3 ways to stay efficient with your workouts
Before having kids, I would spend an average of 2 hours per gym session. I’d go lift weights for an hour, then do Zumba, then sit in the sauna. By the time you’d add in my commute to and from the gym, it could be upwards of 3 hours. This just wasn’t sustainable after becoming a mom.
I had to start getting more strategic with how to prioritize my health, while still being a present mom. After COVID-19 shut everything down, we all had to rethink the way we exercise. I never thought I could be a workout-from-home type of person, but I’ve learned to love it! One thing I realized I’d been doing wrong was spending way too much time exercising inefficiently. Whether I can make it to the gym or I’m working out from home, most of my sessions are less than 35 minutes. And I’m still seeing great results — proving that it’s not about how much time you spend, but how you use that time.
Here are 3 ways you can stay efficient with your workouts:
PLAN AHEAD: Know what you’re going to do before you start. Create a note on your phone with the exercises you plan to do. This will help you stay on track and not waste time figuring out what to do next. If you’re a morning workout person, lay everything out that you’ll need the night before. I set out my clothes, shoes, water, lifting gloves, etc. That way I’m not wasting precious time trying to get out the door. If you’re working out at a gym you’re unfamiliar with, you might want to drop in sometime in advance to scope out the layout and learn where all the equipment is.
SUPERSET: Very often when I lift weights, I do things in supersets — this means you do 2 exercises back-to-back to decrease downtime. So if I’m doing chest and triceps, I’ll go back and forth between 1 exercise for chest and 1 for triceps for 3-4 rounds. It helps to keep things moving, while each muscle group gets a break.
DO CARDIO AT HOME: What always kept me at the gym too long was trying to cram cardio and strength training into one trip. You can get a great cardio workout by going for a run around your neighborhood or a walk with your family. It doesn’t have to be an extra hour spent on the treadmill alone.
