How to Fit in Working Out When You Are Already Doing It All
If you ask anyone in my life — I’ve always been active. I even worked out through both of my pregnancies, often 4–5 days a week. I wasn’t perfect, but movement was integral to my lifestyle.
Except… it wasn’t structured.
I’d do Peloton workouts sometimes, hit the gym other days, bike here and there, run sporadically, boxed for a while. It was random. Fun? Yes. Progressive? No.
And every time I got “in season” with weddings — where days stretch longer and energy feels like a luxury — I struggled to fit in workouts at all.
I’d tell myself, I’ll squeeze it in when I can.
But it rarely panned out that way.
When Priorities Shifted
When James left collegiate coaching and started building his personal training business, my youngest daughter was 2. And I really wanted to get back in good shape.
But here’s the thing:
I’m juggling a lot.
I have:
- Two kids
- Four dogs
- Both of my husband and I are working full time
- AND my 100-year-old grandmother lives with me.
I realized something needed to change.
Instead of working out being something I’d fit in if I had time, it became my #1 priority of the day.
If I did nothing else that day — I was going to the gym.
My goal became simple:
I was going to become the kind of person who didn’t miss workouts.
And that shift changed everything.
Where the Idea Really Comes From
I can’t pretend this idea came from nowhere. A lot of what you are about to read is inspired by Atomic Habits by James Clear — especially the idea that you become the kind of person who does what you want to do.
“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.”
So I started small.
In the first year, my only goal was this:
Show up. Every day. Do the workout. Build the habit.
A Mindset Shift That Helped
Another big shift was how I thought about fitness in relation to my work.
As a self-employed photographer, I fully control my schedule. Yet I had this perception that a “real full-time photographer” had to be in their office for eight hours a day — and that workouts belonged outside of “worktime.”
With little kids? That never worked.
So I flipped it.
Instead of fitting workouts in, I made fitness a necessary part of my workday.
This makes sense for the kind of work I do. As an adventure wedding photographer, I hike, paddle, and climb with clients on wedding days. Being fit doesn’t just help my health — it helps my business. Ultimately this wasn’t about finding more time. It was about deciding what deserved the time I already had.
What My Day Looks Like
So here’s what works for me now:
On days I’m not shooting I get up around 5:45am and pack kids lunch, make breakfast, feed and walk dogs, put dinner in the crockpot and take the kids to school.
From 9:50–2:50, I focus on work and knock through my to-dos. I batch tasks, remove distractions, and honestly get a TON done.
At 2:50, my phone alarm chimes: “Go to the gym.”
I aim to be there from 3:30–4:45. I live about 15 minutes away from the gym, but I need a buffer to get dressed, putter and get out the door.
Then I pick up my youngest at 5, my oldest at 5:20, and the rest of the evening is family time — totally off the clock.
Tips for Fitting It In (Even If You’re Busy)
What works for me won’t be exactly right for everyone — but consistency matters more than perfection.
1. Find your consistent time
Some people thrive in the early mornings. Others, like me, do better later in the day.
Because of kids and dogs, I don’t get uninterrupted sleep. There’s no way I’d wake up at 5 a.m. and be useful to anyone. And by 8 p.m., I’m ready for bed with my book.
You need a time you can stick with — 85% of the time. For me, that’s 3:30pm. For you, it might look different.
2. Plan for “in season” chaos
When I have a sunrise + sunset elopement — long travel, long shooting — I might miss my 3:30 gym time.
On those days? I work out whenever I can. Sometimes it IS at 5am because I can swing that once in a blue moon. Sometimes it’s in between shoots. And sometimes it’s on a Saturday even though I don’t normally workout on Saturdays because I’m trying to stay consistent.
I try as much as I can not to miss a workout unless I absolutely have to, but often on really tired days I’m just going for a “completion grade” — a term James uses for just completing the session, not chasing a PR.
If I can’t access a gym, I’ll go for a run or do a long yoga/mobility session.
That consistency — showing up whether it’s perfect or not — is the secret.
3. Avoid the all-or-nothing trap
If I don’t have time to do a full workout, doing something is better than doing nothing.
And if I have to miss a workout — say I have a long drive and a long shoot and it truly isn’t possible — I follow another idea from Atomic Habits:
“Missing once is an accident. Missing twice is the start of a new habit.” So I make sure I never miss twice.
4. Build the habit by making it predictable
For both James and me, working out five days a week feels easier than 3 or 4. That’s because every weekday, we just do it. Motivation isn’t involved — the habit runs on routine.
“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
This idea is also from James Clear — and it’s so true.
What Happens When You Commit
Once I made fitness a priority — even though I lost hours in the office — my brain felt sharper. I got just as much (if not more) done.
There’s real research showing that our brains can only focus deeply for a limited time before performance drops. My workday ended up being about five focused hours, plus extra on weekends when I’m in season.
And here’s the honest truth:
I’ve built a multi-six-figure business with this structure.
A Gentle Encouragement
I know many of you are already doing so much. You’re busy, pulled in a million directions, and the idea of adding “one more thing” feels overwhelming.
But here’s what I’ve found:
When you make fitness a priority your energy improves, your focus sharpens, and you actually get more out of your day.
And you don’t have to figure it all out alone.
If you’re looking for strength programming that fits into a busy life, check out our Fit to Create Strength Program. Our strength program is built for people who are already doing a lot — and want a system that doesn’t rely on motivation.
