by Adam Knight

Created on: June 22, 2008   Last Updated: July 04, 2009

Time.

I never seem to have enough of it. And when I finally make it to the gym, I am perpetually in a rush to make certain I get in everything I need to do.

While there is no easy answer to this problem the general solution comes down to a simple, secondary question: How happy are you with the way you feel, and are you willing to make the commitment to better yourself?

It's easy to let your life dictate when you workout. The gym will never become a part of your regular schedule until you manage to take a solid look at your life and make the dedication to adjust it accordingly.

Which sounds a lot more onerous than it really is. Be honest, how much time do you need to give up over the course of a week to start making a positive change? No one's suggesting to suddenly commit 2 hours a day to your workouts from Monday to Friday. But for people just getting started, finding time to get in there 3 times a week is a great start.

What if you don't want to go to the gym? Be it for financial considerations, or to avoid the crowds, or even just to avoid that feeling of awkwardness that comes over you when you first start working out. No problem. You don't need a full Nautilus set up and the complete selection of LifeFitness treadmills and free weights to get your sweat on. All you need is a few minutes a day and a little creativity.

Perhaps you can start walking or riding your bike to and from work or school. That gets your cardio in twice a day without a serious adjustment to your schedule. While at work, take the time to stretch at regular intervals. Not only is this good for your body it's excellent for your mind and will help to keep you fresh and alert over the course of the day.

Done work for the day? Still feel like you've got the juice to work out? Then clear some space in front of your TV set and get all army on your bad self. Boot Camp training groups may be the new thing in today's' fitness empire, but it's just about as old school as you can get. At every commercial break during your favorite program try to do 20 Jumping Jacks, 20 push-ups (on the knees is fine to start), 20 sit-ups or crunches, and 20 walking lunges (10 per leg). During a half hour program you'll go through that circuit 3 times and get a nice burn and sweat going for your full body. Not bad for being at home.

Want something more hardcore? Need actual iron to swell those muscle bellies and increase your endurance? Well that requires a bit more commitment, but you probably already know that. These days most cities possess at least one gym that is open 24 hours a day. If you don't have time to squeeze in your iron addiction during regular business hours, I recommend you go to bed early and set your alarm clock . Few things are more satisfying physically and mentally then a workout in the wee hours of the morning. I know how fantastic I feel if I can get my workout over and done with before I even step into the office. And the clarity in my brain is unbelievable.

But I'm a little crazy. Sometimes you have to be to see radical gains.

If that isn't your cup of tea and you're only looking to keep fit in the time you have available, there are ways to do it without giving up your whole life. Try to stay away from the peak times at the gym when everybody else is there (between 3 and 7 pm in most locations). The less time you have to wait to use the equipment the more you can get done for yourself.

Making time for a workout involves some sacrifice and commitment, but the benefits down the road are worth a little time spent today. See you at the gym!

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