3 Ways to Work Out if You're Short on Time

Not having enough time is one of the biggest obstacles when it comes to sticking with a consistent fitness routine. Which is totally understandable. Work gets crazy, family life gets crazy… The balance can get extremely tough. But there are ways that you can still make fitness part of your everyday life!

1) Break Up Workouts into Smaller Segments

We are often stuck in the mindset that if we don’t spend hours in the gym (and all at one time), then it’s not a real workout. But this isn’t the case. You can break up that 20-minute workout into 2 segments, or that 60-minute workout into smaller sets throughout the day. Whatever time frame you prefer, it can be broken down into shorter spurts! Maybe you wake up, do 5-10 minutes of a quick workout, do 5 minutes during your lunch, and 5 minutes in the evening while dinner cooks… Those small time frames add up! You’ll be surprised at your results over time! It’s all about developing the habit of daily movement. And consistency is key.

2) Workout at Home

Working out at home will not only save you money, but it also saves you an incredible amount of time! We often don’t think about the time spent preparing our gear for the gym, the drive time, possibly waiting to use equipment, talking to people that we run into while we’re there, the commute back, etc… That time adds up! Working out at home makes it more flexible with your schedule, and helps cut back on transition times!

3) Incorporate Interval Training/ HIIT Training

Interval training not only has been shown to have incredible results for overall health, but it is also an amazing way to get a tough workout in quickly! Interval training is typically done for 12-20 minutes, depending on your time restraints and/or fitness level, and allows you to push yourself in short time frames (but trust me, you’ll feel it!). It allows you to increase your heart rate quickly, followed by a short break, then repeated. YouTube has a wide variety of interval/HIIT style workouts, as well as many free apps that can be searched within the app store. Interval training is also convenient, because it can easily be done with just body weight, so it makes it doable for everyone in any location!

Creating a healthier lifestyle doesn’t have to be a huge time commitment. Take a look at your schedule this week, and evaluate how you can best incorporate fitness into your life. Have 12 minutes, 3-4 days per week to push yourself? Maybe interval training would be a great fit. Extra short on time? Find 3 times per day where you can move your body in 5-minute sets. Find what works best for you! But get in the habit of moving your body and stay consistent! You can do this!