Find time for fitness

By Carey Stites

For many of us the work week seems like a whirlwind of activities and obligations. From work to motherhood it oftentimes leaves many of us struggling to fit in a five minute shower, let alone an hour workout.

As a working mom and wife the stress of fitting it all in can be overwhelming at times. As a former fitness center owner, exercise instructor and personal trainer, fitness was my life. Now since switching gears to the office setting I realize devoting time to fitness can be a challenge.

My solution? I get up early, before the sun, kids, husband and dogs. Unless disaster strikes, this becomes my time to engage in an uninterrupted workout. All I need is inexpensive workout equipment and my workout app (coffee and TV of course, too) and I am ready to go.

There is a plethora of available workout apps that are free to use. This allows me to select a workout and the virtual trainer cues me through my workout session.

Home workouts typically require inexpensive fitness equipment; having workout equipment at home is convenient, economical and motivational. With all the available equipment, however, it may be difficult to know which to invest in. The best idea is to purchase portable, resistance equipment for weight training and utilize the outdoors for cardiovascular workouts such as walking and jogging.

Kettlebells are versatile and durable and offer cardiovascular, strength and stability workouts. There is no need to spend a fortune on an expensive kettlebell. Instead choose a moderate weight heavy enough to offer a challenge, but light enough to remain safe with good form.

Resistance bands offer the ultimate in convenience; they are easy to store and travel with and can be used in a variety of ways for strength training. Additionally, resistance bands are highly inexpensive; nevertheless be sure to purchase a quality band to avoid snapping of the band during exercise.

Dumbbells are an inexpensive, essential part of a home gym because they offer exceptional strength training workouts by engaging many muscles at once and can be used in variety of exercises.

If the morning slips away, a lunch time workout is the next best thing. Devoting half of the lunch hour can be an easy, productive way to fit in a workout while dedicating the second half to fuel your body with a healthy meal.

Weather permitting, an outdoor walk can burn calories and rejuvenate you for the rest of the day; make sure to bring tennis shoes and a change of clothes, if needed.

For some of us busy women, some days may not warrant a morning or lunchtime workout. I have found something is better than nothing and from time to time the “something” of a workout can be unique but effective.

If I find myself having to wait for my daughters during their activities, I walk around the building instead of sitting in the car. Oftentimes, there is a park nearby, so I walk to the park and back or drive there and walk. If one of my daughters happens to be with me for this, they go, too, and we pack something for her such as a bike, scooter or skateboard. Sometimes the dog gets to join in!

I am not a fan of walking alone at night, so if I am in this predicament of merging safety and fitness I work out in the car. Yes, in the car. How? Well after being placed on bed rest a few months back, I had to become very creative with my workouts which involved resistance training for my upper body while sitting. I now toss a pair of lighter dumbbells or a resistance band in the car with me and utilize my fitness app to guide me through a workout while I wait for my daughter.

I admit, this is not my only source of working out on a regular basis, but when I need it, this workout fills the void.
Workouts do not have to be all at once for a certain duration of time; research points to the effectiveness of shorter workouts several times a day.

A quick 10-minute walk in the morning followed by two to four more 10-minute sessions during work breaks and lunch, you can easily work in fitness to your busy day. Plus, exercise releases endorphins which can help battle the stress of the day.

For most of us, maintaining an active lifestyle should be one of our top priorities in life for sustained success and by taking care of ourselves we can be our best at home with our families and on the job.

Many obligations can interfere with working out; the more challenging a job becomes or the more involved our children become in activities, the more we struggle to find time to work out. By implementing a few of the above strategies from a fellow busy woman, we can do our best to fit in fitness.

Carey Stites, MS, RD, LD, CPT, is a registered and licensed dietitian working for Wellstone Health Partners in Harker Heights. She is also an AFAA certified group fitness instructor and personal trainer.