I want to be fit but cant find the timE!

What do you do When Life Gets in the Way of Training?

Tis the Season Right? Daylight Savings is upon us, Holidays, food, family, work, and other commitments. What do you do when life gets in the way of your training? I am there. I am trying to juggle my work, my child’s school activities, homework, afterschool activities, and still try to fit in some time for myself. It has proven to be very challenging. I think most of us have good intentions when we overload ourselves, but what happens when it is too much? Here are some things that have helped me to stay somewhat sane in the business that is life.

1) Plan your workouts. I have a weekly calendar for my daughter’s afterschool activities. I actually write them out each week. On this same calendar I write in my work outs for the week. I put the time, what I am going to focus on, and how much time I have to work out.

2) Some days a little work out is better than nothing. There are days when I don’t get everything that I want to do in that particular session. So, I have to choose. Is it better to get a run in or a squat session. That is going to depend on your goals. As I have been training for races, I have chosen to run more lately. Once race season dies down, that will change more to lifting.

3) Keep some things at home in case you can’t get to the gym. I plan to invest in some home equipment for times such as there. Even if you have no equipment, body weight stuff will get you a quick work out too. Air squats, pushups, hill sprints, and the beloved burpee.

4) Keep your nutrition in check. Easier said than done, but if your work outs are not happening as often as you would like, then make sure you are keeping a handle on what you are eating. Especially if you are trying to cut weight or lean out or you are prepping for an event. Remember that nutrition is the CrossFit foundation to which everything else is built upon.

5) Do not Stress. I need to remember this one myself. If you miss a workout, it is not the end of the world. You WILL NOT lose all your gains in missing a workout here or there. Plus if you stress, that produces cortisol which will make you hold on to weight, which might cause more stress. Just be careful to not let it become a slippery slope. Don’t let one day turn in to five days.

We only get this one beautiful life. Make sure that you are taking care of yourself, but also remember what is important. Missing a workout in order to go watch that Christmas musical your child is in, or to go to that dinner with a friend you haven’t seen in a while, is not the end of the world. It is about balance, health, and making memories. I guarantee that when you look back on your life, you won’t remember the workouts you missed. But you will remember the opportunities that you didn’t take to make memories with friends and family.

​Be well my CrossFit friends,