Life can get busy but it’s still a priority of mine to get to the gym and get in my workouts. Sometimes traveling for business or depending on where I’m working can take me out of my routine, but I know that being consistent is ultimately what is going to make the difference. You have to win each day and the days compound over time. Here are three of my go-to workouts for busy days:

1. Quick gym workout - Sometimes if time is limited, I’ll go to the gym anyway and do some circuit training. This usually means I find a machine for each muscle group and rep to failure for 2 - 3 sets for each exercise.
2. At home - If I can’t make it to the gym, I’ll find a way to get 30 minutes of cardio in for the day or break it up into two 15-minute sessions which could be a walk or jog, or both. This might also include sit-ups and pushups in-between meetings.
3. Online - My last go-to workout for busy days is using my phone to find a training session led by a fitness trainer. Apple offers Fitness+ which is a pretty good program with a wide variety of workouts that can be done from home.

I have always believed that getting in a workout session is more important than the quality. Just showing up enables me to keep the momentum going enough to where the quality will emerge from the routine.

I’m the last person who should be writing about this because I don’t do it. However, if I were to stretch every morning, here are some of the benefits I can imagine I would receive!

1. Get my body going - There are a few things to get your body going in the morning and ready for your day that I think can make a big difference - 1. Drinking a glass of water, 2. Getting in the sun and going for a walk and 3. Stretching. I think doing so gets the blood flowing and your body ready for the day.
2. Improved flexibility over time - Flexibility is important as we get older. While you won’t have good flexibility initially, overtime it compounds. Imagine stretching every day for 6 months. After a year, you could join the circus!
3. Reduce potential for injury - I enjoy lifting weights, and do I stretch beforehand? Nope and that’s probably why every once in a while, I experience some pain in my shoulder. If you are going to exercise, lift weights, jog, walk, etc. It’s smart to stretch your muscles each day. It can be a form of preparation and recovery. I know this from being a former athlete but I’m certainly not as intentional as I need to be.

I think I’ve talked (or written) myself into developing this daily habit and tracking it. I’m excited about what stretching can do for me and how it could help me improve physical health and fitness.

What are your thoughts on developing a stretching routine?

Staying consistent with exercise or anything in life is a decision. You won’t always feel like going to the gym, but you go to the gym no matter what. Feelings are a terrible master because I often don’t feel like going to the gym, but I go to the gym because I’ve made the commitment to myself, and I have a bigger WHY in that I want to live a health life for myself and my family. Here are some simple tips I use to stay on track with the discipline of getting to the gym:

1. Make it convenient - I found a gym close to my house that takes me between 5 - 10 minutes by car. I can get to the gym quickly which minimizes my time to talk myself out of going.
2. I track my fitness - I track all my exercise, weight, etc. Doing so helps me on my grow plan. It also promotes ‘consistent’ behavior.
3. I have a daily 1-0 - At a minimum, I know what I’m going to do every day to achieve that 1-0 goal. Could be lifting weights, cardio, or both. My 1-0 enables me to measure my consistency overall. Did I hit it or not? How many days in a row have I hit my 1-0, etc.?
4. Create simple habits - I want to make sure it’s easy for me to follow through. As an example, I might set a time limit for lifting weights and know that I’m not extending past that time. Maybe I need to do two sets instead of three. The key is to make sure my commitment is simple enough to where I know I will follow through. Once I’m consistent, I can make it more challenging.
5. Adjust routines - Sometimes I need to adjust when I hit a plateau. This could mean I group certain exercises together, or change up days, or my routine entirely. It keeps it interesting, and I find that every few months, I need to make slight adjustments in my routine to keep it going.

My mindset is consistency is the victory, whether in the gym, business, family, or any area of life!