Cecilia made it work and here’s how she did it.
The first thing I’m going to say is that it’s not easy but it’s possible.
Making time for the gym as a working parent can be extremely challenging—not only because of a lack of time, but also because of a lack of energy and motivation.
To answer this question, I thought it would be more helpful to look at a real example of someone who has been through it and successfully built a stable exercise routine while getting the results she wanted.
Meet Cecilia.
She’s a 45-year-old working mother of two. She’s an accountant by day and a mother for the rest of her waking hours.
Since starting four months ago, she’s lost her first 6 pounds of body fat, gained strength, and most importantly, made going to the gym a stable habit in her busy life.
Throughout this article, we’ll look at what worked for her, why it worked, and how you can apply those same principles to your own reality.
Start Where You Are
One of the first things Cecilia realized was that she needed to start small.
When she first came to us, she was very honest: training three or four times per week simply wasn’t realistic for her at this point in her life.
On good weeks, she could make it to the gym twice. On more chaotic weeks, once was all she could manage.
What she did right was maintaining a consistent training frequency, even if it was low.
She was tired. She wasn’t always motivated. Life got in the way (almost everytime).
But she kept showing up at least once per week and that’s what got her to where she’s at now.
Over time, those workouts led to small victories. She felt a little stronger. She had more energy. She started seeing progress and to lose the weight she wanted to shed.
Eventually, that momentum allowed her to increase her frequency to a consistent two sessions per week.
Would four workouts have been better on paper? Of course.
But they weren’t realistic for her situation and reaching for that would have ruined her chances or succeeding.
The most important thing you can do if you’re in a similar position is to choose a training frequency that fits your life and commit to it. Start with one or two sessions per week and increase it later when your schedule, energy levels and motivation allow it.
Time for Yourself Is Important Too
At first, Cecilia saw time away from her family as less important than everything else on her plate.
After all, why would she prioritize time at the gym when her family, children, and work responsibilities all needed her attention?
But after a few weeks, she started realizing something important.
Taking time for herself wasn’t taking away from the people around her.
It was helping her show up better for them.
Thanks to her recurrent gym habit, she had more energy, more confidence, and felt more in control of her schedule and responsibilities.
Many people in situations similar to Cecilia’s come to the same realization.
Time for yourself is just as important as time spent taking care of the people around you.
Going to the gym will help you feel sharper, stronger, and more capable of handling the demands and challenges of everyday life.
When you start training consistently, your mood improves, your energy improves and chronic aches and pains become easier to manage.
In many ways, investing one to two hours per week in your health can make every other hour of your week better.
Planning Is Key
The biggest challenge Cecilia faced was time and with reasons.
She had to get her kids to school, go to work, come home, prepare dinner, and help with homework.
At first, finding time to drive to the studio, train for an hour, and drive back home felt almost impossible.
But she made a few adjustments that made it possible.
She started using her remote-work Fridays to schedule one of her sessions with her coach. Later, she extended her lunch break on Tuesdays so she could come train twice a week.
With the help of her coach, she found recurring time slots that fit her schedule.
That made everything easier for her and she told us that she didn’t think it was possible before she’d done it for two or three weeks in a row.
She knew exactly when she was training every week, and she didn’t have to constantly figure out where the workouts would fit.
All she had to do was show up and her coach would have everything prepared for her.
Planning is what protects you from chaos.
If you’re trying to fit exercise into a busy schedule, treat your workouts like important appointments. Put them in your calendar. Make them recurring whenever possible and show up.
The less decision-making required, the more likely you are to stay consistent.
What You’re Doing Is Already Impressive
Being a working parent is already a full-time responsibility.
Trying to fit exercise into your schedule on top of that (whether your goal is weight loss, building strength, or managing pain) is no small task.
That’s something worth recognizing.
Cecilia often described the process as feeling “almost impossible” when she started.
Today, she’s proud to say she’s a full-time working mom who consistently makes time for the gym.
The hardest step is always getting started.
That’s why it’s important to make the process as easy as possible.
Her coach played a big role in this by helping her stay focused on her progress and reminding her of what she was accomplishing, even when she couldn’t see it herself.
As the weeks went by, Cecilia became more confident.
She saw that she was capable of staying consistent.
She saw results.
And little by little, exercise stopped feeling like another obligation and started becoming a habit.
And that’s what we wish you too. Just know that it’s possible even if it feels extremely demanding. And if you need help with it, let us know here.
