No time.
No energy.
Currently, you may have a lot of time on your hands with quarantine. On the other hand, you may be extremely busy – working on your business, keeping the family entertained, and staying safe. All of the sudden, your time and energy has been depleted by the end of the day and you haven’t even left your house.
If the second description describes you, you’re not alone.
When many of my clients start their health journey they experience the same dilemma…
“Where do I begin exercising when time and energy are tight?”
That’s why I put together 7 effortless tips to get started on your personal health journey.
7 Effortless Tips To Start Exercising When Time and Energy are Tight
I get it… Time is money. That’s why it’s important to create habits that seem effortless. You don’t need to add more onto your plate. So what are these tips?
- Start simple
- Do something you enjoy
- Try high intensity interval training (HIIT)
- Build a home gym
- Follow a fitness trainer on social media
- Give up the excuses
- Move your body throughout the day
Tip 1 | Start Simple
The most important step to making this transformation effortless is to start simple. It’s easy as creatives, professionals, and business leaders to take it to the extreme. But your time and energy is strapped. Keep it simple.
When I first started my health journey and began working out, I would follow yoga videos on YouTube that were 5 to 7 minutes long. My time and energy didn’t allow for anything more than that. If I stood up too quickly, I would feel like I was going to pass out. A short yoga session was all my body could withstand at that point of my health journey.
If you’re beyond yoga, try to go a little longer. The key is to start simple.
Shine with the confidence and energy you need to be successful. Learn how I can customize a program for your needs to reach your goals.
Tip 2 | Do Something You Enjoy
Next, it’s important to do something you actually enjoy – if not, you’ll dread exercising. If you love weight lifting, do that. If you’d rather chase your kids around the yard and play ball with them, that’s okay too. Some of my clients like the idea of yoga and encourage their kids to join them for their at-home sessions. You could also have a beach day and include some exercise while you’re there.
People ask me all the time… What is the best exercise?
My answer is always the same… The one you’ll actually do and will continue to do.
Some days will look different than others. My preference is alternating days between high intensity weight training and yoga for rest days.
At the end of the day, it’s all about doing something you enjoy.
Tip 3 | Try High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
We all have 24 hours in the day. Don’t let the “lack of time” excuse get in your way.
If you’re looking for something to do quickly and get the most bang for your buck, I recommend high intensity interval training (HIIT). To get a better idea of what this looks like, search burst training videos on YouTube. HIIT includes working out in short bursts and taking small breaks in between.
How do you do it?
Start with a set of weight training (e.g. bicep curls), then alternate with a set of cardio (e.g. jumping jacks).
If you don’t have weights available, include bodyweight exercises like squats or push-ups. Alternate those with some sort of cardio.
HIIT Workout
Do 50 seconds of weight training with a 10-second break.
Then do 50 seconds of cardio training with a 10-second break.
Alternate back and forth between the 2 sets.
Your weight portion of the session should be slow and controlled – to slow your heart rate a bit. During the cardio session, you want to go all out as hard and fast as you can to really raise your heart rate.
Some people do as little as 4 rounds of this!
Now that I’m deep in my health journey, I do HIIT for up to 30 minutes of exercise.
You should honor your body and listen closely. If you’re exercising to the point of exhaustion, then you need to back off some.
Tip 4 | Build a Home Gym
Another tip to make exercise effortless is to take out any possible excuse. That starts with building a home gym.
To exercise, you don’t need a fancy gym membership. It can be expensive and time-consuming. Plus, you may feel self-conscious working out in front of strangers. By building a home gym, you’re taking out any potential to make an excuse.
Plus, it’s easy to do!
Start with one set of dumbbells – or $10-$20 of equipment. Remember, start simple. Start small.
As you’re ready to level up in your equipment, purchase that next set of equipment. When I level up, I spend anywhere between $20 and $100. You can save more expensive equipment purchases when you can afford it.
Before you know it, you’ll have a home gym – built for you – without paying a monthly recurring membership or maintenance fees.
Tip 5 | Follow A Fitness Trainer on Social Media
An average adult spends over 2 hours on social media per day. While you’re scrolling and liking posts, follow a fitness trainer. They have the expertise in exercising in a home gym or by yourself that you don’t have. This also improves your productivity as you aren’t fumbling to create a workout routine.
Consider Hiring an Online Trainer
I used to watch YouTube videos for workout ideas. Now, I have an online trainer. To me, it’s a no-brainer because I don’t have to think about my workouts. I just follow the advice of someone else. It also helps me with variety. I alternatebetween 2 great programs – one for interval training and the other for yoga. When I exercise, I watch the recorded videos based on what I planned for that day.
The best part is that it only costs $20 / month – less expensive than a gym membership and a personal trainer. For me, it’s totally worth the investment.
Tip 6 | Give Up the Excuses
I’ve already mentioned it throughout this blog… To make exercising part of your schedule, you need to give up any excuse to not work out.
I allowed my excuses to stop me for a long time. My workouts used to be about an hour long. Not only did I realize I was working out too long, but I couldn’t find the time to do it consistently. Instead of just shortening my workout, I would often skip it altogether.
Now, I realize how silly my mindset was, but I used to believe that if I couldn’t give it my all, then I wasn’t going to do it at all.
Now, I do what I can.
My workouts are an average of 30 minutes long. I also get in the sauna.
But there are many days that I do not sit in the sauna. There are also days when my workout is only 10-15 minutes long because that’s all my schedule will allow. Those minutes still add up over time. And they really do matter and make a difference.
So if that is all you have… Then give it all you’ve got.
Tip 7 | Move Your Body Throughout the Day
Make sure you’re moving your body throughout the day.
This is the best way to condition the body for longevity.
Many of us now sit at our desks all day and don’t really move around much. Sitting is the new smoking. From what I see by looking around me and the studies I’ve read, I believe that statement is true.
We can mitigate this poor health habit by taking breaks during the day.
And if we’re honest with ourselves, our brain could use those breaks.
Studies prove that when a person takes a break every 60-90 minutes, they are more creative and productive. Who doesn’t want that?
I encourage you to set an alarm on your watch to remind you to stand up from your chair. Completely walk away from your work. Take a break outside, get some sunlight on your skin, and take a walk for about 5 minutes. You will feel more refreshed and more energized throughout the day.
And you will also help your body stay conditioned or get that way over time.
Allow Yourself Room to Grow and Improve
Allow yourself room to grow and improve. We live in a day and age where we can look on social media and see a multitude of fitness models. We expect that one day we will look like them, yet we don’t live the lives they live.
Stop comparing yourself to them, and just do what you can.
Be okay with meeting yourself where you are. As my husband often says, “you are exactly where you are supposed to be; so make the best of it.”
And if I can do anything to help you along the way, I would love to offer you support.
If you need help to take your health to the next level and need someone to partner with, I welcome you to connect with me so we can chat about some of your goals. During our discovery call, we can decide whether or not a partnership between you and I would be beneficial.