If you’re always busy and always in the run, it might be difficult to follow a weight loss plan. Larry Quinn, director of the Agriculture Department's Office of Communications, says when it comes to exercise, you need to work it into your schedule, just as you do everything else in your life. Don’t leave things to chance or you might find yourself skipping workouts or eating out too frequently because you didn’t plan things out well.
Step 1
Write down your obligations. Include the hours you are at work, time spent picking up your kids from school and the 60-minute weekly trip to the Laundromat. Anything you can’t avoid doing should go on this schedule.
Step 2
Figure out any open space you have in your schedule and write it down. This can be your 20-minute lunch break, the 30 minutes in the morning before you go to work or the two hours between coming home from work and eating dinner. If you don’t work on weekends, those can be considered open spaces as well. Optional activities, such as lunch with friends or watching a favorite TV show, should also go on this list.
Step 3
Decide how often you’re going to work out and include it in your “obligations” list. Take advantage of all your breaks. Plan a 20-minute walk during lunchtime. If you have 10 minutes between activities, plan on jumping rope or doing jumping jacks. If you don’t want to give up your favorite TV show, get a treadmill and walk or run while watching. Or do crunches during commercial breaks.
Step 4
Research food options. If you’re outside your home most of the day, research the restaurants near your work or destination to find out which one offers low-calorie, healthy fare. If nothing’s available or you need to save money, bring your own food along.
Step 5
Use one of the open spaces in your schedule to prepare healthy meals in larger quantities and freeze them if appropriate. Whether that’s soup, salads or whole wheat pasta with vegetables, simply bring a portion along when it’s time to go somewhere.
Step 6
Set fixed times for your meals. You’re less likely to skip meals or forget to eat if you put it in your schedule. Plan for three large meals and two snacks a day. Give yourself a bit of breathing space when timing your meals. For example, plan to have lunch between noon and 1 p.m. every day. That way you can account for getting stuck in traffic or at work.
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