Five Ways to Find More Time to Exercise
~ Mike Hanik, MEd and Youth Fitness Expert
When it comes to exercise, we all have good intentions. First, we make a decision to exercise, next we announce it to the world, and finally, we decide to go all out and purchase new equipment, clothing, or even a gym membership. Then something happens, or rather does not happen. We cannot seem to find the time or the desire to finish what we wholeheartedly started.
Whenever we incorporate something new into our life, whether it is diet or exercise, we must first realize that it is, in fact, new. We must incorporate a new habit into our lives on a daily basis. And, therein lies the problem. We are so stuck in our patterns that we do not even begin to know how to add something else onto our todo list.
1. Put It in Writing – Put the word exercise or power walk on your calendar in bright red ink. Pick a date and time every week and put it everywhere from a cell phone reminder to an email to yourself. Putting things in writing seems to have a commitment to accomplish that task attached to it.
2. Review and Replace – Rather than trying to cram one more thing into an already hectic schedule, examine that schedule and see what you can delete and replace with your new-found love of exercise. Track your activities for 3-5 days. Write down where you spend your time. The average American spends 4-5 hours a day watching television. Turn the TV off for 30 minutes and exercise. You can also exercise while you watch TV or listen to music. You can also remove the distraction or remove yourself from the distraction. Almost everyone can find at least 30 minutes in their day for physical activity.
3. Take a Good Look at Your Schedule – Perhaps you could go to bed 30 minutes earlier, three times per week and get up 30 minutes earlier three times per week. Not only will you see that this minor shift will give you the extra time in the morning, but it will change the entire outlook of your day.
4. Give Something Up – Often times when we want to achieve a new goal we fall short because we are not willing to give something up. We want to add this new goal to an already packed calendar. Perhaps, giving up Happy Hour every other Friday or giving up sleeping late two Saturdays per month will do the trick. Starting a new exercise habit or routine can be difficult. It may involve a sacrifice but it will be worth it.
5. Lunch Hour – Take a good long hard look at your lunch hour. Is there any way that you could take 30 minutes for a brisk walk and then the other 30 for actual eating? The phone calls you were going to make or emails you were going to send will be there waiting for you tomorrow.
Whether you realize it or not, finding more time to exercise is not simply a matter of time, it is a matter of practice, thinking, and creating as well. Exercising for 30 minutes at least 3 times per week takes discipline. The first few weeks can be hard but if you stick with the program it will get easier and you will notice the many benefits of regular exercise. When you have the incentive, you will find the time.
Exercising at home with your family is easy with the Fitness 4 Families or Fitness 4 Homeschool Programs!
