Exercise: Something is Better Than Nothing

Fitting workouts in throughout a week can sometimes be very difficult. I would love to do five, one-hour workouts without any interruptions each week, but it’s not always feasible. Busy schedules, kids, and other responsibilities take priority; I’m sure you can relate. A motto that I’ve come to live by in my fitness journey is: something is better than nothing.

What does this motto mean?

Regardless if the day allows for me to have that uninterrupted workout or not, I still make it a point to do Regardless of the day, I still make it a point to do something physical. Not every day will I be able to get that uninterrupted workout in. I used to get down on myself when I couldn’t find time to fit a workout in. But my mindset changed when I started reminding myself that something is better than nothing. Now, I’m able to stay focused on my fitness goals and routines even with a busy schedule.

Why I use this motto

We have all heard people say, Well, if it’s important enough to you, you need to make time for it. I agree with that mindset to a point. With having a young family, my time gets allocated in ways I didn’t plan sometimes. I chose to be present as much as possible with my children. Other responsibilities take precedence as well. So, there is some compromise that takes place, but that is okay. Instead of not doing anything, I do something.

How I use this motto

Each day I outline whether I plan to work on the lower body or the upper body. A rough schedule is a good idea if you don’t already have one. I alternate between the two types of days. For example, Monday is lower body, Tuesday is upper body, and so forth. I also try to fit in a couple cardio sessions in through the week as well.

There’re some mornings that I’m able to sneak away to the gym in my basement. Over time, Abby and I have invested in a home gym. You can read about my recommended home gym equipment here. But let’s talk about those days that I don’t get that morning workout in.

I already have my type of day scheduled at this point. Whether I’m focusing on the upper or lower body. Throughout my day, I find little moments to take part in some type of exercise or stretch. A great example is for upper body days; every hour on the hour I drop down, and I do pushups. After a couple weeks, I increase the number of pushups per set and/or change the pushup variation. This is where the motto something is better than nothing shines. Throughout my day, I’m able to squeeze in around 300 pushups. I went from not working out at all to doing around 300 pushups. That is pretty awesome. Even if it was 50 pushups for the day, something is better than nothing. You can then build upon that number!

Now let’s say you do 3 upper body workouts a week and you are able to do 50 pushups a day. That would be 150 pushups a week, 600 a month, and 7200 pushups a year. That is impressive, don’t you think? Your small, consistent choices turn into behaviors that become habits. From those habits, you will see results. It may take time, but stick to it! The above diagram is from one of my favorite books, The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy. It shows three different outcomes someone could have after 27 months. The person who doesn’t make healthy choices results in missed goals. The second outcome shows someone that stayed the same. That person didn’t get any better but didn’t get any worse. Which isn’t always an awful thing. The third and final outcome is the person who developed great habits. Habits that produced healthy choices, which led the individual to reach their goals.
Choose to do something each day to help you reach your goals. I ended up writing an entire blog post about The Compound Effect here. I recommend you check it out.

Who is this motto for?

This motto is for anyone who doesn’t think they can squeeze a workout in due to life schedules. Find small moments throughout the day to do something. Enough of those moments compounded together will help nudge you towards your goals.

Practical ways to fit that something in:

• Stepping away from work to quickly go on a 15-minute walk.
• Doing something every hour on the hour. Example: pushups, squats, calf raises, etc.
• Incorporate activities with kids. Example: Play tag; bring kids on a walk or bike ride.
• Incorporate activities with your spouse. Example: Taking turns running a quarter mile.
• Find someone that has similar goals as you in order to keep yourself accountable.