“Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.” –Edward Stanley
Do you lack the time to exercise? Are you afraid of injuring yourself? Do you get exhausted just thinking about it? Would you rather watch TV?
The first thing you have to do is correct your frame of mind.
Adjusting Your Attitude
Understand: Exercise is essential to your health and well-being.
Next, consider all the ways that exercise can be pleasant. Getting involved with organized sports and joining a league is exhilarating and builds camaraderie between teammates. Working out together with friends is a great way to have social time. Or be creative. Put on some rock and roll music and dance with your spouse and/or kids for an hour or so. Or take a dance class; it is a fine way to meet new people.
How many different ways are there to enjoy aerobic exercise? Countless. Ride a bike, shoot hoops, swim, chase the dog around the yard, throw and catch a Frisbee. Moving your body is a joy!
Remember that exercise will lengthen your life. And notice how good it feels, during and afterward.
Once you start exercising, keep a log of your activities. It will become something you will feel proud of. Set goals for yourself. Start slow, and then make your goals more ambitious over time.
Overcoming the Most Common Obstacles (Excuses)
Time is the biggest obstacle. Of course you do not have time to exercise. Nobody does. Yet somehow, people do exercise. How do they manage it?
First, you need to prioritize exercise. Do not think of exercise as something you might do, like starting a hobby or learning a new skill. Exercise is more basic, like eating or sleeping.
Once you accept that not exercising is not an option, things fall into place. You do not have to do all of your exercise in one big chunk each day; you can break it up into smaller increments of five, ten, fifteen minutes. It may help to schedule your exercise, just the way you schedule other essential activities and appointments. Wake up a bit earlier if you have to. Block out your exercise time each day on your calendar.
Strangely enough, you will find that exercising actually gives you more time in your day and in your life, because it boosts your energy. When you have more energy and mental clarity, you get more things done.
Are you afraid of hurting yourself? There is no need to risk injury or push yourself to a breaking point. If you have not exercised for a while, take it slow at first and only choose safe, easy activities, like walking. If a bit of supervision can help you feel comfortable, take a class with a fitness instructor, or hire a personal trainer to tailor an exercise regimen for you.
Can’t afford to join a gym or hire a trainer? No problem! Borrow someone else’s exercise equipment, or check out exercise videos for free from your library. There are also Internet sites now that are devoted to free streaming workout videos and instruction. And if you really want to join the gym but you are daunted by the price, see if you can get a discount through your job, or check your local recreation center for fitness programs that may be free or low-cost.
Feel free to keep it simple too. Just doing yard work, raking leaves, weeding the garden if you have one—these activities provide fresh air and exercise.
Do you have a health issue, like heart disease or asthma, which you are afraid of aggravating with exercise? Talk to your doctor. In most cases, exercise will help rather than worsen your condition. Just be sure to follow your doctor’s advice and take proper precautions. (For example, never ignore pain or try to “push through” it.)
Does parenting leave you no time for exercise? If you have children, and you want them to grow up strong and healthy, then you need to model healthy behaviors for them, starting with exercise. Children may not listen to all that you say, but they certainly watch everything you do. If your children are small, exercise while they are napping, or find a recreation facility that offers daycare. Better yet, make exercise a family affair; play aerobic games with your kids, like Frisbee or touch football or tag.
Are you embarrassed to exercise? Do you feel awkward, uncoordinated, or unattractive? Join the club! We are all bombarded by advertising and media images that make us feel inadequate if we are not youthful and perfect looking. But you do not have to be a model or an athlete to reap the benefits of exercise. If it feels easier, start by exercising alone. Or take an exercise class with people who are at varying fitness levels. Some of them will be right about where you are. Sooner or later, you will stop judging yourself and start enjoying yourself.
Support and Persistence
You are in this for the long haul. Exercise is not something you do just for a season or a year or two. It is something you will do your entire life. Understand you are going to have ups and downs. You will enjoy exercise more on some days than others. You may go off your routine for a while, and that is fine, so long as you start up again.
Once in a while, you may feel a little stiff and sore after a workout. That is okay; it does not mean anything is wrong, so long as it is not serious pain. Just make sure to drink plenty of water, always stretch or do some yoga after aerobic exercise, and if you have a medical condition, make sure your doctor knows and approves of your exercise routine.
Do not be overly concerned about losing weight. It may take at least a few months before you notice any changes in your body. Also, if you are doing strength-building exercises (as you should) in addition to aerobics, you are building muscle too. Muscle weighs more than fat, so even though you are burning fat, you may weigh more or less the same. But you are getting more fit!
If you get bored with your exercise routine, find ways to mix it up. Try different things. Combine your exercise time with music listening (or even TV-watching), or do your exercise at different locations. Especially if walking is your regular exercise, you can change your scenery often.
Enlist the support of friends and family. Offer the same support back to them. Remind each other to exercise, and inquire regularly about each other’s progress.
Find ways to reward yourself for sticking with your routine for a month or more. Take yourself (and a companion perhaps) out to a movie or show, or buy yourself a little present. Ultimately, you will realize that exercise is its own reward.
(About Jim Comstock: As director of Business Development and Community Relations for Daly City’s Seton Medical Center, as well as member of the board of directors of the Daly City-Colma Chamber of Commerce, Jim is actively engaged in socio-civic, healthcare and education projects, especially including those impacting Filipino communities. He holds a master’s degree in Education. Jim believes that when people are given accurate information, they will make the right decisions)
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