There’s More to Creating a Fitness Plan Than People Realize
In the hustle and bustle of modern life, most people in the U.S. already feel maxed out. Time, energy, and money are limited resources, and many are juggling them just to get through the day. So, when someone decides they’re fed up with their fitness and wants to take on a new workout plan, it’s not as simple as lacing up sneakers and hitting the gym.
A successful fitness plan requires you to think critically about where these three resources—time, energy, and money—will come from.
1. Time
If you’re not currently working out but want to start, the first question to ask yourself is: Where will this time come from?
Time is a zero-sum game. If you’re adding something new to your schedule, something else has to give. Are you willing to sacrifice TV time, scrolling on social media, or even an extra 30 minutes of sleep? It’s not just about finding time but consciously deciding what you’re willing to trade for it.
2. Energy
Working out doesn’t just take time—it also takes energy. If you’re already feeling drained at the end of the day, it’s important to evaluate where your energy is currently going. Ask yourself:
• What am I doing now that drains my energy?
• Can I minimize or eliminate activities that leave me feeling depleted?
Alternatively, consider ways to boost your energy reserves. This might mean prioritizing better sleep, improving your nutrition, or managing stress more effectively. Sometimes, it’s not about cutting things out but about adding habits that energize you for the new commitment.
3. Money
While some fitness activities are free, many come with a cost—gym memberships, fitness classes, equipment, or even the gas to drive to a park. If you’re on a tight budget, you’ll need to figure out where the funds will come from.
Are you willing to reallocate money from other areas, such as dining out or entertainment? Or could you find creative ways to work out for free, like using bodyweight exercises at home or running outdoors?
A Personal Example: Prioritizing Time With My Daughter
This idea of balancing resources applies to all aspects of life, not just fitness. For instance, I’ve recently decided I want to spend more quality time with my seven-year-old daughter. I want to create core memories with her, but to do so, I’ve had to carefully consider how to free up time, energy, and money.
• Time: I’ve realized that I need to cut back on mindless scrolling or other low-value activities to make space for meaningful experiences with her.
• Energy: To have the energy to be present and engaged, I’ve started going to bed earlier, eating healthier, and planning my days better to reduce stress.
• Money: While some activities we enjoy are free, others—like trampoline parks or roller-skating rinks—come with a price tag. I’ve had to reallocate funds, cut back in other areas, or dip into savings to make these experiences possible.
The Takeaway
Whether it’s fitness, family, or any new goal, success starts with a plan. And a good plan requires understanding that time, energy, and money are finite resources. It’s not enough to set a goal—you need to figure out what you’re willing to sacrifice or change to make it happen.
So before jumping into your next big endeavor, take a moment to evaluate your resources. Ask yourself:
• What am I willing to trade to make this work?
• How can I optimize my time, energy, and money to align with my goals?
The answers to these questions might just be the key to creating a sustainable, successful plan—whether it’s for fitness, family, or anything else that matters most to you.
There’s More to Creating a Fitness Plan Than People Realize
In the hustle and bustle of modern life, most people in the U.S. already feel maxed out. Time, energy, and money are limited resources, and many are juggling them just to get through the day. So, when someone decides they’re fed up with their fitness and wants to take on a new workout plan, it’s not as simple as lacing up sneakers and hitting the gym.
A successful fitness plan requires you to think critically about where these three resources—time, energy, and money—will come from.
1. Time
If you’re not currently working out but want to start, the first question to ask yourself is: Where will this time come from?
Time is a zero-sum game. If you’re adding something new to your schedule, something else has to give. Are you willing to sacrifice TV time, scrolling on social media, or even an extra 30 minutes of sleep? It’s not just about finding time but consciously deciding what you’re willing to trade for it.
2. Energy
Working out doesn’t just take time—it also takes energy. If you’re already feeling drained at the end of the day, it’s important to evaluate where your energy is currently going. Ask yourself:
• What am I doing now that drains my energy?
• Can I minimize or eliminate activities that leave me feeling depleted?
Alternatively, consider ways to boost your energy reserves. This might mean prioritizing better sleep, improving your nutrition, or managing stress more effectively. Sometimes, it’s not about cutting things out but about adding habits that energize you for the new commitment.
3. Money
While some fitness activities are free, many come with a cost—gym memberships, fitness classes, equipment, or even the gas to drive to a park. If you’re on a tight budget, you’ll need to figure out where the funds will come from.
Are you willing to reallocate money from other areas, such as dining out or entertainment? Or could you find creative ways to work out for free, like using bodyweight exercises at home or running outdoors?
A Personal Example: Prioritizing Time With My Daughter
This idea of balancing resources applies to all aspects of life, not just fitness. For instance, I’ve recently decided I want to spend more quality time with my seven-year-old daughter. I want to create core memories with her, but to do so, I’ve had to carefully consider how to free up time, energy, and money.
• Time: I’ve realized that I need to cut back on mindless scrolling or other low-value activities to make space for meaningful experiences with her.
• Energy: To have the energy to be present and engaged, I’ve started going to bed earlier, eating healthier, and planning my days better to reduce stress.
• Money: While some activities we enjoy are free, others—like trampoline parks or roller-skating rinks—come with a price tag. I’ve had to reallocate funds, cut back in other areas, or dip into savings to make these experiences possible.
The Takeaway
Whether it’s fitness, family, or any new goal, success starts with a plan. And a good plan requires understanding that time, energy, and money are finite resources. It’s not enough to set a goal—you need to figure out what you’re willing to sacrifice or change to make it happen.
So before jumping into your next big endeavor, take a moment to evaluate your resources. Ask yourself:
• What am I willing to trade to make this work?
• How can I optimize my time, energy, and money to align with my goals?
The answers to these questions might just be the key to creating a sustainable, successful plan—whether it’s for fitness, family, or anything else that matters most to you.
There’s More to Creating a Fitness Plan Than People Realize
In the hustle and bustle of modern life, most people in the U.S. already feel maxed out. Time, energy, and money are limited resources, and many are juggling them just to get through the day. So, when someone decides they’re fed up with their fitness and wants to take on a new workout plan, it’s not as simple as lacing up sneakers and hitting the gym.
A successful fitness plan requires you to think critically about where these three resources—time, energy, and money—will come from.
1. Time
If you’re not currently working out but want to start, the first question to ask yourself is: Where will this time come from?
Time is a zero-sum game. If you’re adding something new to your schedule, something else has to give. Are you willing to sacrifice TV time, scrolling on social media, or even an extra 30 minutes of sleep? It’s not just about finding time but consciously deciding what you’re willing to trade for it.
2. Energy
Working out doesn’t just take time—it also takes energy. If you’re already feeling drained at the end of the day, it’s important to evaluate where your energy is currently going. Ask yourself:
• What am I doing now that drains my energy?
• Can I minimize or eliminate activities that leave me feeling depleted?
Alternatively, consider ways to boost your energy reserves. This might mean prioritizing better sleep, improving your nutrition, or managing stress more effectively. Sometimes, it’s not about cutting things out but about adding habits that energize you for the new commitment.
3. Money
While some fitness activities are free, many come with a cost—gym memberships, fitness classes, equipment, or even the gas to drive to a park. If you’re on a tight budget, you’ll need to figure out where the funds will come from.
Are you willing to reallocate money from other areas, such as dining out or entertainment? Or could you find creative ways to work out for free, like using bodyweight exercises at home or running outdoors?
A Personal Example: Prioritizing Time With My Daughter
This idea of balancing resources applies to all aspects of life, not just fitness. For instance, I’ve recently decided I want to spend more quality time with my seven-year-old daughter. I want to create core memories with her, but to do so, I’ve had to carefully consider how to free up time, energy, and money.
• Time: I’ve realized that I need to cut back on mindless scrolling or other low-value activities to make space for meaningful experiences with her.
• Energy: To have the energy to be present and engaged, I’ve started going to bed earlier, eating healthier, and planning my days better to reduce stress.
• Money: While some activities we enjoy are free, others—like trampoline parks or roller-skating rinks—come with a price tag. I’ve had to reallocate funds, cut back in other areas, or dip into savings to make these experiences possible.
The Takeaway
Whether it’s fitness, family, or any new goal, success starts with a plan. And a good plan requires understanding that time, energy, and money are finite resources. It’s not enough to set a goal—you need to figure out what you’re willing to sacrifice or change to make it happen.
So before jumping into your next big endeavor, take a moment to evaluate your resources. Ask yourself:
• What am I willing to trade to make this work?
• How can I optimize my time, energy, and money to align with my goals?
The answers to these questions might just be the key to creating a sustainable, successful plan—whether it’s for fitness, family, or anything else that matters most to you.
“I’m so nervous I could cry,” I heard myself tell our six year-old as Tim dropped me off at the designated start line dropoff spot.
As I walked a half mile to the start, I told myself, “This will be hard, but you can do this. You’re committed. Just don’t start out too quickly and make it harder than it already is.
And then what did I do as soon as the race started? Started with a 6 minute and 40 second mile…oops. Race adrenaline made it feel easy, and even though I had purposely stayed 10-15 seconds behind the front pack of experienced ultrarunners, I had made a classic rookie mistake.
“That’s gonna hurt later.” I thought to myself, and followed it up with a slower-yet-still-way-too-fast-for-your-first-ultra 7-minute-paced second mile.
After settling in to a reasonable yet still strong pace, I stayed steady and feeling great for the first 18 miles, even up 4,000 feet of elevation to the top of Mt. Chuckanut.
But what goes up must come down, and the part that’s usually my favorite (running downhill) turned from whee to whoa halfway down the mountain as what felt like an army of fire ants stabbed my quads with each step, leaving me to dig deep for the last 10 or so miles, physically and mentally.
Ultras build grit. I’m so glad I did it. And I’m so glad it’s over. Much respect for people who do these often. Ultras are no joke, yet some people flew by me at the end of their race with huge smiles and kind words to me as I hobbled in. What a cool community.
Although my mom and dad would not consider themselves athletes, my grandma was another story…
She was the best athlete of all the girls AND boys in Surrey, B.C., and her dad, my great grandfather Jeremiah, was so confident that she, the oldest girl of his 14 children, would win the annual Surrey City grade school fitness competition, that he had a big trophy made, and he donated it for the winner. 🏆
The day of the competition came, and my grandma won it out-right, only to have the trophy given the first place boy, who had come in second place to my grandma. 😲
My great-grandpa was furious, but the city people stayed firm on giving it to second place since they were more comfortable giving it to a boy, as they always had. 😡
Even my mom, a 1950’s stay-at-home mom of nine children, says it was “disgusting” that they didn’t reward my grandma for her athletic efforts, simply because she was a girl. 😫
Props to my great-grandpa for supporting his daughter’s athletic efforts, a hundred years ago. 👍
This story reminds me both of how grateful I am to have the opportunities I have as a woman athlete, and of how much more work there is still to be done to support girls and women in sports…
One way to help support women’s sports is to watch them, so the network knows they elicit viewers. Even my old-fashioned 96 year-old dad has come around, saying that “Sue Bird is the best basketball player ever,” male or female, that he has ever seen. This is the same guy who, when I was in junior high and loving soccer, came home one day saying he couldn’t believe how “rough some women were playing soccer at the park,” shaking his head in disapproval. (Good thing he had never seen me play soccer – I was pretty scrappy myself.) 😅
And one way to support girls’ sports is to donate sports bras (if you happen to have a surplus, like I sometimes do) to a local girl’s high school team in a relatively poor neighborhood, since lack of proper attire is a large reason girls stop playing sports, an activity that is likely to keep them on the right track, feeling empowered…
To all the coaches and people who supported this little girl with raw talent and a fiery spirit, thank you. 😊
I have no idea where I would be today without the positive influence of sport in my life. ❤️
