Joe Wicks, the nation’s well-known fitness coach, admits that even he faces challenges when it comes to staying motivated to exercise. Despite his public role as a personal trainer, Wicks is also a father of four children under the age of six, which means full nights of sleep are rare. The result is fatigue and a lack of motivation, something he openly shares.
In these moments, Wicks says he pushes himself to move, not out of strict discipline, but because he knows the impact it has on his mental health. “If I don’t exercise, if I don’t wake up and release that stress and tension from my body… I carry that with me all day,” Wicks told The Handbook. He added that sleepless nights leave him irritable and impatient, but physical activity helps him manage those feelings.
Wicks often emphasizes that exercise doesn’t always have to be intense or time-consuming. While many people believe getting fit requires long, hard sessions, Wicks encourages a more flexible approach. A 20-minute walk or a brief high-intensity interval training (HIIT) session, he says, can still make a huge difference.
“I just have to do the exercise,” he said. “No matter how tired or stressed I’m feeling, I know I’ll feel better afterwards.” Wicks explains that short, simple workouts help boost endorphins and lift his mood. These sessions are not just about burning calories or losing weight—they’re about mental clarity and emotional balance.
Wicks also speaks directly to busy parents who may feel overwhelmed by the idea of finding time for fitness. He suggests practical strategies like working out in the living room during a baby’s nap or putting on a cartoon for the kids while fitting in a quick session.
“You might not have an hour to go to the gym on your own,” he said. “But could you do 20 minutes in the living room? It’s possible. It’s doable.”
Through his message, Joe Wicks continues to encourage people to focus less on perfection and more on movement—no matter how brief—because even a short workout can make a lasting impact on both body and mind.
