Let’s get real here for a second.
Probably the number one reason that people say they don’t work out is because they don’t have time.
So, the question is… How the hell are the rest of us shuffling ourselves in and out of the gym and getting it done?
Are we simply blessed with all of these extra hours that no one else has?
Is everyone who goes to the gym completely unemployed without any family or school obligations?
Obviously not.
Simply put, those of us who actually get our shit done have a better system in place to make sure our workouts NEVER get skipped.
Keep reading if you want to know how this is done…
You’re Probably Very Skeptical Reading This
Now I know when I named this article How to Find Time to Workout Without Changing Anything… I was making a pretty tall order.
However, I think I have the advice to back it up.
Because honestly it really pisses me off when somebody claims that they just don’t have time to do anything.
When really important things somehow just… Get done.
Let me ask you something…
Have you ever had to move?
Like take all your stuff and get out of your apartment or house and migrate it all to another place?
If so, did you have time for that?
I bet it wasn’t part of your normal routine.
You’re probably not constantly moving from one residence to another.
But somehow, it just got done.
If you’re in college right now, maybe you had a super long research paper to do… And you didn’t have time to do that either.
But somehow, it got done.
Doctor’s appointments.
Driver’s tests.
Visiting your grandma back home.
There are always appointments and tasks going on but somehow you just don’t have enough time to do them… but then they just get done.
So what the hell is going on?
What is this warlock magic that guarantees that the important things in your life actually happen.
Here’s the Tool That Pulls Workout Time Out of Thin Air
Okay, so how does this all happen?
The secret is really in the timeline.
The one tool that you need to make sure that every single thing gets done that you want to is…
Drum roll please…
A calendar.
Very anti-climatic I know, and you probably think that I’m some sort of smart ass.
But using a calendar to schedule your workouts ahead of time is the only firm way that you can ensure that they get done on a consistent basis.
Until you physically write them down or log them in some sort of system, working out is just a figurative idea that can float away like a bubble in a tornado.
For myself, I workout every Wednesday Friday and Sunday right now.
My wife knows it.
And my family knows it too.
And when one of those days rolls up, everyone backs out of the way, I head to the gym, I put in my time, and I build some muscle.
Why Most People Don’t Use This (And Don’t Workout)
The reason most people don’t do this is because once they take that step where they actually think through the availability they currently have and consider where they’re going to dedicate their time…
Then, they have to commit to their decision.
… And that can be scary.
Most people don’t like change.
Most people also don’t like committing to new obligations.
Personally, I feel the same way.
The thought of adding something to my plate on top of everything else I have to do in my daily routine, kind of makes me sick.
The difference with starting a fitness lifestyle is that you can actually start seeing results in as little as a couple weeks which makes it totally worthwhile.
This Also Leads to Awkward Conversations
You know how I said earlier that when it’s either Wednesday, Friday, or Sunday that my wife knows that I’m going to work out?
Well, that routine didn’t really start without a little confrontation.
In the beginning, there were arguments.
There were conflicts.
There were multiple iterations of my schedule to decide whether or not I could still fulfill my household responsibilities and commitment to my family.
And it’s these kinds of awkward conversations that most people don’t like to have, or fail to even bring up to the people that might be affected by your commitments.
Because the other big factor about starting a workout schedule or fitness lifestyle, is making sure that everyone else that may be affected by these events agrees to let you fulfill these new obligations… And even supports you in those decisions.
If you’re currently a student, and you live at home with your parents, it might be an awkward conversation at first to let them know that you’ll be hanging out a few hours after school every week to go to the gym if this is something you’ve never done before.
But it’s going to be OK.
As long as you explain that this is important to you, that this is part of a healthy lifestyle that you can continue for a long time to increase the happiness in your life, there’s no reason for them not to support you.
But you first need to schedule the time…
Then, you need to understand who these decisions are going to affect…
If that’s no one… then set your schedule and get to work.
If your commitments will affect someone else, then talk to them, explain your plan, and make sure they understand you’re not blowing them off.
Do You Agree With Me?
I’ve been in the fitness industry for awhile and personally, I don’t see a lot of experts talking enough about this subject.
Anytime someone brings up the objection to fitness because they “don’t have enough time”, the experts typically fire back with…
If you’re not willing to commit, you’re not worth the results… Or something like that.
The truth is that starting a new workout schedule, fitness lifestyle, or meal plan…
… requires a minimal commitment followed by agreement and support from anyone affected in order for it to actually happen.
So do you agree with me?
Leave a comment below and tell me what you think about this idea and let me know if you ever had an issue with committing to a workout before and how you got past it.