouts which can be done anytime, anywhere and with no equipment.
UTILISE YOUR BODYWEIGHT
Bodyweight training is incredibly effective, and one of the beauties of this style of training is that it requires no equipment. It’s an incredibly versatile way of training and you don’t even need to be in the gym. This means you’ll spend less time travelling to and from the gym and waiting around to use the machines or free weights. If you’re struggling to make time to exercise you can get a quick, effective full body workout wherever you are, and whenever works best for you.
SET REALISTIC GOALS
Don’t let missing one workout be the catalyst for you to miss a whole week of training. Being realistic about what you want to achieve is key, because when you start seeing results, you’ll be inspired to work out more and as a result stay committed to your training plan, even when you’re super busy. There’s no harm in setting yourself a big goal, but break it down into smaller, micro goals so that you can celebrate your achievements and progress often.
SUPPORT YOUR RECOVERY
If you lead a busy lifestyle, fitting in exercise around a list of other commitments, it’s important to factor in recovery. While it has many health benefits, exercising can put stress on the body so make sure to balance regular workouts with rest days. If you find that intense exercise sessions result in muscle aches and tenderness, try taking a bath with added magnesium flakes. Natural joint pain relief options like Flexiseq gel can help to relive joint pain resulting from exercise sessions. Listen to your body and honour it when tells you to take a break.