5 Tips to Staying Fit with a Busy Schedule

It's less than three weeks away from Christmas and here I am in the shower contemplating my to-do list.  I start to panic that I don't know how it's all going to get done.  This time of year is hectic and working out tends to take a back seat to holiday gatherings and to-do lists.  Even though the holiday season brings many challenges to staying on track with fitness goals, the truth is, there are any number of times during the year where life takes over and fitness gets put on the back burner.   I've been here before, so what are some strategies to stay fit when you're short on time?

Rewinding the clock back 5 years ago to when my daughter was a baby and my son was a toddler, I worked from home and didn't have child care.  On a daily basis I walked the dog and cared for the kids, which kept me moving, but my lifestyle made it very challenging to squeeze in time at the gym.  In fact, I was only working out twice a week.  At that point in my life I couldn't make it to the gym any more frequently, but I needed the benefits of exercise - both for the physical and emotional reasons. When I did make it in for the workouts I knew that was "my" time, it was limited, and I was going to make the best of it. I would go all out - hair on fire, all out. I was able to increase my fitness and feel better, which kept me motivated until I was able to devote more time to working out.

We've all been here. So, what do you do when you know you need to workout and your time is limited? Don't skip the gym altogether - use these strategies to maximize the time you have...

Strategy #1 - Be efficient.  Make sure the workouts you're doing align with your goals.  Is your goal weight loss? running a 5k? getting lean and strong? If you're not sure about this, then you'll want to talk with one of the trainers at your gym about the specifics.  However, spend time doing the right kind of workout for what you want to accomplish.

When it comes to a workout with the sole purpose of burning calories there are efficient ways and less efficient ways of doing so.  For example, HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) works like this: short periods of intense exercise that really gets your heart rate up followed by short periods of rest.  This style of training puts your body into a state of EPOC (excess post oxygen consumption), which is the energy required to return your body to its resting state.  Not only do you burn calories during the workout, but EPOC will have you burning calories even after the workout is over.  The more intense your workout, the more calories you will burn in EPOC.  

On the other hand, steady state exercise (i.e. jogging on a treadmill), which is exercise done with steady intensity, burns calories, but once the activity is complete the calorie burn diminishes.  When you compare the amount of time spent working out, interval training burns more calories than steady state exercise, and is more efficient if burning calories is your goal.

Strategy #2 - Plan and Prioritize.  I know in any given week I'll have events or deadlines that will throw my "normal" schedule off and will impact when I can make it to the gym.  However, I know ideally I want to lift weights at least three times per week and complete two metabolic ("cardio") conditioning sessions.  Knowing those parameters allows me to shift workouts around so I can accomplish that goal.  When I first joined the gym I would sit down on Sunday and pre-register for my training sessions that week and block time off on my calendar.  That system has worked well for me, but use whatever system works for you.

Also, if I must miss a day and I know what workout(s) would be most important, I can rearrange my workout schedule.  Say I miss a workout day due to a sick child home from school.  My priority is strength training, so I will skip a metabolic ("cardio") workout that week rather than a strength training session because it's more important to my goal of getting stronger.  

Additionally, let your family know about your gym time, that it's "me" time and it's important.  Having a family that understands this is great for emotional support and helpful when your schedule changes. Even though life throws us curveballs, there are ways of prioritizing your workouts to eliminate some of the frustration that comes with interruptions to the plan.

Strategy #3- Optimize nutrition.  When I initially shifted my training to a strength focused program I didn't change my diet at all.  However, several months later I hit a bit of a plateau with my weight loss and I took at look at my nutrition.  I realized I was not getting enough protein, so I reviewed my meals and snacks to see how I could adjust.  I swapped out several items for higher protein options and the results were incredible.  My body fat percentage went down and my lean muscle percentage went up - I was both looking and feeling fit.  

The point is - even if you're doing the right kind of workouts and really putting in effort at the gym, that will only take you so far.  Your nutrition will need to support, not detract, from your progress. Let's say you have perfect nutrition during the week, but are blowing it out of the water on weekends with burgers, fries, pizza, alcohol, sweets, etc.  you will undo whatever progress you've made during the week.  

Also, nutrition can be controlled during times when you can't make it to the gym due to scheduling or injury.  If you are unable to burn off calories during exercise you can control what you eat.  Even though this is complete common sense, it is challenging to practice.  Nonetheless, developing this habit will pay huge dividends.

Strategy #4 - Do something you enjoy.  Be adventurous and try things out.  If you are not enjoying what you do for exercise you are less likely to stick with it, so find an activity that motivates you.  That being said, sometimes the best thing for you is something you'll dislike.  For example, I despise pushing and pulling the sled because it's typically part of a tough workout; however, it's really effective for my training and I always feel a sense of accomplishment when I'm done. If a sense of accomplishment doesn't necessarily motivate you, don't cut it out altogether.  Try mixing in a day or two each week of exercise you truly enjoy.  For instance, for every two HIIT workouts you complete each week allow yourself a yoga class or walk outside with a friend as a workout.  

Another strategy to increase the joy of exercise is to involve family, friends, or a spouse. A sense of community or relationship building not only makes getting through a tough workout more bearable, but your partner can remind you why you're doing this in the first place and help hold you accountable.  Let's face it - there are days when a little extra encouragement from your workout buddy goes a long way.  

Strategy #5 - Push yourself.  If you've set aside the time to workout then really make it count.  When it comes to burning calories it's all about working hard, so move fast and get your heart rate up.  Get sweaty.  If it's a strength training session, you're working on adding muscle, so lift heavy and challenge yourself.  Over time, getting results will motivate you to see what else you can accomplish and add additional workout days as you are able.

So, you'll see that even in a crazy hectic world that pulls us in so many directions, taking the time to plan and develop a strategy will lead to success with a fitness program.  Waiting for all the conditions in life to be "just right" to add exercise and fitness to your life won't happen.  Have a goal, make a plan, and work the plan!