Do you want to visit the gym more often but feel like you are constantly overwhelmed by your other time commitments? You are not alone.
It’s not always easy to combine training with work, family and the stresses of daily life. For most of the people, the typical barriers to getting in shape are a lack of time, energy, and guidance.
At Delta Fitness, we believe that finding an extra two hours three times a week to achieve better results is something everyone can do. What you need is a motivation to change your body and a good plan to make the most out of the time that you have.
This is why in this article, we decided to show you how to make time for fitness if you are a busy working professional. Let’s get started!
A personal plan will help you to achieve your fitness goals and stay on track. Start by determining how much time you can realistically devote to exercise on a weekly basis. In addition, you also want to consider how your recovery days will look like.
If you already spend a lot of time at work and add a regular gym routine on top of that, finding days to switch off will be crucial.
Then, assess your current fitness level and set a realistic and measurable goal (when it comes to strength training, you either want to focus on losing weight or building muscle mass).
Think about the types of exercises you want to do. As a general rule, it’s best to keep it simple and choose the exercises that train your whole body. Instead of trying many different movements, focus on a workout that’s easy to follow and gradually build strength with it.
Here are 5 essential exercises that target all of the major muscle groups and should be included in your routine:
- Squats (quads)
- Deadlifts (butt and back)
- Bench press (chest and arms)
- Pull-ups (back and arms)
- Hanging leg raises (core)
Finally, pay attention to nutrition and think about how the diet needs to support your training and overall lifestyle. A healthy diet should provide you with the necessary energy and fulfilment during your busy days.
Make sure you are drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated, eat enough protein and avoid processed foods at all costs.
Picking a gym is a big decision. It should meet all your personal needs and help you stay motivated so that you feel good and enjoy the training.
Here are four main things to consider when choosing the best gym to fit around your busy schedule:
- The key to picking a great gym is location. Ideally, the gym should be no longer than a 15-minute walk or drive from either your office or your home. You also want to consider the opening hours if you like to hit the gym early in the morning or late after work.
- A good variety of well-maintained equipment is essential. As a minimum, every gym should have a power rack, a number of dumbbells, pullup bar, flat bench press and a few Olympic bars.
- Great gyms are also known for their reputation and positive customer reviews. The social atmosphere there is friendly and welcoming, the staff is nice, and the trainers engage with their clients.
- It has favourable membership terms and conditions. As a rule of thumb, if you are just starting out, we recommend not signing any long-term contracts. Train in the gym for a while and see for yourself how you feel there and if it’s truly the optimal training environment for you.
In short, the ideal gym should be convenient, well-equipped, and have a great reputation amongst its customers.
After you have created a solid plan with a measurable goal and chose a gym that suits your needs, it’s time to think about which training program you want to follow. Training programs are great because they provide you with a support system and give your workouts a meaning.
So if you’re looking to improve, following a program that’s focused on achieving real results is the best thing you can do.
In addition, it also helps you with choosing the right mixture of exercises and gives you an idea of how many sets/reps you need to do in each training session (and how long that session should last).
Keep in mind that choosing the right training program is closely related to the overall fitness goal that you have specified when creating your plan. The programs can also have various difficulty levels for different training stages (beginner, intermediate or advanced), so choose wisely.
Do you still feel anxious about starting on your own? Even with a clear plan, strong training program and gym that’s just around the corner, things don’t always work out. If you are struggling to find time for fitness and need somebody knowledgable who will also keep you accountable for your success, a personal trainer might be a good solution.
A good personal trainer will take into consideration your lifestyle and create a plan that goes well with your work life. You will get help on how to choose the right exercises and use the correct form, receive scientific advice on nutrition and establish lifelong exercise habits.
As a result of that, you will be able to build a strong and healthy physique sooner while also enjoying every minute of the process. Because once you start to see the results, it becomes an addiction! Believe us, we are speaking from experience. Want to know more? Book a free first consultation.