Real Talk: How to Stay Consistent with Fitness as a Busy Woman

This blog explores practical, real-world tips for staying consistent with fitness as a busy woman. Whether you're managing a career, family, or both, you’ll learn how to make fitness part of your routine without adding pressure. Backed by research and expert tips, this guide offers small, smart changes that lead to long-term progress.

You’re Busy. So Let’s Be Honest About Fitness

You’ve got a million things going on—meetings, kids, deadlines, maybe all three in a single day. So, if the thought of fitting in a workout feels like adding another task to your overflowing plate, you’re not alone.

But fitness doesn’t need to mean hour-long workouts or fancy gym sessions. It can start with 10 minutes. The key is consistency, not perfection.

Why You Feel Stuck

It’s not laziness. It’s usually:

• Overwhelm — too many options or trying to do too much at once.

• Unrealistic goals — thinking you need to work out 5-6 times a week or it doesn’t count.

• Guilt — skipping one session and feeling like you’ve failed.

Let’s reframe that.

Start Where You Are, Not Where You “Should” Be

Instead of waiting for more time, try this:

• Break workouts into smaller chunks. 10 minutes in the morning, 10 in the evening.

• Choose movement over exercise. A walk while on a call or stretches between tasks.

• Make it part of your environment. Keep dumbbells near your desk. Stretch while dinner’s cooking.

Example:

Priya, a mom of two and full-time editor, started doing 15-minute mobility routines while her kids napped. That was enough to help her back pain and build the habit.

Make It Fit You — Not the Other Way Around

Your schedule is already full. So fit fitness into what’s already happening:

Situation	Fitness Habit That Fits
Office job	Standing desk, walking during calls
Stay-at-home mom	Dance breaks with kids, stroller walks
Long commute	Audio workouts, posture stretches
Work-from-home life	5-min workouts between meetings

Your Energy is Valuable. Use It Wisely

As women, we often give our best energy to everything else — work, family, errands — and leave ourselves for last. Fitness shouldn’t drain you. It should fuel you.

Start with low-impact, energizing workouts:

• Walking

• Strength training with light weights

• Mobility work

• Yoga

• Pilates

These won’t spike cortisol or leave you exhausted — especially helpful if you’re already running on stress.

Real Consistency > Perfect Consistency

You don’t need to work out 6 days a week. You need to come back to it — even after missing a few days. That’s real consistency.

Set up systems that support you:

• Schedule it like a meeting — and protect that time.

• Lay your workout clothes out the night before.

• Find accountability — a friend, a coach, or a supportive community.

It’s Okay to Ask for Support

Consistency often comes when you're not doing it alone.

A coach or community can:

• Keep you focused

• Adjust plans when life gets busy

• Remind you of your "why"

According to a 2023 report from the American Council on Exercise, women with an accountability partner are 65% more likely to stick with a workout plan. (Source: ACE Fitness, 2023)

What Experts Say

“Habit stacking works really well for women with packed schedules,” says Dr. Stacey Sims, exercise physiologist. “If you already brush your teeth at 7 am, tag a 5-minute core routine right after.”

Even Harvard Health supports the idea that short bursts of activity throughout the day can add up to big health benefits. (Source: Harvard Health Publishing)

Your Fitness Can Look Different

You don’t need to do what influencers on Instagram are doing.

Fitness can look like:

• Walking your dog in the morning

• Taking the stairs instead of the elevator

• Playing outside with your kids

• Doing 5 pushups before your shower

It counts. It all counts.

Don’t Wait for the “Right” Time

There won’t be a perfect day when your calendar clears up, the dishes are done, and you magically have 45 minutes free. Start now. Start messy.

Because when you build the habit now — in real life, with real stress — it sticks.

Quick Checklist: How to Stay Consistent

Choose workouts that match your energy, not just your goals

• Schedule short, doable sessions — even 10 minutes

• Use tools you already have (your body, a chair, water bottles)

• Don’t skip two days in a row Celebrate tiny wins — they matter

Let’s Make Fitness Less About Pressure, More About You

If you’re tired of starting over, overwhelmed by all the “shoulds,” and just want a plan that fits your life — that’s where Strong with Sherni comes in.

Start simple. Start now. And if you need help? Check out personalized fitness plans at StrongWithSherni.com — built for real women with real lives.

References:

• American Council on Exercise: https://www.acefitness.org

• Harvard Health Publishing: https://www.health.harvard.edu

• Dr. Stacy Sims, PhD: https://www.drstacysims.com