I’m stressed out. I try not to be. In my crazy head I think “You’re not stressed Anne. Balancing all of this stuff isn’t hard. Just relax.” For some reason none of that works 🙂
Between my kids, husband, house and being a Personal Trainer I decided it was a good idea to go to school to become a Massage Therapist. I know… maybe not the best timing but there is never a perfect time. So while I have been running around looking like the crazy lady at the top of this post I decided that something needed to change. I needed to workout. It seems counter intuitive to be adding something to my plate in order to feel less stressed but it works.
There are many ways in which exercise lowers stress levels (most of which you don’t care about). I think what most people want to know is how to fit a workout into their already hectic lives. Here are my top 3 ways to squeeze a workout in to become less stressed!
1. Wake up early
I LOVE my bed as much as anyone but tomorrow morning I’m getting up earlier with the sole purpose of working out. I know those first 10 or so minutes are brutal but after that your body starts waking up and you actually feel good! I have to wake up early because by the end of a day filled with school, kids and work I just do not have the energy to go out for a run or hit the gym.
2. During your lunch break
My husband strives to get his workouts in during his lunch time. Besides working up a sweat there is an additional benefit. By utilizing your hour lunch break to work out, you cannot go out to lunch and order something that probably has way too many calories. Pack a healthy lunch to eat at your desk after your workout and you’ll be way ahead on your calories for the day.
3. Utilize the weekends
In my house, weekends are family time. I don’t want to take time to go to the gym when my kids are home from school and husband isn’t working so I make my workouts a family affair. Whether we go for a bike ride, a hike or play baseball in the back yard, it all “counts”. By changing the gears on your bike, carrying a backpack with everyone’s water bottles or running after all of those fly balls, you can work up a sweat while having fun with your family.
Do you have any other ideas for squeezing in some exercise?