6 Tips for Exercising When You Don't Have Time

Trust me -- I get it! As a full-time working mom with four small children, I'm plagued with not enough hours in the day. So here are six simple tips to keep you consistently working out.
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The biggest complaint I hear as a weight-loss coach is, "I don't have enough time."

Trust me -- I get it! As a full-time working mom with four small children, I'm plagued with not enough hours in the day. So here are six simple tips to keep you consistently working out.

1. Schedule it.
Busy people must schedule their workouts. I mean it. Open up your google calendar, iCal or your appointment book and schedule it into your day (just as you would a dentist appointment). This ensures you DO have the time each day.

If your schedule is always jam packed, you can't start the day thinking you're going to fit exercise in somewhere.

2. Keep your scheduled appointment.
Now that your exercise is scheduled, keep your appointment! Don't change it, reschedule it, or skip it. You'd never skip an important work meeting then tell your boss, "I didn't feel like showing up today." Your health and well-being is just as important (if not more!) than any other appointment. Honor yourself.

3. Exercise first thing in the morning.
Most of us don't have business meetings and doctors' appointments at 5:30 a.m. This is prime time to get your workouts done since you'll never have conflicting appointments. I realize morning workouts sound brutal to most people, but after two weeks you get used to it. I promise!

4. Mix up your workouts.
Day one, do a HIIT workout. Day two, lift heavy weights. Day three, increase joint mobility with yoga. Boredom is one of the biggest reasons why people don't stick with an exercise program. Don't wake up and run every day. You've got to mix it up.

5. Make it fun.
The more fun you have while exercising, the more likely you are to do it. On weekends go for a long bike ride or hike with your family. Or, do your normal exercise routine with your family. On the weekends I workout with my girls. Their energy is contagious and we laugh the whole time (which burns more calories!). I also do yoga once a week with my husband. We look forward to this mini-date.

6. Join a fitness accountability group.
Let's face it. It's easy to give up on yourself, because nobody knows if you skipped your workout (or ate an entire cake!). By joining a support group, you're forced to stay accountable, because others are looking for you to check in that day. It's like having your own team of cheerleaders. You feed off their energy which propels you forward.

There you have it -- six simple tips to keep workouts consistent. The better the consistency, the better the results!

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