When you don’t have time to workout. All too often, I see comments on my posts from people saying that they just don’t have time to workout. I’m going to start by saying that I call bullsh*t because almost everyone can find a few minutes here and there to get up and move, even if they can’t make it into the gym. Look, I get it, there are plenty of great reasons why we can’t workout on a particular day even if we’ve found something that we love. Hey, I’m sitting her writing this, figuring out how I can get out of ballet tonight because I’m not feeling motivated, my thyroid is making me extra tired and I don’t feel like going. It feels like there are a thousand other things that I’d rather be doing. Here’s the thing, the personal trainer in me can’t let anyone get away with saying they don’t have time (and by the way, I’m moving tons today, it’s just a particular class that doesn’t excite me). So instead of attempting the monumental task of putting aside an hour or more of exercise everyday, here’s what you are going to do on those days when you don’t have time to workout.
WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE TIME TO WORKOUT
THE 6 MINUTE WORKOUT
The first thing you are going to do is a pick a move from the following list:
-push ups
-squat with side kick + tricep dips (this is a two in one)
-burpees
-jumping jacks
Morning. Now do it for 6 minutes straight. That’s it. You can take a breath if you really need one, but you need to complete the 6 minutes. Period. Now go take a shower and go about your day.
Night. Pick a move from the list (a different one from the morning) and do it for 6 minutes.
That is your minimum for days when you don’t have the time for a proper workout. By getting your heart pumping in the morning, you’ll find that you have more energy and that your mood is brighter. This is a huge motivation to actually go to the gym when you have more time. When we stop working out, we get lazy, our motivation seeps out the window and we are more likely to miss another workout and then another and then another…. See where I’m going with this? By never actually stopping for days on end, you won’t lose your rhythm.
Now don’t think you’re completely off the hook during the day because here’s what you are going to do:
Walk and talk. If you find you are on the phone a lot then you are going to make sure that you aren’t sitting down while you talk. Walk in circles if you have to, but walk.
Walk to and at work. Okay, so this might not be realistic for many people, but you can park further away from your office and take the stairs whenever possible. Sure, we hear these tips all the time and yeah, they are a bit cliche but they work.
The whole point of this is to never stop moving and to never lose the habit of doing one small thing each day to keep your body strong.
What do you do when you are “too busy” to workout?
2 Comments
unfortunately my knees dont allow me to do burpees and squats :/
Oh no problem! There are other things you can do. Instead of squats try rising up and down onto the balls of your feet with straight legs and to really get into your glutes you can do side lying leg circles. Also, you can do the side kick without bending (or minimally bending) your knees in between. Hope this helps!
xo