With work, school and a social life, my schedule can get busy really fast. In order to make sure that I can work out, I have to work it into my daily schedule. As of now, this is my daily fitness breakdown:

Walk to the Gym/Work (3.0 miles)

While I do drive into the city, I do like to walk to my gym and then to my office. It’s time that sets me up for the day and allows me to listen to my podcasts. It is also a great source of low intensity cardio. I have the added bonus of walking through Boston Commons and enjoying nature while listening to the NYT’s The Daily, Lovvett or Leave it, FiveThirtyEight, Planet Money, Better as Friends, and Vox’s Worldly.

Need more incentive to walk to work? According to a study by health economists at the University of East Anglia (EAU) and the Center for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), “the longer people spend commuting in cars, the worse their psychological well-being. And correspondingly, people feel better when they have a longer walk to work.” Kathleen Elkins, of Business Insider, theorizes that increases in psychological well-being may be due to increased feelings of control over their schedule as walkers are less likely to be affected by traffic patterns than those who drive or take public transportation.

Gym Session

The morning sweat is where it is at, my friends! There is nothing like listening to old school hip hop and watching an episode of your favorite television show while on the elliptical or doing an arm and back workout. You get a boost in mood from endorphins, a good feeling that you are prioritizing your health, and a positive accomplishment all before 9:00 am!

As added incentive to make me want to go to the gym, I have gym shows or shows that I can only watch while doing cardio at the gym. The shows help distract me from the exercise and also help me catch up on shows that I may be too busy to watch normally. Right now, my current obsession is The Wire and it is great for elliptical viewing!

TIP: When looking for a gym, try to find one that is on your way to work. That has helped me so much! My gym is located at mile two of my three mile walk to work and then the remaining mile is my cool down!

Walk/Run at Lunch (With Coworkers!)

When you are sitting at your desk all day, it is nice to break up your work day with a planned walk or run. It will help you to clear your head and keep you fresh for the later half of your day.

Because some days can get a bit busy, I have a reminder set at 11:30 to remind me to think of the best time for a walk/run and to invite coworkers along with me. This is a great way to get to know your boss and coworkers on a more personal level and makes work communication a lot better.

Walk to the Train Station After Work (3 miles)

Just like a morning walk can help you get ready for the day, a post-work walk can help you decompress from the day and give you a chance to zone out to music or catch up with some old friends who may live far away.

Late Night Yoga

With long days at work and mentally draining late night study sessions, I often like to pull up a yoga or guided mediation video at night just to relax my brain and body. Two great yoga youtube channels to check out are: Shona Vertue and Yoga with Adrienne.

While this is my daily exercise routine during the week, I also do supplemental workouts during the week and weekend. If you are living near Boston, MA and are looking for some supplemental workouts, check out the programs and studios below:

1. Seaport Sweat, a program offering free fitness classes Mondays-Fridays from May 29th-October 12, 2018. More information can be found here.
2. Cycling Studios: Sweat Cycling Studio, SoulCycle, Rev’d, and Vital Cycle. Sweat has studios in Danvers and Wakefield. SoulCycle has five locations in MA including Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Chestnut Hill, Dedham, and Seaport. Rev’d has studios in Foxborough, Dedham, and Burlington. Vital Cycle’s studio is in Saugus.
3. Running Clubs: Running clubs are a great way to make friends and get your sweat on. I am a member of the Melrose Running Club and I could not love it more! It has given me friends and a healthy community to encourage me and push me to be my best self.