How can I fit in exercise when I work full time, or I have kids, or I work weird hours?
I get these types of questions a lot!
I know that sometimes it can be very hard to balance your work, study and/or family with working out and eating healthy. So here are some simple fitness tips for busy women that you can implement into your daily routine.
Ladies who travel a lot like me also struggle. When your routine is consistently changing, it can be very easy for exercise and healthy eating to take a back step.
No matter how busy your lifestyle is, you should always make sure you have time to workout.
Here are my fitness tips for busy women.
1) Skip the gym and workout from home
I’ve talked about skipping the gym and working out at home before, and I really believe it’s an excellent fitness tip for busy women.
Working out at home has many benefits:
- No gym membership required (saving you a bunch of cash!)
- Zero travel time
- No waiting time for equipment
- You can squeeze it in while your kids sleep or while your dinner is cooking in the oven
- You choose your program – plenty of workouts for women available to do!
- No need to get anxious or self-conscious
You can find many home workouts for women on the internet or Insta. I also have a 3 Steps to Lean Legs Program, which you can do entirely at home :)
2) Make every minute count
It’s very easy to take a much longer than needed break between reps. Or perhaps you stop to check your social media a few times during your workout. This, of course, is all time wasting, and you should really put your focus into not slacking during workouts.
Get rid of distractions like your phone, and concentrate on getting as much done as you can in a certain time frame. Every minute counts!
3) Incidental workouts count
It’s common for many people to get lazy and take the easy option when it comes to moving around. Yes, I’ve been there done that! I still catch myself trying to park as close as I can to the shopping centre entrance haha. So you do need to make a conscious effort.
There are lots of small things that you can do over the course of the day which can all be of benefit.
Try some of these:
- Use the stairs at work rather than the lift.
- Get off the bus or train one or two stops early and walk the rest of the way.
- Carry your bags of groceries out to the car instead of using a trolley.
- Park further away :)
4) Embrace delays and waiting times
Delays or waiting times can certainly be frustrating. But rather than getting yourself worked up about it, use the time to sneak in some exercise.
Here are some examples:
- Plane delays: Most airports are huge! You can easily get a good 20-minute power walk in while you wait to go from one end to the other. Just make sure you are back at your gate in time!
- Waiting for a friend to come over: Sometimes our friends are held up and tell us that they are running late. Instead of watching the clock, try doing a 15-minute park workout in the backyard, or some oblique ab exercises in the living room.
- Appointment or meeting delays: Rather than sitting around a lobby or waiting room, see if you can find out how long your waiting time is going to be. If it’s anything more than 10 minutes, go for a brisk walk around the block.
5) Combine workouts and catch-ups
I love catching up with my friends – I always feel my ‘girl time’ gives me a boost! And I’m sure you do too.
But with a busy schedule, it can be hard to find that time. Especially when you need to make a choice between exercise and socialising.
If you’ve been reading my blog for a while then you’ll know I’m a big fan of having a workout buddy. So instead of meeting a friend for coffee or a glass of wine, why not invite them to work out with you?
This is one of the best fitness tips for busy women, and you might be surprised at how keen your friends are!
You can try different activities such as going for a long walk, attending a dance class, or some easy gym workouts. And you can catch up while you work out.
If you make it a regular weekly thing, you’ll be killing two birds with one stone – one workout out of the way and some lovely time catching up with your girl!
6) Workout in the morning
In my What is the Best Time to Workout blog post, I looked at the pros and cons of morning and evening workouts.
For busy women, I think it is a better idea to plan workouts for the morning hours whenever possible. This means you can get your workout over and done with and then you can focus on whatever comes about during the day.
You won’t get to 5 pmm and battle with a decision about whether you have time to work out, because you would have already done it! And you’ll start your day with a smile – winning!
7) Pre-portion your healthy snacks
We all know how easy it is to head to the vending machine when you get hunger pangs between meals. Junk food doesn’t help with your weight loss goals, or maintaining a healthy weight.
It’s a good idea to keep pre-portioned healthy snacks like dates, nuts, or vegetables in the fridge or desk drawer. You can reach for these when you feel hungry and need to eat on the go.
8) Eat a simple but healthy breakfast every day
Start your day off with a healthy breakfast. If you start the day healthy, you’re more likely to make better food choices throughout the day!
A breakfast that contains carbs, protein, fat and fiber helps your body retain energy for the day. Choosing nutritious ingredients is important, especially if you are busy and tend to have a late lunch.
Check out my clean eating guidelines post for some great breakfast ideas!
9) Keep hydrated
Being busy isn’t an excuse to not drink water. In fact, it should be more of a push.
It’s actually super easy to drink more water – check out my tips here!
Hope you found this blog post helpful!
Love Rachael XX
It’s FREE