Wanting to exercise is the first step. The second is making time to do it.
Perhaps you’re a busy mum, an 8-6 worker or even just someone who struggles to find five minutes in their day, sometimes a bit of planning opens up your whole day. That being said I’m going to help you find the right slot for you and stay motivated once you’ve selected that schedule.
Are you an early riser or night owl?
Studies have shown that more calories are burned during a morning workout. The body uses as many calories as it has to go all-out in a morning workout where as the end of the day the body is getting a bit achy and ready for bed. A healthier attitude to weight loss comes from people who are able to squeeze in 10 minutes before their day starts over someone who spends an hour in the evening. That’s not to say you shouldn’t workout in the evening if it’s all you have just that the body works harder in the morning and keeps burning calories throughout the day, boosting your adrenaline and endorphins to carry you through your day.
Why not set your alarm 30 minutes earlier?
Give yourself 10 minutes to shake off the sleep-haze, set up a yoga mat and do some light stretching. You don’t need to go all out in the first week of your routine, just get your body moving. Eventually you can wake up quicker and start incorporating some cardio moves. I spent the first week in October going for a 20 minute run at 7.30am. As it has gotten colder I’ve packed that in for a HIIT routine. Can you find 13 minutes?
Can you find 13 minutes? try this workout.
Evening workouts.
If the evening hours are all you can find then put your all into it. Some people say that the extra effort of having to workout in the evening gives them the motivation to do it day in day out. Best before 7pm, to give your body enough time to relax before sleep. If you’re someone who has more free time in the evenings and you’re motivated then that’s incredible. Keep strong.
Squeeze in some office Olympics.
Only find half an hour when it’s your lunch break? Or even worse, when you’re mid-call with a customer and you have No time to workout? Try my ultimate list of desk and workers exercises to keep yourself active. From loo-lunges to seated leg raises. It’s a hilarious list of exercises to do when you only have a few minutes spare at work! Click the picture or the link!
Go for a mid-day stroll
Any form of activity is better than non so why not take your lunch with you whilst you walk to the local shops or pop to a local park. a 15-minute walk could burn upwards of 100 calories and boost your metabolism and endorphins for 12 hours. Just keep a good pace!
Commuters workout.
Why not spend your 30-minute commute to work, running instead? If you spend most of your time in traffic or if your work is regularly close, why not pop your trainers on and turn your journey into a workout instead. It may seem a bit extreme but when that’s all the time you have, you have to be committed. Back in my hay day I used to run 40 minutes!! Yeah, 40 minutes every day to work. Then I’d spend the next 2 hours exhausted and unable to work. That sounds like it’d put you off but don’t let it, if you have a short journey it’s great use of your time – Why you should take up running.
Set a time and stick to it.
AKA planning.
Anyone who is healthy is a great planner. The most common reason for diets not working or workouts not going to plan is failing to prepare. Not having the right foods in the house or not ‘finding’ time to workout. That’s not an excuse, not when smart phones and planners are around. Plan your day hour by hour, instead of ” I’ll exercise tonight” Make it, “I’ll exercise at 6pm”. Give yourself a deadline.
Don’t set your alarm at 5am if you’re schedule is unreliable. One day you may have to skip your workout and it could throw your motivation off. Instead, find a time you can really commit to. It helps put you in the mindset to workout every day at that time and relax throughout the rest of the day.
Learn about weight loss before you start
Planning will only take you so far. Researching and staying motivated is a separate part of planning how to lose weight. I have many articles on the topic for beginners but first things first. Things you need to know before you start to lose weight, it’s a humorous take on the negative effects of weight loss but worth reading. Many people take negatives as a hurdle so if you know when to jump before a hurdle hits you’ll be prepared to lose weight effectively. How to stay focused on your weightloss regime.
Hope I’ve got those creative juices flowing, remember you don’t find time to workout, you MAKE time. The right schedule for your workouts has to be what suits you best. Don’t forget that with a healthy exercise routine you also need the right food to fuel your workouts so make your food a top priority.
This is really informative! I’m terrible at scheduling, but I might give some of your tips a go and try and get myself out and active a bit more thna usual!
Lottie L’Amour xxx
I do lots of walking each day which has certainly helped me improve my fitness.
Great Article Amy! I love working out in the morning. one of the main perks for me is the empty space at the gym and i feel more energized through the whole day. I changed my routine to evening now because my brother is trying to lose weight and he doesn’t like waking up early so i had to alter my schedule to help him (the things we do for the people we love haha!)