As many of you who frequent my blog already know, I am HUGE into exercise. It’s a big part of my life, and often I find myself planning things around when I can fit a workout in. My fitness routine is pretty much the same from week to week, and obviously if I’m traveling or if something comes up, then I have to switch it up a little bit, but for the most part, I stick to this schedule pretty well.

I still hear all the time that a huge reason people don’t work out is because they don’t have the time. I get that everyone’s life situations are different, but if it is truly important to you, you will make the time. I know a lot of incredibly busy people. People who work multiple jobs, or have one or multiple children and a million different schedules to keep track of. And guess what, THEY still have time to work out! Not having time is not always a very good excuse. And if you stick to a regular routine, it becomes a lot easier to manage your time around that workout schedule. It’s not like you have to work out for hours every day. Even 20-30 minutes of exercise is better than nothing. You can fit that in pretty easily!

I wanted to share my workout routine with all of you just as an example of how you can mix things up and how you can plan it into your day/week. Just because I do it this way for this long every day, doesn’t mean that’s what you have to do. Maybe you have no desire to work out as long as I do. That’s okay! Maybe you don’t like the types of workouts I do, that’s also okay! It’s just to give you an idea of how I schedule my workouts into my week so that I can still get my exercise, but also have time to have a life as well.

So, starting with Monday! Since Mondays are hard for everyone, I don’t usually get up super early on Monday mornings to work out. I let myself sleep in until about 6:15am and then I get up and I’ll just take the dog for a walk before work. I fit in his exercise, while also allowing myself to wake up and get energized for the day. Typically, our walks are roughly 1.5 miles, so this usually takes 25-30 minutes.

I typically use Mondays for cross-training days, so after work I’ll go to my parent’s house – I stopped going to an actual gym during Covid, but my parents have everything I need, so I typically just go there to workout. I’ll still do at least 30 minutes of cardio, usually the elliptical or the bike, and then I’ll do at least 30 minutes of strength work as well. I mix it up between legs, core, and upper body, and it’s mostly whatever I’m feeling that day. If my legs are sore, I’ll focus on something else. If I haven’t done upper body for a while, I’ll focus on that. I don’t stick to a very strict cycle of what I work, as long as I’m getting some kind of strength training in. By the time I finish my work out and get home, I don’t usually have a lot of time to do anything else other than make and eat supper and take a shower. But that’s okay! I still have time to hang out with Dan before I go to bed, and I plan to do other chores and what not on different days when I know I have more time.

Tuesdays are an early start for me. I get up at 4:30am to meet some friends for a run. We typically run 5 miles, but sometimes we do a shorter loop, or if we are training for something, we’ll go a little longer as well. Typically, if I run at least 5 miles, I feel pretty good about just being done with that, but if we run the shorter loop, I’ll either finish off the 5 miles on my own, or I’ll go home and do 15-20 minutes of yoga, just to make myself feel a little better lol.

Depending on how hot or cold the day is, I will often walk Dobby right after our run as well. I’d take him running with me, but the poor boy has some pretty bad arthritis, so he’s got doctor’s orders to keep those runs to a minimum. Sometimes, I will wait to walk him until after work instead. Then, I’m able to take a little cat nap after our run in the morning, and then I’ll just walk him first thing after work. Regardless, my Tuesday evenings are usually wide open and I use this time to meet with friends, get chores done, or really do whatever I want.

Wednesdays, I sleep in until 6:15am again and walk Dobby before work. Our Watertown Area Run Club meets twice a week, and Wednesday evenings at 5:30pm is one of those times. We typically get 5 miles in during this run as well, and then I’m free to use the rest of my evening to do as I please. See the pattern here? I’ve still got plenty of time to have a life outside of my workout schedule! 😉

Thursdays are a repeat of Tuesdays. I get up at 4:30am, run five miles, and walk the dog. And my evenings are totally wide open!

Fridays, I also use as cross-training days – just like Mondays. I sleep in until 6:15am and walk the dog before work, and then I’ll do at least 30 minutes of cardio, and at least 30 minutes of strength. I don’t have as much free time on Friday evenings either, but it’s also Friday, and I’m not as worried about it. 😊

Saturdays are rest days!!! I’m not a total psycho who just go, go, goes all the time. 😉 Although, I do make sure I still walk the dog, and I’ll usually take 30-45 minutes to do a lot of stretching. It’s a nice, easy recovery day, but I’m also not doing NOTHING. I think I’d go crazy if I did nothing.

Sundays, run club meets at 7am, and I’ll get at least 5 miles in. Sundays are a good day to get some extra miles in, and I usually take advantage of that. Depending on what/if I’m training for something, or what I’m feeling, I’ll get anywhere between 5-9 miles in most Sundays. Then I’ll walk the dog right after, and the rest of my day I’m free as a bird.

Now, I know this isn’t going to be my routine forever. Especially with Dan and I getting married next year, and hopefully starting a family not long after that, I know my daily routine is going to change. I may not be able to work out as long as I do now, and that’s okay. My routine may change quite a bit, and I may have to start getting up at 4:30am EVERY day – pray for me! But exercise is important to me, and it’s one thing I’m not willing to give up on. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Keep that in mind next time you say you don’t have time to work out. Everyone has 24 hours in a day. It’s up to you, how you spend them.

Until next time! 🙂

Megan Reiffenberger