Fitting a gym session into your daily life might seem nearly impossible, especially if you travel a lot, work more than one job, or have a family to come home to. However, that's simply not the case. The key is making exercise work with your lifestyle, not trying to revolve your lifestyle around your workouts-that's what often leads to frustration and ultimately, quitting on your fitness goals.
Not convinced? Check out these 5 easy ways to implement exercise into your daily life to get started.
Do It With Friends
Many of us feel like we have to pass up on social opportunities in order to make time for exercise, but that doesn't have to be the case. Make exercise a social activity. It's an easy way to create a support system and hold each other accountable for meeting your fitness goals.
Some ideas for group workouts include:
- Hiking
- Brisk walking
- Yoga
- Surfing
Working out with friends gives you time to catch up and find a common interest (whether that be kickboxing or stand up paddleboarding), with the added benefit of also getting your steps in.
Schedule Your Workouts in Advance
Finding the motivation to go to the gym can be difficult on some days, especially when you have other offers for plans that seem more fun (like after work happy hour with the team or an impromptu movie date with your significant other). When we don't commit to going to the gym at the beginning of our day, it can be difficult to stick to your plans when you're tired and grumpy from a long day of meetings and difficult clients.
You can schedule your fitness classes ahead of time using Google or simply carve out an hour on your phone's calendar making a commitment to hit the gym at a specific time each day. Make sure to set reminders so you're prepared for the workout session you have in store later that day.
Keep Workout Gear in Your Car
There are so many opportunities to work out throughout the day, and you never know when motivation could strike. Keep a bag of workout gear in your car, so you always have what you need to get exercise in when you can. For example, you could grab your running shoes and shorts from the car for a walk during your lunch hour on a day when you have a full schedule. Or, if you live in an area known for the outdoor lifestyle, keep a pair of trail shoes for after-work hikes.
Having your gym bag on you at all times keeps you from using one more excuse to avoid working out. Trust us, your future self will thank you for thinking ahead.
Choose a Gym That's on Your Route Home
The last thing you want to do after sitting in after-work traffic is have to leave home again and head back out to the busy streets to drive to your gym. Instead of putting yourself in a position where it's easy to decide not to venture back out to complete your daily gym session, make the gym part of your commute home-this is where keeping your gym bag in the car comes in.
Find a gym that's on your route home, so it doesn't feel inconvenient and like it's adding on a lot of extra time to your day. Plus, this way, once you're home, you're home and you can freely kick back and relax.
Get a Workout App
One of the easiest ways to make sure you get exercise every day is having a tool that helps you workout from virtually anywhere. Whether you're traveling across the country or just prefer to workout at home, a fitness app that has versatile programming will make getting your daily exercise possible. And what's better is that many of these apps are designed with people who have limited time and little to no equipment in mind, making it easier than ever to exercise at home or on the go.
Read some reviews before downloading your fitness app of choice or test out a few (most workout apps have free trials), so you can find the one that you like best. Think about instructors, class options, workout lengths, and more. Ideally, you want to find something that has enough content to keep you active and motivated, instead of burning out on it after the first month.
With these tips in mind, you can find ways to fit working out into your daily routine. Once you do, you'll see how easy it is to stay fit and healthy with a little planning and organization.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
