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How to find time to exercise
( Information written by S. Hunt)
Fitness, weight loss, personal trainer, exercise, time management
Struggling to find time to get fit and lose weight?
Here’s the top 10 reasons why and how to overcome then.
Are you too busy to exercise? If so, you're not alone. Studies show that 60% of adults don't get the recommended amount of physical activity, and over 25% of adults are not active at all.
So, what's your excuse? Here's the top 10, you'll probably recognise a few!
Overcoming them is a big step towards succeeding at a fitness program.
10. You really hate to exercise.
The key to happiness is doing things you enjoy. If you hate running, you don't have to do it. Find activities that match your personality. If you love the outdoors, go hiking or biking. If you like simplicity, stick with walking, circuit training or a basic weights program. If that bores you, do it with a friend or even get a Personal Trainer. Try things before you decide you don't like them.
9. You've tried to exercise but you keep quitting.
People often quit because they don't start a long term program that caters to their lifestyle. Do whatever you can, you have to begin where you are, not where you want to be. Start of easy and keep it realistic, if it makes you puff, it's good! Progress each week by adding a few more minutes to each workout.
8. You can't afford a Gym membership or Personal Trainer
There's no reason you have to join a gym to exercise. You can walk anytime, anywhere and it's free! You can't ask for a better place to walk than a Gold Coast beach! Dumbbells and fit balls are also cheap and can be used for a variety of exercises.
7. You're not seeing any changes in your body.
Not losing weight fast enough? Welcome to reality. You don't put weight on overnight and it won't come off that quickly either. Once you start exercising, give your body time to react. It could weeks before you start seeing some changes in your body. In the meantime, try to enjoy feeling fitter and healthier!
6. You don't know how to exercise.
That certainly won't fly what with the wealth of information at your fingertips. Get a Personal Trainer, or even just an initial program from a Gym. There's plenty of other ways too, search the web, go to the book store, ask a friend or simply do what you already know. You already know how to walk and ride and probably even do push ups. Once again, if it makes you puff, it's good!
5. You want to exercise but you have to take care of your family.
You don't have to neglect your family to fit in exercise. Do an exercise video or use a skipping rope while they nap. If they're old enough, have them participate in your routine by lifting very small weights or counting your repetitions, or take them with you on your daily walk, there's plenty of parks and beaches on the Gold Coast to make it fun for the whole family. Show your family what it means to be healthy by giving them a good role model.
4. You can't seem to stay motivated to continue working out.
If you're tired, stressed or bored with your workouts, it's hard to keep going. To combat that, change your routine every 4 to 6 weeks by trying something new or changing your intensity or time. Remember it must cater to your busy lifestyle, so be realistic when starting a program. Remind yourself every day what your goals are and what you have to do to reach them.
3. Exercise hurts!
You don't have to hurt yourself to reap the benefits of exercise. When doing your cardiovascular exercise you should just be able to make small talk, not huffing and puffing so you can't even say a word. When it comes to weight training, there should be effort involved since lean body tissue only grows when you challenge yourself. Using the heaviest weight you can handle for 12-20 reps will help you get the most out of your workouts. You should feel slight burning, but not teeth-gritting pain! The harder you go the better it will work, however don't to go too far past your comfort zone as you won't keep it up.
2. You can't make the commitment to stick to an exercise routine.
When you look at exercise in the long term (i.e., that you have to exercise on a daily basis FOREVER), it can be overwhelming. However, you don't have to change your life overnight. Start with small goals, such as to be more active every day by taking the stairs and moving around more. Decide you'll get up 10 minutes early to walk or lift weights. Over time, you can increase your workout time and try new things. For now, just worry about making it a daily habit.
1. You don't have time!
Physically inactive people have just as much free time as exercisers, so you can chuck this excuse!
Here's how to get past a busy schedule: Schedule your exercise time a set appointment with a training partner or Personal Trainer will make sure you don't skip it. If you can't find a full 30 minutes during your day, break it up into 10 or 15 minute segments. Get up a few minutes early and take a brisk walk, use 15 minutes of your lunch hour to walk the stairs and walk the dog or lift weights after work. Make the most of incidental exercise, take the stairs not the lift!
Remember that exercise generates energy--the more energy you have, the more you'll get done each day. So work through the above ten excuses plus any others that are holding you back.
Give yourself answers to them - you will find a way or you will find an excuse!
