Find Time for Fitness: Top 10 Tips

Don’t have time for fitness? We hear you. We all have busy lives, so it’s understandable that fitness is not at the top of our To Do lists. However, it really should be. Here are some of the most significant science-backed reasons.

1. Improved physical health: Regular exercise can help improve cardiovascular health, increase muscle strength and endurance, and lower the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and some types of cancer.[1][2]
2. Better mental health[3][4]: Exercise has been demonstrated to boost mood, reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, and boost one’s mental health and well-being.
3. Cognitive benefits: Exercise can improve cognitive function, including memory, attention, and decision-making abilities.[5][6]
4. Better sleep: Daily exercise can help improve sleep quality and length[7][8]. When you engage in physical activities, you obviously become tired, and this means your body will want to sleep to rejuvenate.
5. Increased energy and stamina[9][10]: Exercise can boost energy levels and decrease weariness, boosting daily productivity and quality of life.
6. Increased longevity: Research has shown that regular exercise can increase life expectancy and lower the risk of death.[11][12]
7. Stress reduction: Exercise can help reduce stress and increase relaxation[13][14][15], which can benefit physical and mental health.
8. Improved immune function: Frequent exercise can boost the immune system and reduce the risk of infection and illness.[16][17]
9. Reduced inflammation: Exercise has been demonstrated to lower inflammation in the body[18][19], which is crucial in many chronic diseases.
10. Better bone health: Resistant training or weight-bearing exercise helps improve bone density and lower the risk of osteoporosis.[20][21]

Top 10 Tips to Find the Time for Fitness

1. Make exercise a priority. Exercise should be a non-negotiable part of your daily routine, like work or other vital commitments. Think of it as your “ME” time. You need it to function better as a human being!
2. Establish attainable goals. Take it one step at a time. Don’t plan for an hour of exercise every morning when your current lifestyle is not suited (or adjusted) for morning workouts. You’ll just get frustrated at not being able to do what you intended and possibly give up altogether. The key is to put “small goals” into place and then build from them. For example, say you want to achieve 10K steps daily, but you’re only managing 4K steps now. Start by increasing your steps to 4.5K for a week and then to 5K after that. From here, increase your daily steps 5.5K or 6K for another week, and so on until you reach 10K steps daily.
3. Plan your workouts. Make workouts a part of your daily or weekly routine by scheduling them at specified times. Take a good look at your schedule. When’s the BEST TIME for fitness? Mornings? During your lunch break? After work, but just before you head home? Figure it out and then plan accordingly.
4. Find a workout partner. Exercising with someone can help you stay accountable and motivated, so find yourself a fitness buddy. Online workout buddies are okay too. For example, join an FB fitness group, befriend someone, and time your workouts together so you can hold each other accountable.
5. Make it a family affair. Include your family in your workouts by going for long walks or bike rides together or finding other physical activities you can do as a group.
6. Take advantage of your breaks. Find time for fitness no matter how short the time. For example, if you work in an office or at home, use your breaks to go for a short walk or do some stretching exercises.
7. Integrate activity into your commute. Instead of driving, consider biking or walking to work or running errands. Instead of taking the lift, walk up to your work floor. Instead of having a “desktop lunch,” eat your sandwich while walking.
8. Use gadgets. Utilize technology to help you
   stay motivated and track your progress, such as apps, fitness trackers, or online tools.
9. Be adaptable. If you can’t fit in a complete workout, try to be active throughout the day. For example, park further from where you need to be so you’re forced to walk.
10. Be kind to yourself. Don’t give up if you miss a workout or can’t stick to your schedule for a day or two. Simply get back on track as quickly as possible and go forward.

Lastly, follow the advice of a well-known sports brand – JUST DO IT!

Seriously, don’t overthink it. One of our readers said that when she gets up in the morning, she doesn’t entertain thoughts of laziness or her busy schedule. She says, “I just sort of go on autopilot mode; go to the bathroom, get out, put on my jogging pants, put one sock on and then the other, etc., until I’m out the door!“

[1] Warburton, D. E. R. (2006). Health benefits of physical activity: The evidence. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 174(6), 801–809. https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.051351

[2] Reiner, M., Niermann, C., Jekauc, D., & Woll, A. (2013). Long-term health benefits of physical activity – a systematic review of longitudinal studies. BMC Public Health, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-13-813

[3] Sharma, A. (2006). Exercise for mental health. The Primary Care Companion For CNS Disorders, 8(2). https://doi.org/10.4088/pcc.v08n0208a

[4] Robinson, L. (2023, February 28). The mental health benefits of exercise. HelpGuide.org. Retrieved January 16, 2023, from https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-living/the-mental-health-benefits-of-exercise.htm

[5] Mandolesi, L., Polverino, A., Montuori, S., Foti, F., Ferraioli, G., Sorrentino, P., & Sorrentino, G. (2018). Effects of physical exercise on cognitive functioning and wellbeing: Biological and psychological benefits. Frontiers in Psychology, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00509

[6] Gomez‐Pinilla, F., & Hillman, C. (2013). The influence of exercise on cognitive abilities. Comprehensive Physiology, 403–428. https://doi.org/10.1002/cphy.c110063

[7] Exercising for better sleep. Exercising for Better Sleep | Johns Hopkins Medicine. (2021, August 8). Retrieved January 16, 2023, from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/exercising-for-better-sleep

[8] Dolezal, B. A., Neufeld, E. V., Boland, D. M., Martin, J. L., & Cooper, C. B. (2017). Interrelationship between sleep and exercise: A systematic review. Advances in Preventive Medicine, 2017, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/1364387

[9] Puetz, T. W. (2006). Physical activity and feelings of energy and fatigue. Sports Medicine, 36(9), 767–780. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200636090-00004

[10] Wender, C. L., Manninen, M., & O’Connor, P. J. (2022). The effect of chronic exercise on energy and fatigue states: A systematic review and meta-analysis of Randomized Trials. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.907637

[11] Reimers, C. D., Knapp, G., & Reimers, A. K. (2012). Does physical activity increase life expectancy? A review of the literature. Journal of Aging Research, 2012, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/243958

[12] Lee, D. H., Rezende, L. F. M., Joh, H.-K., Keum, N. N., Ferrari, G., Rey-Lopez, J. P., Rimm, E. B., Tabung, F. K., & Giovannucci, E. L. (2022). Long-term leisure-time physical activity intensity and all-cause and cause-specific mortality: A prospective cohort of US adults. Circulation, 146(7), 523–534. https://doi.org/10.1161/circulationaha.121.058162

[13] Jackson, E. M. (2013). Stress relief. ACSM’S Health & Fitness Journal, 17(3), 14–19. https://doi.org/10.1249/fit.0b013e31828cb1c9

[14] Childs, E., & de Wit, H. (2014). Regular exercise is associated with emotional resilience to acute stress in healthy adults. Frontiers in Physiology, 5. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2014.00161

[15] Exercising to relax – harvard health publishing. Harvard Health. (2020, July 7). Retrieved January 16, 2023, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/exercising-to-relax

[16] Nieman, D. C., & Wentz, L. M. (2019). The compelling link between physical activity and the body’s defense system. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 8(3), 201–217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2018.09.009

[17] da Silveira, M. P., da Silva Fagundes, K. K., Bizuti, M. R., Starck, É., Rossi, R. C., & de Resende e Silva, D. T. (2020). Physical exercise as a tool to help the immune system against COVID-19: An integrative review of the current literature. Clinical and Experimental Medicine, 21(1), 15–28. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10238-020-00650-3

[18] Dimitrov, S., Hulteng, E., & Hong, S. (2017). Inflammation and exercise: Inhibition of monocytic intracellular TNF production by acute exercise via β2-adrenergic activation. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 61, 60–68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2016.12.017

[19] Beavers, K. M., Brinkley, T. E., & Nicklas, B. J. (2010). Effect of exercise training on chronic inflammation. Clinica Chimica Acta, 411(11-12), 785–793. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cca.2010.02.069

[20] Benedetti, M. G., Furlini, G., Zati, A., & Letizia Mauro, G. (2018). The effectiveness of physical exercise on bone density in osteoporotic patients. BioMed Research International, 2018, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/4840531

[21] Pinheiro, M. B., Oliveira, J., Bauman, A., Fairhall, N., Kwok, W., & Sherrington, C. (2020). Evidence on physical activity and osteoporosis prevention for people aged 65+ years: A systematic review to inform the WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-020-01040-4

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