Sometimes the toughest aspect of adjusting to a healthier lifestyle is simply finding the time. Between your social life, career endeavors and family matters it is hard to carve out time for yourself, but that is exactly what you need to do if you hope to lose weight. Even after getting a weight loss surgery like Lap Band surgery in Jacksonville, you are going to need to devote time from your busy life to cook healthy meals, manage stress efficiently and yes, work out.

One of the best pieces of advice as you start adjusting to this new and healthier lifestyle is to make a solid schedule. When you plan out your workouts in advance it is a lot easier to know where you need to be and when you need to be there. Open-ended ideas about fitness, like the thought of “I’ll workout at some point this afternoon,” can quickly fall to the wayside. Before you know it, the afternoon is spent running errands and making phone calls—tasks that might be mentally exhausting, but are not going to give you the physical workout you need to reach your weight loss goal.

Plan Ahead for Weight Loss

There are several benefits that come with planning fitness ahead of time. When you add your workout to your daily schedule you are making a commitment that you are more likely to keep. This can help you think of your workout in the same way you look at business appointments and social get-togethers. You aren’t going to stand up your friends without any notice, and you certainly aren’t going to skip a business appointment just because you are feeling tired. Treat yourself with the same respect you give others by marking your workouts down on your calendar and staying true to your commitments.

Another benefit to scheduling workouts ahead of time is that you can schedule in more variety that way. If you are always trying to fit in a workout at the last minute you are bound to find yourself stuck on the treadmill or doing yet another exercise DVD at home, but if you plan ahead of time you can invite friends to join you and make the most of the experience. Try playing basketball on Mondays, soccer on Wednesdays and going for a swim on Saturdays. Fun activities like this will help you stay interested in fitness.

What is on your workout schedule? Share your tips and experiences in a comment below!