No flipping time for fitness.
by Carla
I need more ideas or a smaller jar.
Ive ranted ad nauseum about how my workouts are brief.
The thing is, whether your workout du jour is 2 hours or 20 minutes, it *still* requires you find.the.time.
What about those days where, no matter what you do, life conspires to steal your exercise time away?
Or the days where, despite valiant efforts, every.single.thing. goes wrong as you strive to steal some YOUtime? (not that Id know anything about that one).
I give you my 5 best tips for days when the world seems to be against finding time for a full-on traditional workout.
With special emphasis & “try this! try this!” for numbers 3 and 5.
1. Meditate. Too often we view meditation as an act which requires tremendous time commitment (not to mention oodles of preparation). This does not have to be the case. Steal two or three minutes to stop, pause, unplug, and just be still. Use this time to wholly focus on releasing tension and capturing the same feelings you have after a challenging, sweat-producing workout.
2. Help others. Nothing makes us feel better than a good ole case of Helpers High. No time to volunteer traditionally? Email a struggling friend a note of encouragement. Heading out for coffee? Take a moment to see if you can bring anyone else a cup. Hold the door for someone. Heck, even a simple smile can be a kind act which changes someone’s day—and makes YOU feel better, too.
3. Laugh. (Or, if you’re me some days a tough customer in a grumpy mood, at least smile) Take a moment and grab whatever it is that makes you giggle. A silly movie. A television sit-com or even phone a funny friend. While exercise is fantastic for us laughter also serves as a powerful stress reducer. A good guffaw relieves physical tension (for up to 45 minutes!), can help boost your immune system, increases your blood flow (always good for reducing heart attack risk!), releases those endorphins we all seek and burns approximately 100 calories per twenty minutes!
4. Take full, deep breaths. When we are stressed (as we can be on the days life steals our workout time) we shift to shorter, shallower breaths. This manner of breathing causes fatigue, increased stress, and is even correlated with triggering anxiety/panic attacks. If time forces you to skip your workout make the time to stop and focus on your breathing pattern. Check out your posture. Don’t slump or hunch which encourages shallow breathing. Inhale and exhale deeply. Allow your abdomen to move as you breathe. Slow frequency of breaths. I’ve found breathing in for 4 seconds, holding for 2 seconds, and then breathing out for 4 seconds provides me stress relief which can rival my recumbent biking.
5. Create a fitness jar. No time for a full-fledge workout? Make today when you finally create a fitness jar. Snag some scraps of paper & write down as many non-gym workout ideas as you can think of (skating, hula hooping, exercise DVDs, jump rope, walking, basket ball, playground time, biking, pogo-sticking are but a few). Even if you dont have time for the workout TODAY you’re now all set up for success for the next time life has you harried.
Whats your approach when life gets in the way of fitness?
Do you chalk it up to a rest day or try, as I do, and fight back with “creative” fitness?
Would you be annoyed with me if I lovingly remind you 30 minutes of movement is only TWO PERCENT of your day?
please to hit us up with your suggestions, tips & whinings in the comments below.
Comments
I love #5.
Great tip.
I will give you whining LOL
I’m heading out for a 5k and I am in a hurry and tired.
I really am in a tremendous rush today or I would not be awake.
I’m heading up to the twins’ school to volunteer and there is that HELPERS HIGH you mention in your post.
Thank you Mizzy.
So true about the breathing! Sometimes just one sun salutation is enough to at least remind me that despite stress on the brain I still have a more or less functioning body that is _bigger_ than the brain.
Wow.
It is two percent of our day?
ok.
I have that time.
so true…I have to get my meditation done first thing in morning otherwise it doesnt happen….
I’m not good with rest days…so I usually try to figure out something to do…
So far, #4 is working like a charm.
My other option is to find something physical that needs doing, like housework (eeeew!) or yardwork (eeeew-squared!), and substitute that. Either I will knock some items off my chore list OR the threat of all that work will get me out the door and moving.
Two percent?
I can do that.
One thing that can trip me up is not wanting to get sweaty in the middle of the day. Or change into appropriate workout attire. By attire this mainly means the super supportive workout bra that is not comfortable for daily life but necessary for “containment” during exercise.
I laugh at myself every day. Even if no one else is laughing with me (at least I can make myself laugh lol). I’m laughing right now. Are you?!
lol.
If something comes up and I just can’t make it the gym or run or what have you, I’ll typically take the day as rest day and catch up the next
I must admit, I’ve done leg raises while sitting at my desk and I run after my puppy daily. I’m making that 2% count!
OMGsh I love this. #3 is definitely the key. Can you imagine a day without laughter?
I’m totally stealing the fitness jar idea!
I tend to squuuuuuuueeeze fitness in wherever i can and if not i try to move on quickly without getting upset. i like the idea of making a jar with things to do for the next time it happens. i’ve become a master of my schedule (90% of the time) and I know i only have a certain window.
thanks for sharing your tips!
IT’S YOURS. Totally changed my fitness like as I’m always set up for success now. I always have ideas at.the.ready.
May we really whine? LOL. I’m tired.
LOVE the fitness jar! Something that gives back, unlike the swear jar that simply takes, takes and takes…
LOL. I’d never thought about the comparison to a swear jar!!
Great ideas Miz. I currently try to build fitness into my working day – so I go to the gym either at lunch or straight from work before I head home. That way it’s like part of a commitment I can’t get out of. Weekends are more difficult, but early is good, as then excuses are less likely to come up.
But… I’m trying to be ‘measured’ in my approach and okay if things come up and I miss a few days as I know I’ll get back on track when time permits!
Deb
Brilliant!
LOVE!! I like laughter. I have a couple shows like TMZ that I hate to admit I watch BUT I record it OR watch it & it gets me laughing cause of the voice over guy!
Other than that, YES, split it up into small increments!!!
Me, no kids in house, so I work out at times that nothing can get in the way – I am lucky & grateful for that & a hubby that puts up with it. Sometimes I may get less sleep for that workout but I can always catch up later…
I need constant reminding of how fitness does not have to = gym time.
I’m a slow learner…
That’s why I workout in the morning, it hardly ever happens life gets in the way then. The only times I miss a workout is when I keep hitting the snooze button. If that happens it’s usually because I obviously need the rest and I make it a rest day.
The benefit of having a dog is that you have to go for a walk at least 3 (on work days) to 4 times (weekend) a day. I move every day that way. At work I don’t take the elevator but the stairs.