Finding time to exercise is one of the main reasons many of us give for not exercising regularly. But when we do exercise, even if we might not feel it at the time, we feel incredible afterwards, as those post-exercise endorphins and the sense of achievement hits. So, it would be a crying shame not to capitalise on that great feeling by exercising more regularly!

Finding the time is all about making the time and how we do that depends on how productive we are at each point of the day, and what our lifestyle looks like. So, here’s our top tips for fitting in exercise, morning, noon and night!

Tips for working out in the morning

If you’re a morning person, then why not make the most of the day, and get up a little earlier to fit in a workout? Easier said than done when it’s cold and dark outside, but it’s all about routine. It’ll hurt to hear your alarm going off half an hour before you’re used to, but within a couple of weeks, you might find it becomes second nature.

Another trick is to get all your workout gear ready the night before. Make sure you have everything from your trainers and socks to your workout gear and water ready. If you’re heading outside for a run, make sure you’ve checked the weather, so you’re prepared. If you’re doing one of our workouts, make sure your laptop or phone is ready to go, and you’ve cleared the space you need.

Preparation is key, so that you don’t find excuses not to exercise because you don’t have the right kit!

Fitting in exercise in the afternoon

If your mornings are far too hectic for exercise, how about working out in your lunchtime? If you’re lucky enough to have a gym at work, use it! You never know what likeminded colleagues you might meet. You can set up your phone, laptop or tablet and whack on your favourite OYG workout! So, you’ll have time to exercise, shower and be back at your desk (probably to eat lunch) in under an hour.

If your workspace doesn’t have a gym, don’t worry! You could find a spare room to workout in and get a couple of work colleagues to join in too.

Perhaps you have a nearby park or greenspace? Could you get a group together for lunchtime runs? At least if you don’t have access to showers, you won’t be the only sweaty one…

If you’re at home with children, it can be a good idea to plan your workouts around your little one’s nap time. This might not always work, but we’ve also got tips for working out!

Training in the evening

If exercise is the last thing on your mind after a long day, but you don’t have any other time, then it’s going to take a difficult change in mindset to motivate yourself especially when it’s cold and dark. 

We talk about motivation all the time here at OYG and truly believe in the power of keeping things mixed up to keep things interesting. So if you are struggling to exercise in the evening, try doing a mixture of different exercises. Using our fitness planner can help you to plan a full week so that you know what you’re doing each day.

It will also help to consider how best you work out in terms of eating. It’s usually better to eat after exercise, so as soon as you get home from work, change straight into your workout gear, go to your next OYG workout and enjoy dinner afterwards. You’ve thoroughly deserved it!