How To Make Time For Fitness

We all have super busy work days! And we all have health goals as well. Whether we want to lose
weight or gain muscle, lower our blood sugar, cholesterol or blood pressure, or build stronger bones we
all need to find time to exercise. Here are some suggestions for making it happen and getting you on
the road to better health:

1. Set a routine! Choose the best time for YOU. There is no wrong time to exercise. Put your
   workouts into your scheduler and make an appointment with yourself that you cannot break.
   Our bodies and minds love routine, whether it is fitness, or a regular eating or sleeping schedule.
   You will feel so much better.
2. Start small. The American College of Sports Medicine and most health organizations suggest
   150 minutes of moderate aerobic work per week. That pans out to about 30 minutes 5 days a
   week. You may feel that if you aren’t running miles every day for hours that you aren’t working
   out, but research shows us that elevating heart rate a bit for about 30 minutes can actually do
   wonders for us. Start small and work up. If you cannot handle the 30 minutes start with ten or
   fifteen. Lock it into your schedule and you will get there.
3. Combine habits. If you love to listen to podcasts then get those earbuds in and hit the road for a
   brisk walk. If you are a news junkie then turn on the news while you walk on the treadmill. Be
   aware of your alignment and posture of course, but enjoy your program while you work out.
   Maybe you just use your yoga time to unwind and clear your mind so that when you are done
   you can get your to do list together and stay focused and organized. You get the idea.
4. Sneak exercise into your work day. Take a 20 minute walk after lunch. Stand up during phone
   calls. Walk around the office. Climb a flight of stairs. Do chair yoga. It all counts!
5. Remember to choose activities that you actually like: biking, swimming, gardening, hiking, rock
   climbing, skating, zumba! Keep it varied and interesting. Do what feels good to YOU!
6. Have a buddy. If you love morning walks, ask a friend or partner to join you. Or sign up for a
   dance class with a friend or relative. Having someone to be responsible to often helps us keep
   the exercise commitment. Taking a group fitness class can also be enjoyable and keep you in a
   nice social loop.
   With all the research on the benefits of exercise for mind and body, why is it still difficult to commit to a
   program? We have to find our personal “why”. Why is it important to you? If you can truly find a very
   personal and uniquely “you” reason that motivates you, then the doing is so much easier. You can do it.