We recently wrote about how working out can be your secret weapon as an entrepreneur. It gives you more energy, stronger focus & decision-making abilities, better ideas, and deeper rest– and that’s just for starters.

But if working out is so great, why aren’t we all doing it? Well, no time, too busy, not enough energy, don’t know where to start, putting it off for later, will start tomorrow, etc… We know it’s hard to fit working out into a crazy busy life. But it is possible. And worthwhile. Living a healthier lifestyle is one that’s built step by step, one smart choice at a time. But if you’re ready to start down that path of a more energized, focused, and productive life – here are our best strategies on how to get started:

First, Find a Nearby Gym

Picking a gym is an important decision. Ask around. Where do your friends go? Try Yelp. You’ll mostly likely be choosing between big chain gyms (Crunch, 24 Hour Fitness, Equinox, etc…) and small independent neighborhood ones. Big chains are pricier and sometimes overwhelming, but they usually have better/more equipment + classes you can take. Ask about promotions or see if you can snag a year long membership on eBay to bring the cost down. One of us fell in love with a small (but just right) and incredibly friendly gym called Aim Fitness in SOMA, San Francisco. Look around until you find the right fit. Ask for a free trial (almost all will agree) and then choose one that’s right for you, ideally as close to your work/home/convenient bus stop as possible.

Or Work Out At Home (Heck, Even At The Office)

If you’re  strapped for time, cash, or just want a different kind of challenge, working out at home or the office can be just as effective. One of us cancelled his gym membership a while ago and just sticks to working out at home (or by a park). Doing bodyweight exercises such as sit-ups, dips, pushups, pull-ups (you can get a doorframe bar for less than 30 bucks), and body weight squats/lunges are more than enough to strength your body while saving time and money. Another great tool you can do on your own, especially with limited time on your hands, is high intensity interval training, which can maximize fat-burning and muscle-building through significantly shorter (though significantly more intense) workouts.

Either Way, Be Prepared & Start Off Simple

Starting out can be intimidating, but don’t worry and just make sure to prepare beforehand. If you’re headed to the gym, come up with a pre-written exercise plan beforehand. Sites like the awesome Gain Fitness can help, too. Also, working with a personal trainer is a great way to stay motivated about working out (if you’re paying $50-150/hour and have someone waiting for you, those are major incentives to get up in the morning) and especially to become comfortable with knowing what exercises to do and how to do them right. Ramit Sethi, cofounder of PBWiki and NYTimes best-selling author, uses a personal trainer to help him reach his goals faster– and he’s not the only one. At the very least, a couple sessions with a personal trainer can help you set up a training plan for your specific goals (and many gym memberships come packaged with a couple sessions, so don’t forget to use them!). Can’t afford a trainer? There are many, many awesome trainers and fitness professionals writing regularly online with a lot you can learn from, from Craig Ballantyne’s Turbulence Training and Steve Kamb’s Nerd Fitness to John Romaniello’s Roman Fitness Systems and Chris’s Zen to Fitness. Dig around and you’ll find many more.

Work Out With a Partner and/or Join a Class

Some people don’t mind working out alone. Others really enjoy the company. But we’ve found having another person to workout with means you’re more likely to stick to your commitments and not back out because you don’t want to let the other person down and/or look like a slacker. Find a friend who’s also interested in becoming more fit– or ask to tag along with someone who is already there. One of us frequently runs and works out with his cofounder. The other works out with his whole startup team at some new activity every Sunday. It helps build friendships, working relationships, and, of course, fitness.

Working out in a group can also keep you motivated and committed to your fitness goals. One great thing about joining, say, a running group, kickboxing class, or TRX program at your gym, is that you don’t have to think about what you’re going to do. You just go there and follow the group/instructor. They also usually meet at set times so it’s easier to build it into your schedule. It’s a great way to bond with your coworkers, sure– and you might just meet a potential hire, customer, or even new friend during the breaks, too.

Find a Time That Really Works For You

This is likely the hardest part. But don’t think about the time you’ll lose. Instead, we like to think of it in terms of how much time there is to gain. Basically, say you can be just 20% more efficient post-exercise. Then, every 3 hours, you gain an extra one. So you get back the hour you work out (40 minutes exercise, 20 minutes transportation & shower) back and then some in productivity and focus. Seriously. Just try it and you’ll see what we mean.

But your schedule’s packed. You barely have time to breathe, let alone work out. Tell us about it. So, we recommend you get creative. Working out first thing in the morning is probably the most ideal. It starts your day off on the right note, helping you feel more energetic, focused, and happy throughout the day. Plus at least you’ll get it out of the way.

Of course, not everyone can bring themselves to wake up earlier (especially if you thrive on late night power-through sessions like us)– so the second best option is often lunchtime. Most employers (if you’re not self-employed) will support you disappearing for an hour 3 times a week– especially if your productivity tangibly rises because of it. Not sure? Ask. It never hurts. And if you jet for 45 minutes for a workout, you’ll still have 15 minutes to snag a sandwich and eat at your desk.

And if lunch time doesn’t work, then evening it is! Most gyms are open late and you can exercise away the day’s worries. Be mindful that it’s typically pretty tough to get the willpower up to go to the gym post-work, especially when you’re tired from a long day, so convince that friend to go with you to keep you honest… or find some other way to hold yourself accountable. No matter what, exercising any time is better than no time. And keeping the timing consistent is key.

An extra hack we like? Set a calendar/email reminder every Sunday to schedule all your workouts for the upcoming week. Then stick to it… it’s like calendar magic.

Don’t Overdo It Early

We’ve seen friends jump into exercise programs with a ton of dedication and set really ambitious goals to work out everyday– and they’ll often fall off the bandwagon after a few weeks (or days). Becoming healthy is a lifestyle choice and one that doesn’t happen over night. It’s better to consistently work out for 30 minutes 2 times a week than to work out for 2 hours everyday and quit a month later. Ease into it a rhythm that you can sustain. Just like learning to code or mastering SEO, it’s not something you can cram into a small period of time.

Add Some Technology

As entrepreneurs living in a tech-driven world, it’s important to mention some of the great tools out there for helping you learn, track and share fitness stuff. DailyBurn is a great for keeping track of fitness and nutrition goals and progress on its site and mobile apps. One of us swears by RunKeeper‘s mobile app to help track run times. Another by his FitBit. Fitocracy, Fitfu, I Move You, & others also seem like fun tools that make it easy to track and share your workouts with others. While technology is not necessary for a healthy life, if it helps you work out more, push yourself, and track your progress, it can be a great addition.

Most Importantly, Be Consistent

Whatever you do to get fit, however you make it work, the key to remember is to commit. Keep doing it. After a while, it’ll stick and begin to make sense. Before you know it, you’ll be someone who can’t work without it. You’ll be exercise’s biggest brand advocate. One commenters on our last article said that he biked 10k for his commute for some time and a month after he stopped he was back to what he had been previously: “nothing gained,” he wrote. The fact is the human body is an amazing thing. It adjusts quickly & readjusts even more quickly. Just as in the world of entrepreneurship, it’s mostly impossible to cheat your way to long-term success. Instead, working out is a lifelong commitment. Stick with your workout routine and we promise you’ll see results as long as you stay with it. Your body will adjust and that those results will improve so many other aspects of your life along the way.

The ultimate hack is finding what you like to do most, be it the elliptical machine, CrossFit, or pick-up basketball. Even samurai sword fighting or pole dancing. Then keep doing it and getting better at it. Keep trying things until you find something that gets you excited enough to go back, then stay open minded for new challenges. Never spend 60 minutes on the exercise bike if that sounds like torture. Torture is bad- and unsustainable, so don’t bother.

There is a lot more to learn. But getting started is easier than expected. And there are so many benefits, it’d be silly not to try. So step away from sitting and staring at that laptop screen to work out. Soon enough, it’ll be a killer life hack you’ll want to share with everyone… just like us.

Already converted? Share what worked for you in the comments!

---

Jason Shen is the cofounder of an early stage tech startup in San Francisco. He’s a former NCAA gymnastics national champion, can do 100 consecutive pushups and helps people make things happen at his blog: The Art of Ass-Kicking. You can reach him at jasonyshen [at] gmail [dot] com or @jasonshen.

Derek Flanzraich is ceo & founder of Greatist, a high-quality health & fitness media startup working to inform and inspire people to make one healthier choice per week. He loves any exercise that’s named after superheroes. You can reach him at derek [dot] flanzraich [at] gmail.com or @thederek.

Want to read other stuff by us? Check out Winning Isn’t Normal by Jason and Build Empires, Not Businesses by Derek.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 28th, 2011 at 9:48 am and is filed under Culture Hacks, Fitness & Nutrition, Leadership & Orgs, Technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.