No more Excuses to skip your Exercise
“No one said it would be easy. They just promised it would be worth it.”A very true statement.The reason many of you struggle with why (or why not) to exercise regularly is the simple fact that you know you need to take care of our bodies physically. In fact many of you know the benefits of having a regular exercise regimen: healthy weight loss and management, improved mental and emotional health, decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes 2, and some cancers, and strengthened muscles and bones. Nonetheless, you seem to lose the habit one day at a time for many reasons (or excuses): lack of time, other responsibilities, lack of know-how, little motivation or the fact that you are not getting the results you desired after trying so hard at one point or another. Well no more excuses yall. If you know your obstacle then you are on the way to overcoming it.
Here are simple solutions to overcome the most common exercise excuses.
Is there not enough time in the day?It is time to get ORGANIZED. Just like you have to write an agenda for your work day or perhaps plan a trip, getting organized around your workout can take the stress off of finding time for physical activity. If you already know that your evening is already jammed pack after work, then find time to get in your workout in the morning or at lunch. Maybe you have obligations some days during the week but have free time other days, well, that is a no-brainer. Whatever your busy schedule, permit yourself a second to plan and get your daily or weekly workout in order. There is always time to get in activity during your day even if it isn’t a traditional hour hitting the gym. EXAMPLE WEEKLY GOAL SETTING: I will walk around the track Monday at lunch, workout Tuesday evening at the gym and attend a spin class Friday morning at the gym.Do you have lots of responsibilities?It is time to PRIORITIZE your physical health. Yes, you have obligations to others, work, home and life, but you also have an obligation to yourself! By taking preventive and maintenance steps through a regular workout regimen you are enabling yourself to continue to have the ability and energy for those added responsibilities. Having a regular exercise routine can help your health in areas such as stroke, heart disease, obesity, osteoporosis, inflammatory disease, back pain, self-esteem and so much more. So stop putting your needs on the back burner!EXAMPLE WEEKLY GOAL SETTING: I will exercise __# days for __# minutes this week.Struggling figuring out what and how to workout?It is time to pick the RESOURCE(S) that meet your need. Nowadays there are literally thousands of resources at your fingertips which can beneficial but also a bit overwhelming. So take some time to figure out what resource best suits you. If you need accountability and direction you may wish to hire a professional personal trainer or attend a fitness class at the gym. Technology is also a great solution to meet your exercise needs through apps, videos and fitness websites that provide pre-planned workouts. Maybe you already know what to do but you just need to write it out. Grab a journal or notebook and do just that!EXAMPLE WEEKLY GOAL SETTING: I will look up and pin my Monday, Tuesday, Thursday strength training regimen on Pinterest on Sunday.
Are you lacking energy or reason to get moving?It is time to get MOTIVATED! There are two types of motivation-intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is internal and comes from within yourself whereas extrinsic is external and comes from external forces. Each of you are absolutely unique in what motivates you to set and accomplish your personal health goals. So to get motivated you kind-of have do some work here and dig into who you are and what is most important to you. Maybe you excel when you have a competition going or a reward is offered if you win. Perhaps you want to grow and try new things or you desire to be healthy for your family. No matter your personal drive your motivation is waiting to be found!EXAMPLE WEEKLY GOAL SETTING: I will write a list of three reasons why I will workout this week on a sticky note on my lunch break and place it on my work computer for motivation.Have you been putting in work but see zero results?It is time to MEASURE. When you train hard you might notice the number not budging on the scale, this is because you can also be putting on muscle mass which can counterbalance the fat loss you have accomplished. So whether your goal is to lose or gain weight, there are other ways to measure changes in your body composition and shape other that can leave you encouraged rather than discouraged. One great way to begin noticing changes in your body is to measure body parts in inches including, neck, both arms, chest, waist, hips, thighs and even calves. If you are training hard you will begin to notice the changes in inches for sure. Another great way is to conduct a bio-electrical impedance analysis. This test will calculate your percent body fat and over time you will be able to notice this number going in the right direction to accomplish your goals. Train hard because your results are happening!EXAMPLE WEEKLY GOAL SETTING: I will measure my neck, chest, arms, waist, hips and thighs every Saturday morning and log it in my weight loss journal. ————————————————————————————————–—————–We are also here to help! If you’re ready for support or want more information on exercising, drop us an email or give us a call at 877-293-9355 ext. 0!
– CASEY EDMONDS, CHC
Health Advisor | Email Casey
