Let’s be honest: the last thing you want to do after a long day at work is go to the gym. But if you make it part of your routine, workouts wont take over your life and it won’t feel like a chore anymore.
If you can find ways to incorporate exercise into your everyday life, then working out becomes less stressful and more enjoyable. So here are some tips on how to make workouts less overwhelming and more consistent!
Workouts should improve your life
Workouts shouldn’t take over your life. That doesn’t mean you can’t lose weight or gain muscle, but it does mean that there’s more to fitness than just sweating in a tiny room for an hour. If your workouts don’t leave you with more energy and confidence than before, then they’re not working for you—even if the scale says otherwise.
Here are some things to think about:
- Do I feel better after a workout? Do I have less stress, or feel more motivated to tackle challenges?
- Is my body getting stronger? Am I able to do more pull-ups than last month? Can I keep up with my partner during a particularly intense class? It’s okay if doing cardio makes me feel good sometimes (I love running!), but it should always make me stronger too.
- Does working out make me feel confident—or do my clothes fit better because they’re looser? When people tell me how great I look these days (and they do), am I feeling happier about myself because of this change in body size/shape/whatever? Or am I feeling less confident because others seem so much leaner than myself (this happens too)? The answer should be yes; working out should make us feel confident!
Workouts should make you feel good
There are a number of reasons why exercise should be a part of your life. It can help you sleep better, feel more confident, less stressed and more energized. And those are just a few of the benefits! The point is that working out doesn’t have to take over your life. If you’re going to commit to an exercise schedule make sure it’s something you enjoy doing because if it’s not fun then what’s the point?
Budget your time
To ensure that you’re able to devote enough time to your workouts, it’s important to make a schedule and stick to it. You should also set a reminder on your phone so that you don’t forget about your workout. Or you can have a nifty app like ours to remind you!
Some people may find that it takes years before they reach their goals, so be realistic about how much time you have for exercise. Don’t overbook yourself by adding more activities than what is already in place; otherwise, there will be no room for exercise!
The goal isn’t to overload and add to your plate, but rather shift focus and accommodate for this important aspect of your life. Then simply move on to the next thing on your list.
Prioritize workouts with other activities
If you want to make the most of your workouts, prioritize them as you would any other activity. Don’t let them take over your life and don’t sweat how long it takes to get in a good workout—just budget some time for it and make sure that it doesn’t interfere with other important activities. After all consistency in showing up is the answer, not focusing single workouts or a particular week.
If you’re just starting out, start small and build up to more intense workouts as your fitness level improves. Also known as progressive overload.
Keep realistic goals in mind by determining what is reasonable for where you are at in life right now. You can still have fun while working out; there’s no need to feel guilty if someone else wants to go out on Saturday night when all you want to do is exercise instead!
Keep your goals realistic
We all know what happens if you let it get out of hand: You start to hate exercise, and then you stop working out altogether. So keep your workout goals realistic.
- Don’t make working out your entire life. It’s great to have a goal of exercising regularly, but don’t forget about other aspects of your life that are important too, like spending time with friends or family, having fun and relaxing when you need it most.If you value the things outside of fitness as much as those inside it (and probably more), then maybe that would be better reflected by the way you approach fitness in general: Rather than making exercise an overwhelming priority at all times for yourself—and for everyone around you—make sure everyone has enough time for everything else first before focusing on how much time they can spend at the gym every day (or week).Then consider adding in additional workouts later when there are fewer competing demands on your schedule.
- Be realistic about how often and how hard to work out each week. This is especially true if aiming toward specific goals like losing weight or building muscle mass requires regularly reaching high intensity levels during workouts—but even without specific targets in mind our bodies won’t tolerate being pushed too hard every single day without rest or recovery periods built into our schedules
You can still enjoy socializing and working out
Not all workouts are created equal; some are longer and less intense than others. But if you’ve ever made the mistake of thinking that a longer workout is always better, or that it’s impossible to get a good workout in 30 minutes or less, then I’m here to tell you otherwise. You can still enjoy socializing and working out!
I know what you’re thinking: “But it’s so much more fun when there’s more time!” It may be true that sometimes I feel like I need an hour-long run in order to have a good time—but what about those times when I don’t? What about those times when my friend asks me if we could go for a walk instead? Or when 20 minutes becomes 30 and then 45 because we’re having such an engaging conversation? That’s right; there will always be opportunities for spontaneity (and maybe even some extra steps).
Improve your life without making exercise all-consuming
It’s certainly a good idea to workout, but you don’t want it taking over your life. A healthy routine should enhance your life, not replace it. Workouts should make you feel good, not stressed out or overly burdened by them.
There are several ways that you can improve your fitness without becoming obsessed with the time that you spend working out—and in some cases, even improve how much time and energy it takes to work out!
Bottom Line…
Exercise should make your life better, not consume it. You don’t need to be an athlete or spend hours at the gym every day to get a great workout and feel good about yourself.
This can include spending time with friends and family, enjoying hobbies like reading or gaming, or getting outside for fresh air even if they aren’t considered traditional exercise activities (but they are still active!).
The key is finding balance between all parts of your life so that you can keep improving without feeling overwhelmed by fitness. We pride ourselves on understanding this and helping you implement it!
