This post will probably be a short one. It’s really simple.

Since I have been going strong with a training program and some healthy habits for more than 6 months now, some of my friends have started to notice and ask me questions. Most of the questions are variations of “how do you do it? How do you fit it in? How do you find time to work out with a toddler and a job?”

I’ve already posted a bunch of thoughts on this here. However, this topic is one that I thought merited special attention as it’s own post, because I don’t see it discussed a lot.

If your program is stressing you out, look for a simple change that will take the stress away.

I will give two examples of how I have done this.

1. Change the day/time: I was following an online training program that had training days on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. On Monday and Wednesday, the mornings felt really full, since I also had to get my kiddo ready to go to the babysitter and get myself ready to go to work in between sets. Things felt kinda hectic….until I realized that nobody was making me start on Monday! If I started the program on a Thursday instead, I could train Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Tuesday….and never have to fit training in on the same day my kiddo goes to the sitter and I go to work. Same training program, but one simple switch made it fit into my life with more ease. More ease = more sustainable = more likely to stick.
2. Move the equipment: I was skimping on my abdominal work, which I knew I should do, because (get this) – my yoga mat was upstairs in my bedroom and not where I keep the rest of my equipment. Really. All I had to do was bring the yoga mat downstairs, but it took me two weeks to actually do it. Now that it is actually there with the rest of my equipment, it’s easy to fit in my abdominal work at the end of my training. Now, I’m sure most people are not as lazy as I am and would just grab the damn yoga mat. However, there may be a way you can use this tip to your advantage. For example, do you own some weights, but rarely use them because they are down in the basement? Try moving them to your porch or garage where you keep your children’s outdoor toys. Then you can use them while you are supervising your kids playing outside, because they are actually accessible to you at a time when you are relatively free. Whereas, with leaving them in a separate room….well, some of us never seem to escape our kids!

Taking the stress out of your program will make it sustainable and enjoyable, and therefore you will be more likely to fit it into your life. We shouldn’t be stressing ourselves for the sake of fitness…..stress can take a big toll on our health, too!

Have you found a simple change helped take the stress out of your program? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!