You’re tired. You’re busy. You’re watching the kids. You’re on the road, and unfamiliar with the area. I hear you, and know what you’re thinking: Skipping just one workout can’t hurt...can it? Sadly, yes: Missing even a single workout can initiate a downward spiral, increasing the likelihood that you’ll skip another one.
So what’s a successful, time-crunched, modern day road-warrior like yourself to do? Exercise anyway. Even if you’ve skipped a whole month (or two) of workouts, you can get back on track and regain what was lost. Follow the tips below to bust five of the most common excuses and get your workouts back on track.
Excuse: You’re too tired at the end of the day. The Fix: First, fuel up smarter in the afternoon. Swap out your high-carb, energy-spiking granola bar or yogurt snack for an energy-sustaining protein shake, or a handful of nuts or sesame seeds. Next, get that social support. Find a fun, motivating group, or a workout buddy. Exercising with a partner can make it easier to stick to it!
Excuse: You don’t have an hour to work out. Ever. The Fix: Who says your workout has to take an hour—or even 30 minutes? There's 10 minutes of high intensity interval training (HIIT). Now imagine how fit you can get if every minute in your workout revolved around HIIT? Stop wondering and start benefiting by signing up for Beachbody On Demand.
Excuse: The workout seems too hard. The Fix: Listen to your body, you should feel energized, not defeated afterward. If you perform the exercise when you're not ready you, you could end up not performing it properly, which will put you at risk for injury, as well as making it less effective. Many exercises can be modified, allowing you to work the same muscles but without compromising your form.
Excuse: You can’t exercise and watch your kids at the same time. The Fix: If your kids are young and require constant supervision (and you have a supportive spouse), you’ll likely need to transition to AM workouts while the little ones are asleep or nap time. Or do it with them, nothing makes working out more fun and challenging then dodging those little people ;) Get them involved, start them early. There's online streaming services such as Beachbody on Demand, stream on your phone, ipad, computer, you will always have access to it.