No Time to Work Out!!!

No Time to Work Out

We all have used the excuse that we simply do not have the time to work out. Life is busy and sometimes we only classify working out if we are on a piece of equipment or in a gym or at a class. I found myself putting on lbs or two and realized my excuse is that I just don’t have time. I do a few minutes of yoga with the kids 2-3 times a week, but my work outs have definitely fallen by the wayside other because I’m busy, or so I say. Yesterday, I started to try to find time to work out by noting my day in my mind. I came to the conclusion that I am busy, but that if I can set up my home I can use the minutes of down time that I find (and I literally mean minutes) to get little spurts of work outs here or there. I figure at the end I should be able to work up to at least 30 min of work out by doing this each day.

To motivate myself further, because I’m often tired and usually use those minutes to just take a seat I’m forcing myself to stand through them or to wipe something off that may or may not need it, but whatever I do I can’t sit unless eating, reading during story, or constructed play, I need to stand unless I have to sit for the reasons listed above. Yep, I’m standing at my counter typing this as we speak and not loving it, but loving the burn in my thighs as I get some squats in while I type! Now, I could make the excuse that I always need to be down to play this or that, but if I get the kids set up they will often play nicely or together needing guidance that I can offer either from a standing position or by squatting during those moments and standing back up. This way they still get from me what they need, but are also free to explore semi-independently as I’m not over their shoulder constantly guiding. After a few struggles kids can many times figure things out without the hand over hand I’ve been giving. Of course they still need me for something’s and I still need to be right there to guide play so they do not just go wild like little animals. So, I’m standing and realizing that my legs are killing me from all the standing. It’s not a bad work out to stand and I’m seeing that the minutes can add up. Now, if I can only figure out a way to strategically place free weights and pulley’s for me to use at random places during those minutes I’d be in model shape! Running after kids, dancing with them, crawling with them, doing yoga with them, move-move-move, and then add the standing to it where I find myself wiping things down more than my usually obsessive wiping and I think I’ve increased my calorie burn considerable.

Unfortunately, this means that my excuse that I don’t have time no longer holds water since by just standing I can feel my body using the muscles more. This means that we all can take care of ourselves and the house and the kids without the gym or class or hundred dollar machines. I know, I’m sort of disappointed too! I would love a Pilate’s station or fold up tread mill and those are still great if you do have chunks of time at your disposal! If you don’t they will probably just sit and grow dust since if we aren’t using them we probably aren’t going to be up dusting them off either. Classes and going to the gym are a much better option to me than minute spurts and standing, so if you’re able to do that don’t stop because that is your time for you to be good to your body. The rest of us however, must face that we don’t have an excuse for not playing just as hard as the kids, cleaning the house, than using the random free minutes to do squats, just stand, do heel raises, use a kid as a free weight for arm presses, or do a few standing stretches giving our bodies the work outs they need to keep us caring for the families we love so much. In closing, just when you think you’re as busy as you can get really pay attention to your day and you’ll find a minute here and there where you could be busier. So, be thankful for the minutes you have and use them wisely. Lastly, be truly honest with yourself about your day and why you’re not working out and accept the choices you make regarding that because your body and you have to live with the results.

Abby