Balancing a Busy Life and Fitness: Here's What's Helped Me
Victoria has taken her running and fitness routine all over the world, including to Japan in 2025.
Author Victoria Fortune is a member of NYRR Contributors Circle.
Like many women in their 30s (and beyond) living in New York City, life can feel nonstop. Between having a full-time job, podcast, volunteering, and frequent work travel, carving out time to move my body isn’t always easy.
But over the years, I’ve made a conscious decision not to let the pace of life dictate my health and wellbeing. I’ve learned that staying active isn’t about needing more time in the day, but it’s about actually being more intentional with the time that I do have.
Here’s what’s helped me stay consistent:
Block Workouts in the Calendar
Even if I don’t always make it, the time is protected. For me, that means early mornings. Scheduling workouts prevents others from booking over it and serves as a daily reminder to show up for myself.
Do the Hard Thing First (If I Can)
Once it’s light out, I’m out the door. I don’t love running in the dark, so I go as soon as I can see clearly. Movement is how I start my day after my morning prayer. It wakes up my body and clears my mind. I’m always more focused and creative after.
Find a Movement Practice That I Actually Enjoy
Strength training is part of Victoria's weekly routine, and she schedules her workouts to ensure they happen.
For me, it's running and strength training. For someone else it might be cycling, pilates or yoga. Whatever it is, the key is consistency. At the start of each week, I set simple goals like “two runs and two strength days,” then build my schedule around that.
Have a Plan Before I Start
I map my runs the night before so I know exactly where I’m going and how far I plan to run. This saves me time in the morning so that when I wake up, all I have to do is get dressed, lace up, and go.
When traveling, I stay intentional by:
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Packing workout clothes that I feel good in
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Remaining consistent. Travel can throw everything off. My body is adjusting to the timezone, my routine shifts, and it’s so easy to deprioritize movement (and honestly sometimes I just want to enjoy the city). But I remind myself that consistency matters more than perfection. Every step counts.
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Check to see if the hotel I’m staying in has a gym. If so, I call and ask for the hours so that I can calendar my workout time.
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Find local options. If the hotel doesn’t have a gym I look up nearby studios or workout classes.
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If I’m traveling to a destination that has great safety reports, I pop by the concierge upon landing and ask them for recommended run routes. Whenever I run out of town I always share my location with a loved one. Safety first. Always.
Plan My Fuel
This was a game changer for me. Early on, I wasn’t fueling properly and would feel weak or even lightheaded. I’ve since adapted a great fueling protocol.
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A light snack before a run (banana, toast with a nut butter, or granola bar)
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Fuel during longer runs (depending on the distance)
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A plan for hydration, whether I bring it with me or map out hydration stops along the way, I make sure my hydration is thought about.
Victoria boxes at Renzo Gracie Academy in NYC under the guidance of coach Rob Constance.
Balancing fitness with a busy life isn’t about doing everything perfectly. It’s about building small, intentional habits that support the life I want to live. Some days feel like a breeze and others getting out of the door takes everything out of me. Both count. Movement is a key pillar in my life and shouldn’t come to a halt depending on where I am in the world. Traveling as frequently as I do has taught me how to be agile and adapt to different environments while staying consistent with my wellness and movement regimen. I’ve learned that planning ahead takes the guess work out and makes honoring fitness commitments much easier.