You don't have a lack of time problem. You have a structure problem.
That's the reframe Antonio Pugliese gives every client who tells him they're "too busy" to work out.
And he hears it constantly. He coaches busy professionals -nine-to-fivers, HR managers, people drowning in meetings and deadlines. "I don't have time" is the most common thing they say.
Why He Doesn't Argue
Antonio could push back. He could tell them they're making excuses. But that approach backfires:
"If you don't have the right skill set and you don't have the right tactics, which most people unfortunately don't, it can be a challenge. I definitely had at first, even though I had previous experience in health and fitness, it was definitely a learning curve."
He's been there himself. When he transitioned into the workforce, even with a background in fitness, he struggled to maintain his health. So he doesn't dismiss the challenge.
Instead, he reframes it:
"You don't have a lack of time problem. You either have a structure problem or a time management problem."
The Real Issue
Think about the last week. Where did your time actually go?
Most people can't answer specifically. They know they were busy. They know they were tired. But they can't account for the hours.
That's not a time problem. That's an awareness problem.
Antonio's approach starts with one question: What does your schedule actually look like?
Not what you think it looks like. Not what it feels like. What's literally on your calendar, hour by hour?
"What I'll do is I'll see where they're at first. I want to meet them where they're at to take them where they want to go. So for example, what is your work schedule look like? What are your physical capabilities or limitations?"
Once you see the reality, you can restructure it.
Consistency Over Timing
Here's what surprised Antonio's clients: the specific time doesn't matter.
"What's the best time of day for me to work out? There's really no right answer. It's just the one that you can stay the most consistent to and stick to."
Morning workouts aren't better than evening workouts. 6 AM isn't more virtuous than 8 PM.
What matters is:
- You schedule it
- You do it
- You do it consistently
"It doesn't matter if you have your three meals spread throughout the day, or you have them back to back to back or you do your workout in the morning or at night as long as you have the things scheduled you do it and you do it consistently and intentionally."
The Planning Habit
If Antonio had to name the single most important success habit, it's this:
"If you don't plan, pretty much getting set up for failure. Like you have to plan, otherwise you're going to fail."
The clients who transform are the ones who:
- Meal prep on weekends
- Block workout times at the beginning of each week
- Adjust their schedule proactively when conflicts arise
They don't find time. They make time by planning it in advance.
Structure Creates Freedom
The irony: people avoid structure because they think it's restrictive. They want flexibility.
But lack of structure doesn't create freedom. It creates chaos. And chaos leads to skipped workouts and takeout dinners.
"The barrier to entry or success in health and fitness is actually a lot easier than you think. It's just a lot of it comes down to, unfortunately, the mental limitations that we put on ourselves."
Structure -knowing when you'll work out, what you'll eat, how your week flows -actually creates the freedom to be consistent.
The Shift
Stop saying "I don't have time."
Start asking:
- Where is my time actually going?
- What could I restructure?
- When will I schedule this, specifically?
The busy schedule isn't going away. But the story that you don't have time can.
Antonio Pugliese coaches busy professionals on building sustainable fitness habits. Follow him on Instagram @pugliese.fitness.