When I first became a personal trainer, one of my favourite naïve-PT-waffle-clichés was:
"We all have 168 hours in a week. You've got time to work out; it's just not a priority."
Except we don't all have 168 hours in a week, past Max, you've got a lot to learn. Past Max did have 168 hours in a week because he worked a few hours in the early morning, a few hours in the evening, and a few hours throughout the day. He had quite a few free hours where he happened to be in a gym.
If the past two years have taught me anything (it's taught me many things), it's that we do not all have 168 hours in a week. Work alone can bludgeon you so hard from every angle that your workout routine goes out the window, and that's before considering any family commitments or maintaining a household or personal life.
Most frustrating is when you've been on a great workout streak, then work comes along and blindsides you with 10-12+ hour days, including weekends.
I've been there myself recently, and I know many people going through it now. Many of our members are experiencing the same thing. Work boundaries are still pretty fluid, the commute has returned, and the workout keeps getting put off. Until tomorrow, then the next day, and the next, and so on. The further you fall, the harder it is to get back on it.
If this resonates with you right now, if you cannot find time to train - and you're so tired when you do finally have a minute to yourself in the evening, it's wine, food, then sleep - then here's how to keep working towards your goals:
You might have been on an amazing streak before the work hurricane tore through your life and flipped your shit upside down. Let go of the old routine. It'll make you feel guilty and worthless when you can't hit the sessions. You can get it back later when the storm passes.
The difference between no workouts and one workout a week is far greater than the difference between one workout and five workouts a week. So start with one or two shorter workouts in a week. They can be 15-30 minutes, once or twice a week. Shorter workouts are essential because they're less likely to be put off.
It's more important that the session actually happens than its length. The 15-minute workout that happens does more for you than the 45-minute workout that doesn't.
When you start moving again, you'll be amazed at how much more positive you feel about your situation and your goals. You'll probably be more inclined to get a handle on your diet too. With the shorter workouts, at the very least, you'll maintain your previous gains, and you might still make progress towards your goals too.
Get support from anyone who has a personal or professional interest in seeing you hit your goals and not fall off the wagon. The journey has to mean something to them too, or they probably won't be particularly invested in whether you stick to it.
A coach, partner or close friend checking in on you makes all the difference. They'll ask if you've done it (more incentive for you) and celebrate with you when you have. Just a 'well done' message when you've overcome the funk you've been in is a great feeling.
If this is you right now, I hope you've found this helpful. If it's not you right now, file this blog away in a 'break glass in case of emergency' folder.
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