Today I’m delighted to welcome Dr Laura Cutress of LC-Personal Training (our resident PT for The Balance Club) to the blog to share her wisdom when it comes to working out with a busy lifestyle. This is something that’s been directly affecting me recently, but I’m finding these tips really helpful and I hope you do too, over to Laura…

We all know the physical health benefits to working up a sweat – healthy heart, strong bones, clear skin, better posture and healthier weight, just to start. But we have to consider the other benefits too – from the endorphin rush, social aspect, confidence building, ‘you time’ and positive impact a healthier you can have on both personal and professional relationships. It’s no secret then that I advocate getting your workout fix in whatever way suits you.

Many of my clients find sticking to an exercise schedule difficult enough, but throw family, school runs, work and appointments into the mix and it is easy to see why many busy women skip their workouts. Today Laura has invited me onto the blog to share my top tips on fitting exercise into a busy schedule.

1. Make Time

Just as you make time to wash your hair, or watch a favourite TV programme, you need to make time to exercise. There’s no hours left in the day? Double up! Turn the commute into your workout – park further away to get some steps in, run or cycle to work, take the scenic route home. Add a workout into nap time – get an at-home workout going whilst your little one naps or the kids are at afterschool clubs, or do some training whilst catching up on your favourite show. You can do bodyweight reps whilst waiting for the kettle to boil, a mini circuit every ad break or a plank-off to determine the remote champion! There are a million ways to add a workout into your everyday tasks, choose something over nothing.

2. Find your Jam

This is the second most important thing I ask my clients – ‘what do you like doing?’ There’s no point taking someone on a run if they hate it, but if they love a circuits class and light weight training then that’s their thing! Maybe it’s team sports, a solo swim early morning or a brisk walk at lunch time. I aim to create lasting fitness and you should too. Say goodbye to fads and create a lifestyle which makes exercise enjoyable. This way, you’re creating a healthy life which makes fitness come naturally rather than a chore. We want you to be happy and healthy for years to come; to stabilise your metabolism, develop a healthy heart and bones and hopefully keep you active for many years to come. Trends come and go but functional fitness lasts a lifetime.

3. Motivate

What’s your motivation? Keep motivated by identifying your reasons for working out, preferably with some intrinsic and personal aspect. By finding motivation which is personal to us (for example, being able to play with your children without getting out of breath) rather than an external factor (such as fitting into those skinny jeans you’ve been hoarding in the back of the wardrobe), we are more likely to commit to a plan and stick to a lifestyle change. Tell people your goals, be accountable. Make short term targets that you can tick off as you go along… everyone likes a to do list!

4. Schedule

Finally, schedule your workouts. Grab your diary and write them in, next to the meetings and doctor’s appointments. Be specific. ‘Workout’ is very uninspiring and easy to overlook. ‘Run with Jane’ or ‘Walk to the new coffee shop at lunchtime’ is much more specific. If you are planning a gym workout, plan your session. Research and write down your workout plan so that you can get in, smash your workout and feel satisfied that you achieved something when you finish! For clients who struggle with this aspect, I offer online programming for busy clients who don’t have time for 1-2-1 sessions. Each plan is bespoke and comes with a printable calendar to cross off daily, a list of workout plans and, paired with Laura’s healthy eating knowledge, it creates a balanced package.

Fitting fitness into a busy schedule is hard and exercise is often the first thing to get skipped from the calendar. But, with a little planning it’s possible and with a fabulous support crew you can feel like you can achieve anything! Both Wholeheartedly Healthy and LC Personal Training have closed groups on Facebook just waiting to cheer you on with your health and fitness journey so if you need some extra cheerleaders feel free to come and check us out!

And if you have any more questions, need ideas or guidance please do find me on social media or whip across an email to laura@lc-personaltraining.com

Dr Laura Cutress is on a mission to help people get fit for life in a busy world where beauty standards are damaging and the obesogenic culture is growing. She provides a range of training options designed to fit around you and your lifestyle, and aims to make every session a positive step towards your goals. Whether that means you have to work out with a push-chair, before your night shift or you have just 8 weeks to reach your goal. Her clients become happy and strong, functionally active and fit for life. She promotes a mindfully active lifestyle, concentrating on movement standards, balanced choices and a health which comes naturally. She has competed and trained in a number of sports throughout her life, from 3 day eventing, rowing and fell running to Crossfit, climbing and weightlifting. She loves early morning runs, heavy weights and yoga. She frequently travels to try new sports and recently enjoyed mountain running in Iceland and Chamonix. She became a personal trainer to help people find that confidence in their training. Whether that may be in their image, their ability or their achievements, she loves watching her clients finish their session with a sweaty smile! She’ll high-five, fist-bump and cheer you through your workout. Your goals are her goals and she’s thrilled to work with every single one of her clients.

How do you fit in working out? Is it something you struggle with? 

P.S Don’t forget that The Balance Club will be closing it’s doors in a few days time. If you’re looking for a totally holistic yet bullshit free approach to becoming healthier, happier and more balanced this is it! Check it out here >>>