Take time out for exercise without disrupting your schedule

Our busy schedules and multiple priorities can often leave us with little or no time to exercise. For many, finding the time to work out can indeed be challenging. However, squeezing in a little time every day can go a long way in improving one’s health. Here are a few strategies to burn off those calories.

One of the easiest ways to fit exercise into one’s schedule is to incorporate it into your commuting routine. What this simply requires is to plan the day ahead. Personal trainer and health coach Jennipher Walters says, “If you live close enough, consider biking to work. If you take the bus, walk to a bus stop that’s an extra block or two away. If you drive to work, park as far away as you can — even a few blocks away, if possible.”

It would help if you could make a record of how much time you spend on surfing the Internet, watching the television, playing games on the computer or the phone. If you realise that it does eat into your time, change it. She says, “Just a few minutes here and there can add up to an hour or more each day. Cut out just some of that screen time and, you will have time to squeeze in at least 10 or 15 minutes of exercise into even the busiest day.”

You could choose options from a workout DVD or a personal training session or even an app-based fitness coach. Make time for it in your schedule, and treat it like any other appointment that you wouldn’t miss. Jennipher says, “Working out is actually as important as going to the doctor or any other obligation that you prioritise, because it helps you perform better as a worker, parent, student or volunteer, and keeps you in tip-top shape. Treat it like top priority in your schedule book.”