It seems as if every piece of health advice includes the insistence that more exercise will improve every aspect of your life. While this may be true, it doesn’t always take into account just how difficult it can be to find the time in a busy routine to exercise. Even if fitness is a priority of yours, other more pressing responsibilities can easily get in the way.
If you have been struggling to incorporate more exercise into your life, this short guide will offer some advice.
Why is Exercise So Difficult to Add to a Routine?
It can be helpful first to identify what is holding you back from adding more exercise to your lifestyle. Your reasons for missing out on exercise could be very different from other people’s. Perhaps you don’t have time between work and family responsibilities to go to the gym, or maybe you have never really had the urge to exercise, and it hasn’t made itself a big part of your life. Whatever the reason, it can be overcome.
1. Start Gradually
Especially if you have never attempted to have a fitness routine in the past, starting now might feel like quite a leap. Not knowing where to start can be enough of a barrier to put you off, so taking your time and looking for small steps will make the process less daunting.
Don’t suddenly throw yourself into something extreme like daily weightlifting or intense morning runs if you don’t believe you will be able to make it a consistent part of your lifestyle. Instead, look for small and simple methods of challenging your body without overly disrupting your routine.
2. Get to Work Differently
If work is a big reason for your lack of exercise time, you could use your commute as part of your fitness routine. Of course, walking or cycling to work is only possible within certain distances, but if you live close enough, then forget the car or bus and put your fitness to the test.
With steed bikes, you can easily get from home to work and back again with minimal hassle. Cycling to work is a great way to increase your stamina without eating into your valuable time.
3. Don’t Waste Your Money
Suddenly coming to the conclusion that you want to do more exercise can sometimes lead to impulse purchases. Buying your own treadmill or setting up a subscription for an expensive gym membership might seem like a step in the right direction but the belief that spending a lot of money will force you to exercise more is most likely false. Instead, give yourself time to try different exercises out before parting with too much of your hard-earned money.
4. Find an Exercise You Enjoy
The most important part of getting fit is finding an exercise you can keep doing as part of a sustainable routine. This means that if you despise running, choose something else that you will look forward to. When exercise is fun, you are more likely to see results and stick with it in the long run.
Also read: The Role of Exercise for Physical Activity
