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Regular exercise offers numerous benefits for cardiometabolic health, metabolic health, cognitive function, mental health, and overall well-being.[1] In fact, the American Heart Association recommends that adults engage in at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity per week or 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week.[2]
Despite these well-documented benefits, integrating exercise into a busy schedule remains a common struggle for many individuals. To address these challenges, this article provides four practical and effective tips to help individuals seamlessly incorporate exercise into their daily routines.
How to Fit Exercise into a Busy Schedule:
- Plan Workouts Ahead of Time
One of the most effective strategies to ensure regular exercise is to plan workouts ahead of time. Scheduling a chunk of time just as you would any other important appointment can increase the likelihood of adherence. By doing so, it creates a routine that becomes an integral part of your day. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends effective strategies such as setting realistic and simple goals, self-monitor those goals, and receiving feedback on progress from a professional (if possible).
Other planning strategies may also help individuals build in exercise. Action planning involves specifying the details of when, where, and how to perform physical activity or an exercise routine while coping planning addresses potential barriers and arrangements to overcome them. [3] These planning strategies help bridge the intention-behavior gap, making it more likely that individuals are able to follow through with their exercise intentions.
- Make Physical Activity More Enjoyable
Exercise may feel monotonous but don’t forget that it can also be fun and enjoyable! Group physical activity and social interactions can enhance enjoyment and provide a sense of motivation.[4] Whether it’s joining a dance class, playing a sport you love, exploring nature trails, or utilizing interactive technologies and “exergaming”, all of these can alter your perception of exercise and make the experience more mentally and physically enjoyable.[5],[6]
- Personalize Exercise to Your Needs
Not everyone’s body responds positively to the same types of exercise. Understanding and tailoring exercise programs to individual preferences and capabilities, and providing supervision by qualified professionals, can make physical activity more sustainable and accessible.[7] Aspects of even a workout can be adjusted like the intensity, duration, and type of exercise to match your fitness levels and long-term goals.[8]
Furthermore, accounting for any existing health conditions, physical limitation, or personal preferences can significantly increase adherence to an exercise plan.[9] For example, individuals with joint issues might benefit more from low-impact activities like swimming or cycling, while those seeking to improve flexibility may find Yoga to be more suitable.
- Limit Sedentary Time
Building in more movement into your day by limiting sedentary time is another vastly effective and crucial strategy to enhance overall physical activity. Despite regularly exercising, prolonged periods of sitting or standing can have detrimental effects on our health. Research suggests excessive sedentary time increases risk of cardiometabolic issues, reduces muscle mass and strength, increases risk of certain mental health concerns, and increases risk of all-cause mortality.[10],[11],[12]
Simple changes like taking short breaks to stand up and stretch, walking during phone calls, or using stairs instead of the elevator can lower sedentary behavior. If you struggle to remember to do so, try setting reminders on your calendar or phone to move every 30 to 60 minutes to help counteract the negative effects of prolonged sitting.[13]
Regular exercise is important for overall health but fitting it into a busy schedule can be challenging. To help, the article offers four practical tips: plan workouts ahead of time to ensure consistency, make physical activity enjoyable by incorporating fun and social elements, personalize exercise routines to match individual needs and preferences, and limit sedentary time by incorporating more movement into daily activities. These strategies can help individuals integrate exercise into their daily lives more effectively.
Corey Schuler, PhD, FNP, CNS has dedicated his career to advancing the science and clinical art of integrative medicine and serves as director of medical affairs for Allergy Research Group. He is a family nurse practitioner and practices holistic primary care at Synergy Family Physicians in White Bear Lake, Minnesota.
The information provided is for educational purposes only. Consult your physician or healthcare practitioner if you have specific questions before instituting any changes in your daily lifestyle including changes in diet, exercise, and supplement use.