Finding The Time To Exercise
One of the things that comes up most with my clients, whether it is online or in person, is finding the time to exercise. I am not a time wizard and unfortunately I can’t slow down or speed up time to help you fit in your workouts, BUT what I can do is put things into perspective.
According to Clinical Psychologist Lavinia Rodriguez and Author of Mind Over Fat Matters: Conquering Psychological Barriers to Weight Management, having no time is not actually the cause of not exercising. It is commonly a lack of motivation, lack of enjoyment or fear (of embarrassment, failure or that you’ll get hurt) that is the underlying cause. So take a moment to think… Is no time REALLY the reason why you are not exercising, or is it something else?
IT'S NOT ABOUT FINDING THE TIME TO EXERCISE. IT IS ABOUT MAKING THE TIME.
It is about making your health a priority because your health is important… just walk through a hospital and you’ll see how lucky you are to have your health! We all have the same amount of time in the day, what you do with it and how you manage it is your choice. It is your choice, not your boss’s, not your partners not your parents or friends… IT IS YOUR CHOICE. You choose to do that and live that way and you choose to prioritise certain things over others.
FULL-TIME WORKERS
I’m not saying work isn’t a priority, but when you are working 12 hour days and sitting down with little to no movement at all THAT is when you say enough is enough in my perspective. That is when you talk to your boss and work something out, more flexible work hours, job sharing or something because honestly in the long run, it isn’t worth it. Especially if it is going to take years off your life and increase your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and other chronic illnesses. Most workplaces are much more flexible these days, I mean they have to be after 2020 right. Investment into corporte health and well-being programs show how businesses acknowledge the direct link between happy and healthy employee’s and increased work productivity, creativity and problem solving. So staying fit and healthy is good for your work and productivity as well!
MOTHERS
Now I understand that if you are a mother finding the time is incredibly difficult because your health isn’t your number one priority. Your child or children are, but I still know mums who get up at 5am to train before the kids get up. I understand that for some women waking up at 5am might not work (maybe you’ve got a new born/toddler or you work night shifts or something). I know we all have seasons of our lives where our health is a lesser priority because life happens and things change and our priorities change. But if that season turns into years of putting your health on the back burner that’s when there is a problem.
SO HOW DO YOU MAKE YOUR HEALTH A PRIORITY?
Change your perspective. Instead seeing exercise as a chore and something you dread, be grateful that you can move and walk and run and give back to your body. Some people can’t move as freely as you and would kill to be able to move as you do again. Consider how you feel after you exercise and remember that feeling. Empowered, accomplished, positive, less stressed, energetic? Like anything it gets better the more you do it… it doesn’t get easier necessarily but you get stronger both physically and mentally.
If that doesn’t help change your mindset around exercise, consider what could happen if you don’t take the time to exercise and look after your health. It is all good and well when you don’t have disease or sickness and your body is coping with your dietary and lifestyle decisions. It is easy to push health to the side, especially when you are young. But what happens in 5 or 10 years when your body can’t take the stress and pressure of those dietary decisions and sedentary lifestyle. Will you have time for multiple doctors appointments? Will you have the money for medication for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes? Will you have the mental capacity to deal with an illness and how it will affect not just you but your loved ones?
30 MINUTES IS ALL YOU NEED... 2 PERCENT OF YOUR DAY TO GET YOUR HEART RATE UP AND MOVE!
Find a program like the 12 Week Program where you can work out on your own terms, from the comfort of your own home and fit it into your own schedule! You don’t have to think about what you are doing, all you have to do is follow along with one of the video workouts structured into your training program. Don't worry about intimidating gyms or feeling uncomfortable in front of people when you exercise from home. Do what you can to eliminate those fears and get started! I hope this helps and puts things into perspective and that you are motivated to find the time to exercise for your own health and wellbeing!
