As the years of experience start to pile up there are certain things that one hears in certain situations over and
over.  One of the ones I have been reminded of lately is ‘I don’t have time’.  Whether the goal is more exercise, food preparation, self improvement reading, more sleep, etc, the excuse (yes, I said excuse) is 7 times out of 10, “I don’t have time”.  This past year has given me perspective like no other.

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My wife and I had twin girls who were born with a few complications that required a lengthy hospital stay (everyone is healthy now).  Needless to say running my own business, driving to the hospital multiple times per day and renovating the house at the same time required a little time management as well a few drops of coffee.

Now if I can get the minimum workouts done in a week to maintain my body at a level that I am satisfied with, running around with the schedule I had, I know for a fact that people with mon-fri 9-5 jobs, stay at home moms, or shift workers even can get the work done to achieve their fitness goals.  Sure we all have challenges and stress is relative to each person’s situation, but before experiencing a hardship to my normal routine I had no way to empathize with folks that say they can’t fit fitness in.  Now, you’re exposed! It is possible, I know it is.  I will share with you a few strategies my wife and I have employed in order to ‘fit’ fitness in.

 

• You don’t need to go to a gym to get a full workout in.

• I have found success with clients using the TRX trainer and an exercise ball in client’s basements.  I liked it so much I installed one at home. Easy to get a 20 min full body heart pumping circuit in.
  

• Schedule yourself in!

• We are creatures of habit.  My girls have a daily schedule, most of us have routines we follow at work, and weekends often times have regular tendencies.  The point here is, if you don’t book yourself into the routine, you quickly fill the time with something else.

• Hire someone!

• Accountability is a huge part fitness and nutritional success.  Have someone check in on you, update your workout, change your meal plan.  Pay for it, why I say this is not an absolute shameless plug for our services, but a truth that we all can attest to, you value it more if you pay for it.  Let’s face it, our spouses as encouraging as they may be at the best of times don’t want to argue with you to tell you to put that Halloween candy back in the bag, they have certain ulterior motives, if you know what I mean...]

• Get off Facebook/Youtube/(insert other time wasting site)
  
  

• Those sites as much as I use them for advertising and keeping in touch, do not need to devour 1.5 hours of your time as you creep into your newest ‘friends’ 16 photo album.

• Reward yourself

• Don't make it food related.  This is a huge mistake, usually what happens is a person does well for the first two times and then goes overboard ‘rewarding’ themselves the third time.  Make it a time for you that you don’t get to do normally.

                                                           

So there you have it, if you truly want to change your body composition, eliminate the excuses by employing a few of those strategies.  And next time you are thinking “I don’t have time”, come over to my place and I’ll show you busy!