The new year is almost here and that can only mean one thing: New Years resolutions. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t see anything wrong with them. In fact, I think a new start is very much a good thing. It doesn’t always have to be a new year, sometimes even a new week (aka Monday) does the trick. It gives you an opportunity to leave everything behind, and start to build new habits. And why not have this new habit be a healthier, fitter lifestyle? There is one problem with (New Years) resolutions: we might stick to them for a few weeks, but then start to fall out. And especially so with health and fitness! Because it can be hard and draining to implement these new routines. But it doesn’t have to be! So here is how I, as a sports scientist, easily incorporate fitness into my busy life.
1. Identify your “why?”
The first tip on how to incorporate fitness into your life may sound a little silly. But I promise you, it is worth to take your time to sit down, and really think about the reason(s) you want to implement a fitness routine. Just to give you an idea, here are a few reasons why I personally workout:
- I enjoy it/fun
- I get to socialize with likeminded people
- the rewarding feeling after a tough workout
- my health
- my physical appearance
- to “compete” against myself
- to “compete” against others
- to push myself and do things, I wasn’t able to do before
- to prove to myself what I am capable of
- me-time/stress relief
Of course, there are a million other reasons why you might want to workout. They can be very deep and meaningful, but honestly, sometimes I want to prove to myself, and others, how much of a badass I am. And that’s a wonderful reason as well!
The reason why you need to identify your reasons to workout is simple: they are the source of your motivation. When we start a new routine, doesn’t matter if it’s a fitness or other routine, we are usually really motivated to stick to it. But then, the newness and excitement wear off. And it is at this time, that we need a source of motivation more than ever. At this point, it is decided if you are going to stick to it for the rest of your life (almost), or ditch it altogether. If you manage to push through this “low”, you’re good. If you don’t, you’re going to find yourself writing down the same New Years resolutions next year.
I have read somewhere that it takes around 66 days to form a new habit. Going to the gym X times a week is nothing other than a habit. So challenge yourself to those 66 days. And every time the little voice in your head tells you, “today isn’t a good day to workout, because of XYZ”, refer back to your reasons why. Had a stressful day at work? Go to a boxing class, perfect way to blow off some steam. Feeling a bit unwell? Try something super easy like yin yoga. Can’t do anything right today? There’s nothing you can do wrong in a spinning class.
The reason you’re working out doesn’t have to be the same every day. That’s why it makes sense to have multiple reasons. And please, please, please, don’t just copy somebody else’s reasons why. They are supposed to intrinsically motivate you. You’re not doing it for somebody else’s health. Your doing it for yours. And that’s why the motivation to do it needs to come from you, as well.
2. Set realistic goals for yourself
The next tip on how to easily incorporate fitness into a busy life is to set realistic goals for yourself. As already mentioned in my post “How to start and easily maintain a workout routine” (click here to read), don’t overwhelm yourself. I think a lot of us tend to set unrealistic goals for ourselves, not just in a fitness context. Is it actually realistic to workout 5 times a week, if you are completely new to it? Probably not. And if you’re setting that goal for yourself, but you’re failing it, how are you going to feel? Not great I would assume. Is that going to motivate you to stick to it? Again, probably not. So why not start off with a goal you are definitely going to achieve? Why not make life easy just this once?
So, instead of setting the unrealistic goal of working out 5 times a week, start with twice a week. Stick to it for around 66 days (to form the habit). Easy? Great! Increase the frequency to 3 times a week, and see how you get on. If you’re interested in the power of habits, and how to get the best out of them, I highly recommend to check out “Atomic Habits” by James Clear (click here).
It might also make sense to split up your goals into short- and longterm. Maybe your longterm goal is to workout 5 times a week. But that’s just not realistic right now. So, in order to get there, make it your short-term goal to workout twice a week over a 3 month period. Hit that goal? Bump it up to 3 times, then 4, then 5. Having short-term goals (and successes) is going to keep you much more motivated, than having one big unrealistic goal. Plus, you get to celebrate so many milestones!
3. Every little bit counts
Now, with all the “boring” stuff out of the way, we can finally get into how you can easily incorporate fitness into your busy life. This tip goes back to building your habits: every little bit counts. If you’re brand new to fitness, it is perfectly okay to start out with just a few minutes each time. Once again, don’t overwhelm yourself. You’re in this for the long run, not just a few weeks. There’s no rush. Start off with a duration that seems doable for you. It can be as little as one minute, it could be 5 or even 30 minutes. But do that 1, or 5, or 30 minutes every time you’re working out, and make sure you give it your best shot. And then again, increase the duration, by sensible amounts and see how you get on.
If you don’t want to start off with a “conventional” fitness routine, you don’t have to. Instead, go for a walk during your lunch break. Do some squats every time you’re waiting for the coffee machine to finish your drink. Or maybe do some stretches as soon as you get home. To improve your health and fitness, every little bit counts.
4. Find a gym that’s close by
Tip number 4 to easily incorporate fitness into your busy life is to find a gym (or other place to workout) that is close by. Either by your house, or your workplace. If you’re lucky, your company might even have a gym or offer fitness classes. Make it as easy for you to go there as possible. Pack your gym bag the night before and take it to work with you. The chances of you going there once you’re home and can hear the sofa calling your name aren’t great. But you won’t have that problem if you go to workout right after work! And yes, I know you’re tired, I know it’s cold and dark outside right now. Thank goodness you figured out your “reasons why” beforehand 😉
5. Plan ahead
Another crucial thing to successfully incorporate fitness into your life on a long term is to plan ahead. We live in a crazy, hectic society, and everybody seems to be either on their way to work, at work, or tired from said work. And just like that, the week is over, and you have worked out exactly zero times. To combat this phenomenon, plan ahead. Sit down with your planner and put in the dates or times you want to take time for yourself and workout. Depending on your schedule, these times may vary from one week to another. That’s absolutely okay, as long as you manage to plan ahead. There may be weeks where you can’t hit your workout goals in terms of frequency or duration. But those should be the exception, not the norm.
6. Learn to say “No”
The last tip for today is probably mildly terrifying to some people. It is to set boundaries in your workspace, to learn to say “No”. Is your boss asking you to work extra hours for the fourth time this week? Is there a co-worker that bullies you into staying longer than you’re expected to, just because they are? I know it’s absolutely terrifying, but we all have to learn to speak up for ourselves. Ask yourself, what is more important: to work more or to live a healthier, fitter life? I’m just gonna leave it at that. You decide for yourself. (I understand that there are in fact some situations where work is more important than working out, BTW).
And there you have it, my tips on how to easily incorporate fitness into your busy life. Most important of all: have fun. Life is serious enough as it is.
Lots of Love,
Lena
Disclaimer: this post is not sponsored.
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