Busy as we may be, we have less trouble finding time for television or social networking, because there simply aren’t the same steep psychological barriers to those activities. The most common excuse/reason for not exercising? “No time.” But examine that excuse at close range and you’ll see it’s usually about something deeper.
Most people are in denial about their health, we all have reasons for not exercising, but it all comes down to time management and fear of embarrassment or failure. But what we’d be better off being afraid of, in my humble opinion, is what will happen if we don’t exercise. How will a sedentary lifestyle be affecting you next year? In five or 10 years? Through a very close person, I personally witnessed what this can result in and it was a significant eye-opener. This is when I decided I will do my best to not put myself voluntarily into this. Will we have time for multiple doctors appointments? Will we have the time and money to take medication every day to treat high blood pressure, high cholesterol or any other complication that may arise?
Finding time for fitness can be tough. The key is making it convenient. Consider these practical suggestions.
Put it on the calendar. Schedule physical activity as you would any other appointment during the day. Don't change your exercise plans for every interruption that comes along.
Join a fitness club. Finding likeminded people will boost your motivation. Also, by making such a friend, even on days when you're a bit lacking in motivation, knowing that your friend will be waiting for you at the club can help keep you moving.
Track your progress. Seeing how far you've come may motivate you to do even more. Our mobile apps were made to do specifically this!
Plan active outings. Don’t aimlessly surf channels or the Internet. That’s a surefire way to waste time you could be spending in more active ways. Before you sit down, set a time limit. Most of us occasionally watch shows we don’t love because we’re just bored. Consider trading just 30 minutes of that low-value television time for exercise. My guess is you won’t miss it.
Socialize on the move. Next time a friend suggests meeting for lunch, dinner or drinks, counter with an active invitation. How about joining you for a quick walk? Instead of spending time on the phone or emailing back and forth, suggest that you catch up over a leisurely bike ride or a swim.
Breaking it up. It's great if you can get 30 minutes of continuous activity, but you can exercise in shorter bursts, too. Have your workout plan set as per what works best for you.
Wake up early. Get up a bit earlier than you normally do and use the extra time to work out.
Delegate like crazy. Reassess household chores: Can your partner cook dinner or pass by the food store for the needed items? What professional tasks can you hand off so you can stop by the gym on the way home? Don’t think you’re the only one who can do all of the things you’re currently doing. Look, too, for things that could be done less often — or that might not need to get done at all.
Think positive. Psychologists suggest that actively editing your negative self-talk patterns is a powerful way to support healthier lifestyle choices. For example, anytime you catch yourself thinking, “I am too busy to work out,” rephrase the thought in more positive, empowering terms, such as, “I choose to make myself a priority.” Or, “I do have time to be healthy.” Over time, those positive thought patterns will elbow out the negative ones, helping you to see your available choices more clearly.
Plan active trips. As you’re packing for a business trip or a holiday, be sure to include your workout clothes. Just packing them signals to your brain that you intend to make time for exercise.
For most people, the day only gets more demanding as it goes on, exercising first thing in the morning will ensure you fit it in. Lay out your workout clothes the night before, this way you won’t waste any time and you won’t forget anything. ( Personally, I need to work more on this :) )
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