Excuses Why You Can’t Workout
Have you found yourself lately making up excuses for not having time to work out during the week? Rationalizing that you can’t make it to the gym before or after work?
If you look hard enough, you’ll find a large number of reasons why exercise isn’t the biggest priority in your life, despite health being a major concern for most people. One of the largest factors is finding the motivation to move your body after a busy workday.
Those same reasons why you may not have the time or energy to exercise are the same benefits that weekly exercise can reward you with if you follow through with them. Exercising provides you with more energy during the week and saves precious time in the long run by avoiding future hospital or doctor visits due to physical neglect.
Regular exercise also instills a level of self-discipline that’s developed over many months and years of training the body towards strength and balance. It’s also vital in modern life, where sedentary behavior is commonplace.
Finding the right time during the day for exercise is personal to each individual; however, the bare minimum of 30 minutes a day of movement is all you need to get started on a successful fitness journey towards long-term health.
Best Times In The Day To Get A 30 Minute Workout
Scheduling time to exercise during the week can feel overwhelming when you have many responsibilities and important tasks to complete during the day. Dropping everything for the gym before or after work can be impractical for some and a nuisance for others who dislike changing clothes during the day for a brief workout.
Depending on your energy levels and the outcomes you’re aiming to achieve from your exercise routine, your training schedule can be tailored to the time of day that’s most convenient for you.
The best time to work out is when you have the most energy or feel most motivated. Every individual is different, and motivation levels can vary throughout the day (see How Not to Lose Motivation For The Gym)
There are advantages to exercising at different times of day. For example, morning routines can help kickstart your day and aid sleep, as they wouldn’t disrupt sleep patterns closer to bedtime.
Mid-afternoon workouts help alleviate stress from the day’s activities. During the day, a quick 30-minute training session can take your mind away from hectic work tasks or a chaotic schedule.
Evening workouts may be more manageable if the daytime hours are too busy. Workouts towards the end of the day are also great if you’re likely to get fewer interruptions (e.g., calls, text messages, meetings) than earlier in the day.
Regardless of which time of day you choose to workout, the key is consistency and accountability for the work you’re doing to make progress (see Why You Need A Workout Journal).
Now that you have found an optimal time of day for exercise that best suits you, there may be other times of day that are being wasted and could be used for training. These are some suggestions of downtimes during the day that you could get a quick 30-minute workout in:
Laundry
Waiting for laundry to be done at home or at the laundromat near your home is a great way to get in some exercise quickly. A decent amount of bodyweight exercises can be performed in a 30-60 minute session, saving time that would otherwise be spent traveling to the gym. After washing and drying clothes in the laundromat, hauling your clothes load up flights of stairs or walking back to your apartment is another workout in itself! Make the most of your errand time with a quick workout.
Cooking/Baking Meals
The average preparation time for home-cooked meals is around 30 minutes, with baking/cooking times being around 15 minutes. Getting some push-ups/pull-ups/sit-ups while waiting for rice to boil or bread to bake is a smart way to fit a workout into a schedule when you’re pressed for time. Prepare your workouts near the kitchen so you can stay attentive to the stove/oven, and always keep a timer running in the background, just in case. The reward for your hard work is a wonderfully prepared, home-cooked meal (see Why Smarter People Are Eating From Home).
Work Lunch Breaks
30-60-minute lunch breaks are a great opportunity to burn some extra calories with anaerobic (resistance training) or aerobic exercise without setting foot in the gym. If you have fitness facilities in or near your place of work, definitely take advantage of those as well. You can always opt for a quick walk around the building or move around at your desk to complete your exercises for the day. Chair squats, outdoor push-ups, and stair climbs are all good options to do before eating your mid-day lunch. This is especially helpful for individuals who spend long hours in desk jobs.
Commercial Breaks/Watching TV
There’s nothing worse than the commercial breaks that interrupt your favorite program for a few minutes, which usually come on during the best parts of the story. Use the short commercial breaks to keep the blood flowing with a brief calisthenics session. The exercise doesn’t have to be too intense, but switching up the routine of couch surfing for an hour or more can help reduce fatigue from sitting for long periods. One hour of television watching can include 3 or 4 commercial breaks, which can add up to a good number of exercise repetitions from the comfort of your home.
The Wrap Up
There are many excuses that people have for their lack of commitment to an exercise routine in their daily lives. Those same excuses hold them back from understanding that exercise provides the energy and time in the day that is so highly sought after. Opportunities to condition the body without the convenience of a fitness facility surround you; you have to take advantage of the resources you have and make the most of them. If you need further assistance with getting a ripped physique with only 30 minutes to spare in the day, click here to download my e-book.
