How to Fit Fitness Into Busy Lifestyles

Now I am the first to admit that I know very little about health and fitness, for that reason have enlisted the help of the professionals and asked a collection of health and fitness experts onto the blog to talk about all different sorts of issue.

Today it is the turn of Aimee Rogers from Revitalize Fitness who is going to be talking to you about how to fit fitness into busy lifestyles! After this you should have no excuse not to get out there and start your new fitness routine!

How to Fit Fitness Into Busy Lifestyles

Even with good intentions our fitness often gets pushed down our To-Do list. Whether it was the late meeting that made you miss the yoga class or the horrible grey cold dark weather putting you off going for a run, it can sometimes seem as though fitness is really too much trouble. There is always a better more inviting offer or option than getting sweaty so these are my top tips for making sure you fit fitness in to your lifestyle without too much more effort!

If you find yourself constantly making excuses to miss fitness sessions try doing it first thing in the morning. You won’t have time to think up excuses all day and you will experience the benefits from the session all day. Getting up an extra half hour to have a run around the park can soon be built into your routine and benefit you more than the lie in. If you feel that you need the extra sleep, try going to bed earlier in preparation.
Plan your sessions and write them in your diary for the week ahead and treat them as you would a work or social meeting. Arrange the rest of your week around these fitness sessions. If other meetings or events crop up last minute, work them around the fitness sessions you have already booked in.
Try combining fitness with your social life. Arrange to meet friends and family members in an exercise class or go for a run or walk outside. If you have arranged to meet up with someone you are less likely to cancel and will probably enjoy the session more. You could also set up a challenge with friends, a little friendly competition is a good way to keep motivated. Try using a app on your smartphones to track total distance walked in a week or fastest 5 km ran. A good app for tracking distance and speed when walking or running is Runkeeper . You can share your workout data to your social networking profiles to so you can get extra motivation from all your Facebook friends!
Keep your fitness sessions short, between 30 – 45 minutes, but increasing the intensity. If you are exercising for more than 60 minutes you are likely to get bored and not be getting the most from the session. Reduce session times by keeping rests to a minimum and planning your workout beforehand. Try to be active on most days of the week, the government recommends at least five days. An easy way to manage this is not to go two days without a fitness session.
Active travel, or replacing a journey usually made by car or public transport, can also provide a great way of fitting exercise into busy lifestyles and saving you money. If you don’t feel confident or fit enough to do the whole journey try getting of the bus a few stops earlier or parking further away from your destination. Maybe you could set up a challenge at work to encourage your colleagues to be more active too. This website is a good place to record your active travel miles and track your progress against other colleagues and workplaces. www.workplacechallenge.org.uk
If you still feel unsure about starting to exercise more or fitting fitness in, booking a few sessions with a personal trainer can really help. Some trainers do pay as you go sessions and can give you homework in between to keep you on track. It’s a good way to learn how to exercise safely and what exercises are suitable for you and your goals.

Incorporate fitness in to your lifestyle and make it fun and convenient. This way you are more likely to be consistent and seeing results quicker. If you need any more tips or advice please feel free to contact me via my website.