I hear it all the time.

“I know I am supposed to exercise; I want to exercise; the problem is that I don’t have the time to exercise!”

Why don’t YOU have time to exercise?

Do you have kids?  Do you work a full time job?  Maybe you work two jobs – and have kids?

There is good news for you – no matter what your reason.

An annual survey by the American Council on Exercise (ACE), found the trend in 2010 was to do quicker, more intense workouts.  These sorts of workouts have also shown to be more effective in burning fat and calories.

So how do you fit in your workout AND make it more productive?

Streamline prep time: Keep your gear in a separate space in your drawer so you won’t be looking for it – or better yet, pack your gym bag or lay out your workout clothes the night before.  Once you get to the gym or the park, keep a clear path in mind of what you plan to do and then just do it so you don’t waste time deciding which equipment to use or start to talk yourself out of it all.

Exercise in the AM: There is no “right” or “wrong” time to exercise.  If you can manage to get it in the first part of your day, there is less chance that something will happen to preempt your exercising.  This also helps you get around the feeling at the end of the day that you are too tired to possibly work out.

Choose multipurpose moves: Choose exercises that target more than one muscle group, like the elliptical machine with the moving arms or a treadmill on an incline.  No matter which machine or sport you choose, try to mix some slower intervals with faster ones to keep your motivation high and to help your body burn even more.

How do YOU fit exercise into your busy day?  E-mail me a comment!

Warmly,

Dr. Mudge-Riley