UNITED STATES—Oh, exercise, I am certain it is something so many of us hate doing, but let’s face it, in order to stay healthy, we have to do it. For me, it is indeed a big chore. It is not because I don’t want to do it; it is because my day is so busy, that I get exhausted. I think that means I have to work on time management. I know I can carve out 30 minutes to one hour out of the day to get that physical activity in.
I think the problem is that I try to be so consistent with the time that I work out daily which is usually in between jobs. The problem is I have some days where I work longer than expected or get tied up with too many errands and things to complete that I have those days where I just don’t exercise.
That is where the guilt comes in and I will be honest I don’t like it one bit, because I know I can make it happen, I just have to make the moves for it to happen. If I know I have 30 minutes to spare, I can go for a quick walk around the block. Walking is free and you don’t have to go to the gym to exercise. I think that is the thing that bogs so many people down. If I’m developing an exercise regiment, it has to involve the gym and it doesn’t.
So many people sign up for those gym memberships at the start of the year, but then they never go. They’re paying a monthly fee for something they never get the opportunity to utilize. As a result, its wasteful spending, and you can better utilize those funds to purchase your own equipment. You can get an exercise bike for about $200. That means what you’re paying for that membership you can have your own bike in your own home and you can exercise whenever you choose. When you are getting ready to watch a TV show or prep dinner you can hop onto that bike for a quick cycle and you’re getting some cardio in.
Cardio is always a plus because it’s physical movement. If you want to invest a bit more go for an elliptical, or purchase some weights. An elliptical or treadmill might cost a bit more, but it’s a piece of equipment that you can have for a lifetime. With weights it helps with strength building and muscle. If money is NOT in your wheelhouse, you can do what you did as an elementary student. I’m not referring to playing outside, which is an option, but you can do jumping jacks, push-ups and sit-ups.
We really have no excuse to not exercise as human beings if we’re all fully capable of being able to do it. If you don’t like what you see when you look in the mirror, let exercise be your motivator. If you are concerned about your health, then exercise is your key to make things happen. You don’t have to be excessive about it. A little bit every single day goes a very long way.
One of the things that matter most is NOT to beat yourself up if you miss a day or two of exercise. You are allowed to take a day or two off if you just have a bit going on. The world will not end; you can make up the next day or two when you do exercise. Develop a program and regiment that works for you and start small and increase as time progresses. The good thing is to start a habit. Once the habit begins, you will continue to do it.
