How to Fit a Workout into Your Packed Schedule

Dailylife can get hectic. With family, work and social commitments, your schedule is often packed from week to week. And to top it all off you’re expected to somehow fithealthy eatingand fitnessinto your schedule. But let’s be honest, exercise is often the first thing to go when your schedule gets too packed. So instead of trying to fit an hour long workout into your already busy schedule, try to aim for as little as 30 minutes a day of moderate or 15 minutes of intensefat burningexercise a day. Whether you choose to workoutat-home, at thegym, with weights orno weightsat all, you can easily get a goodfull bodyworkout in a short amount of time. We’ve compiled the top seven fitness ideasfor busy womento help you maintain yourweight lossgoals for the New Year and beyond.

7 Creative Ways to Get in a Workout for Busy Women

1. Set your alarm 30 minutes early

Mornings are hard for everyone, especially if you have little ones. But finding even just 30 minutes in the morning to workout can make all the difference for the day ahead. Get in a quick 20-30 minute workout before the rest of the house wakes up and you’ll feel that extra boost of energy for the rest of the morning. To make things even easier for you, pre-plan and prepare your breakfast the night before. Take a quick look on Pinterest and you’ll find plenty of ideas for overnight oats, overnight French toast, hashbrown casserole and more.

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2. HIIT

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is the best way to get an intense workout in a short amount of time. For each exercise you do (pushups, burpees, squats etc.), go as hard as you can for 10-20 seconds, and then follow it up with 40-50 seconds of recovery. Complete 10-15 rounds with a 5-10 minute warm up and cool down. HIIT workouts keep your metabolism going for hours afterward and also help you burn tons of calories.

3. Take a walk during lunch

If you can spare the time, go for a walk during your lunch hour. You’ll feel great both physically and mentally, not to mention the added pick me up for the rest of the afternoon. When you get back to work, munch on some raw vegetables and have a protein shake or bar.

4. Use your TV time wisely

We all have those shows that we just can’t miss. So why not put that TV time to better use? Instead of sitting on the couch eating snacks, take some time to exercise during commercials. Use exercise bands, dumbbells or simply your own body weight and do a quick exercise circuit. During each commercial try to do as many reps as you can.

5. Take your social time on the move

Instead of sitting down for dinner or drinks with friends, try getting active with them instead. It can be as simple as going for a walk, taking a yoga class together or going for a hike. You’ll still have plenty of time to catch up on the latest gossip and get some exercise in at the same time.

RELATED: How to Do Yoga: A Routine for Beginners

6. Include the family

If spending time with your family is getting in the way of your workout, why not workout with them? Not only is it good for you, it also encourages healthy habits in your kids. When they see that exercise is important to you, it will be important to them too. Schedule hikes with the family, soccer games, after dinner walks, or a family bike ride.

7. Plan Ahead

When life overwhelms us, exercise is often the first thing to go. A grueling workout is probably the last thing you want to do after a long day at work or school, but if that becomes an excuse every day, it’s a problem. So to keep that from happening, make a plan. Simply pick out a time during the day that you know you can commit to exercise. It can be as little as a 30 minute block of time - just make sure it’s a time you will actually follow through with. Write it down in your daybook or schedule and commit to it. Once you have it written down, you can then plan your other activities around it – think of exercise as an appointment in your day.

Hitting the gymand gettinghealthyusually top the list ofNew Year’sresolutions. And while we all have good intentions,life often gets the best of us and our health and fitness goals fall by the wayside. Make health andfitness a part of your daily routine and it won’t seem like a huge commitment at all.The key is to keep your workouts as minimal as possible and figure out a schedule that works for you. And as with any workout routine, you need to make sure the girls are fully supported with a great sports bra.Shefit's Ultimate Sports Bra will do the trick. Its patented adjustability is perfect for any size, even large busts. It gives you support where you need it the most so you can workout knowing you’re supported from every angle!

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