We’ve all been there. You start with the best of intentions. You’ll work out every day. For at least an hour. You’ll combine cardio with resistance training for the best results. Then, slowly, every day becomes three days per week (if that), the only strength training that seems to be happening is lifting groceries and kids, and an hour – who has that kind of time?

It’s okay. Nobody can be perfect all the time and aiming for perfection leads to feelings of failure when you don’t measure up. So, here are three ways to address the reasons you may not be working out and how to fit realistic fitness into everyday life.

1. I’m too tired to exercise.

If you’re waiting until the evening to squeeze in your workout time, it’s probably going to take a backseat to household chores, spending time with and shuttling the kids, paying bills, and eating dinner. By the time it’s time for you, it’s time for bed!

There are two courses of action you can take. You can get up earlier or you can start planning to work out before you’ve settled in for the evening. The most important thing to keep in mind is consistency. If you know you’re not a morning person, finding a gym on your way home, or planning to pack a pair of workout clothes for a jog through the park right after work and before the craziness of your night, might be your best option. If you can plan to go to bed a little earlier and maybe give up an hour of late-night television, mornings might be the way for you to go. Either way, adjusting your schedule and seeing exercise as a priority and not something you’ll fit in if you have time can make a world of difference.

Fuel your workout any time of day with the right balance of carbs and protein. An energy bar offers a quick, easy way to grab a bite without weighing you down.

2, I don’t have time to fit in a full workout, so why bother?

Remember, consistency is key, so even if you only have time for 10 minutes, it’s better to work on the habit than worry too much about exhausting yourself for an hour at the gym. In fact, fitting in shorter, high-intensity workouts could give you the results you’re not getting by, say, doing the same moderately-paced cardio workout for an hour.

3. I DO work out consistently, but I’m not seeing results.

First of all, congratulations on finding the time to focus on fitness at all! If you’ve been working out on a regular basis, it could just be that your body has adjusted to your routine and it’s not being challenged anymore.

If you’re mainly a cardio buff, try adding sprint intervals to your routine. Start slowly. Try 30 seconds at a higher intensity pace than you’re used to, then return to your normal pace for one minute. Repeat until you’ve finished the typical length of your workout. As you gain endurance, increase the time spent at the higher intensity level and reduce the time spent moving at your normal pace. If you never make resistance training part of your workout, try adding two half hour strength sessions per week, focusing on different parts of your body to work on definition and build metabolism-boosting lean muscle.

If you mainly focus on strength workouts, try mixing up your method. If you normally use machines at the gym, try resistance bands or free weights to work the same muscles, but add an element of instability, which makes your body work harder. You can also add weight or more repetitions to push your muscles to their max and spark new results. If weights are all you ever focus on, try taking up a cardio activity that you enjoy to burn more calories.

Focusing on sports nutrition could also help you see better results. Here are some easy changes you can make:

• Before your workout, try an energy supplement that increases mental and physical performance and shortens your body’s recovery time.
• Make sure to hydrate before, during, and after your workout. If you’re at your ideal weight, regular sports drinks are a great option.

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