Even just 30 minutes of exercise a day can make a HUGE difference in your metabolic fitness level. Yesterday I saved myself a total of 40 minutes by skipping the drive to the gym and working out in front of the TV with my P90X Legs and Back workout. Just because it is in front of the TV does not mean that the workout is any less intense than it would be in the gym on my own.
Maintaing a constant level of fitness requires discipline and structure. But as much as it requires structure, it also requires flexibility. Having a structured workout regimen is ideal but not always possible or realistic. Some people have school, exams, study sessions, children to take care of or dinner to cook, so it is important to have structure AND flexibility. When something unexpected comes up it is important to be flexible with your workout schedule, and move it to the morning instead of the evening or to a 30 minute workout instead of 45 minutes. Being able to accept the fact that not every week will be the same or ideal for fitting in workouts is essential to maintaining your commitment to fitness. Life does not always play by our rules or go exactly as planned, so don’t get upset when something comes up and tell yourself “well now I guess I can’t workout today” because you CAN if you want to badly enough. Just get creative, think on your toes, and you will be able to find a way to fit fitness into your life everyday. Also sometimes unexpected workout cancelations turn out to be blessings, and great days for unexpected rest, which is never a bad thing.
Quick tips for maintaining your sanity and fitness regiment:
- Be realistic with your time – I know you want to be superwoman, but scheduling a 90 minute workout session on what is typically your busiest day at work is sometimes not the best idea. It is great to be enthusiastic and optimistic but it is also important to be REALISTIC. Try organizing your week by most stressful/busy days to least, and the plan your workouts accordingly. Maybe save that 90 minute workout for Sunday.
- Have a “Go-To” back-up plan – So you planned on doing legs at the gym today for an hour and it just so happens that your child is sick and you have to go home to take care of her. You need to have a plan for this type of occurrence, and do your workout at home. Legs are easily worked without any weights or equipment, lunges, squats, calves raises, and leg lifts are all great moves that can be accomplished in limited space.
- Invest in a DVD that you really enjoy – Workout DVDs are good for the days that you can’t make it to the gym, or simply do not want to sit in traffic. Gas prices are crazy high and saving yourself 20 minutes in the car is time earned and money saved. A few of my favorites are the P90X DVDs by Tony Horton and The Tone-Up workout by Suesan Pawlitski.
- Try waking-up 30 minutes earlier - I am not a morning person, so the fact that I am writing this means a lot. Working out in the morning has many perks, it gets your metabolism going, can be a substitute for caffeine, and is far less likely to be canceled due to an unexpected event. Evening workouts are great, but it can be very easy to create excuses for bailing on a workout after a long day at work.
