Exercise…..
- relieves stress
- improves mood and lifts depression!
- helps with weight loss (obviously)
- increases confidence and self esteem
- increases lifespan
- decreases risk of many diseases
- strengthens your heart!
- makes you cuter! 😉
SO WHY NOT MAKE IT A PRIORITY!?
The #1 reason people DON’T exercise is because they don’t have the time!
We are all so BUSY!
The world we live in is so fast paced and constantly pulling us in a million different directions.
We are NEVER going to find ourselves with a big chunk of time and think, “Hmmmmm, I have all this time and nothing to do….I guess I will exercise!” (However, if that actually does happen to you…..you are very lucky!)
Sadly for most of us, it doesn’t work like that.
We have to MAKE the time to exercise.
We have to make it a priority.
It is a sacrifice.
It is not easy.
It is not convenient.
But, it IS worth it!!
********************************
Sooooo, if you are already exercising regularly…..good for you!!! Keep it up!
If you are not and need some ideas and motivation….here are my 2 cents.
Look at your calendar and schedule it in!
- Get it done on your lunch break.
- Wake up a little earlier and do it FIRST thing!
- Go straight to the gym (or on a run, bike ride, etc.) right after work. It’s harder to do it if you go home first!
- If you are a stay at home mom, go to the gym and take advantage of the daycare!
- If the only time you can do it is late at night….then do it!
- Split it up into 2 smaller workouts
Set a realistic goal for yourself.
- If you can only exercise 3 days a week….then set it as a goal and make it happen!
- I find I have more success if I try to exercise every day! That way I don’t “put it off until tomorrow!” Just do whatever works for you!
- Reward yourself as you reach small goals (# of pounds lost, # of weeks of consistent exercise, # of miles run, etc.)
- Don’t set yourself up to fail. If you’re not used to exercising….start slow.
Don’t compare yourself to anyone but YOU!
- If you are just getting into running and can’t even run 1/2 mile….who cares! Just get out there and run the best 1/4 mile you can and work from there!
- If you’re intimidated by the gym (it is an intimidating place!), just remember that most people there are too engrossed with themselves that they probably won’t even notice you (sad, but true)! Be confident, hold your head high and just remember you are there to exercise!
- If you are unable to exercise (due to injury or other things), just do the best you can! Find something you’re able to do. Go for short walks, lift weights or swim!
Find something you can stick with!
- If you hate (insert form of exercise here), then don’t do it!!! Find something you
loveat least don’t hate. - Go on a bike ride, run, walk, hike, etc. with friends, by yourself, with your kids, etc.
- I love to go to classes at the gym because it’s easy to plan it on the schedule and get it done!
- If you can’t afford the gym, find some killer workout videos (the library is a great resource too!)
- Find an exercising buddy! It really helps!
Well, there are my 2 cents for now.
Oh, and here’s one of my favorite quotes….
“If you always do what you’ve always done….you’ll always get what you’ve always got!”
I don’t know who said it, but I LOVE it!
If you need some more motivation, here ya go….
I love you all!! xoxo
Reblogged this on InspiredWeightloss! and commented:
Add your thoughts here… (optional)
Thank YOU!
You are welcome Melanie! 🙂
Love this post!! So true. Fortunately I love excercising and make it a priority. It’s the only way I can get it done! Thanks for sharing!! Love ya, Laura
Thanks Laura!! I’m grateful I love exercising too! 😉 I love YOU lots!!!
Excellent! Great motivational post. I’m going to use this for my own motivation. Thanks
Thank you! Good luck! 😉
Excellent post! We all need to make time to workout. Since i had kids I knew I had to build it into my schedule. So I started working out at the gym (and my kids started working out at the gym baby sitters). Then what do you know …they hired me at the gym. Now I get paid to workout and free babysiting. Sweetest job I’ve ever had! Love your blog!
What an awesome job! So lucky! Thanks for stopping by my blog!
I have always loved exercising, I still do. But instead it of getting easier as my kids have gotten older, it has become much harder this year. The reason is that our school district has shared buses, and no walking schools. So all of my kids schools start at different times. So I get up at 6:30 to see Kate out the door, then Julia, and then finally my elementary school kids leave at 8:50. If I put my two younger ones in the car right then, or even left on a walk with them (if it isn’t raining:) it is 9 o’clock. By the time I get home, shower and get ready, make everyone lunch and tidy up from breakfast, it’s 12:30. Kate then walks through the door at 2:30. SO as much as I love exercise, when I only have 2 hours a day to accomplish everything else, I have found it easier and easier to skip the gym because I have errands, dr.’s appts, volunteering at school, etc. Basically it just means that I have to be at the gym by 5:30 if I want to work out and be back to get Kate her breakfast. I know she is old enough to do it herself, but she appreciates it so much and it’s time together every morning.
I honestly didn’t think I would ever find excuses to not exercise. But I am sooo not a morning person. And my evenings are filled between my young women’s calling, Jeff’s calling, FHE, picking people up from track practice and play rehearsal. So evening’s are just out.
But I have to try it. I know my weight loss would be faster and more consistent if I wasn’t so hit or miss. But leaving the house at 5:15 am? I just don’t know. Maybe I can go at 5:30 on my busy days, and at 9 on my easy days? Sorry, I didn’t mean for this to be a dear diary, ha ha! But you inspire me. I can do this!!! Right?
Amy, it is really SO HARD to fit it all in. That is so tough that your kids leave and come home at all different times!!! Man. That makes it hard! You can do it though! You just have to find times that work! I would recommend striving for at least 4 days of exercise.
Exercise is a little bit of a time sucker, as you know. 😉 Over the past year or so, I’ve just really made it a priority and let other things slide. I’ve made myself a typical exercise schedule and I try my best to stick with it. It’s become the “norm” for me now so I just schedule other things around it. Here’s my typical schedule and how I make it work (if you’re interested! ;-)):
Monday and Thursday: I go to the gym around 5:30 (but I’m going to change Monday to morning). I know evenings are hard, but these nights are usually open for us. I love it because I have my mornings to get my house put back together and errands run. Then I pick up my kids from school and am home with them for a little bit. I take my two littlest to the gym with me and I usually get home by 7. I usually plan dinner ahead of time and have it in the oven on a timer or in the crock pot or something like that. We usually don’t eat until 7:30 or so, but I figure it’s worth it! My kids have snacks after school and things and I feed the littlest ones a little bit before we go to the gym. FHE is usually from 8-9 and then we rush them off to bed. Not ideal, but works. Oh, and Kev plans to go to the gym after work on Monday and Thursday too. We both get home around the same time.
Tuesday is a running day. Lately I’ve been trying to run in the morning (6:15-6:30ish) and it’s been fun. If the morning doesn’t work, then I plan to run as soon as my big kids get home from school. I usually pick them up for school dressed in my running clothes and then go for a quick 45 minute run.
Wednesday I go to a 10 AM Muscle class that I love. It really takes a big chunk of my day, but I don’t mind. I usually run to the store on the way home from the gym, then it’s lunchtime, nap time for the baby and then pick up the kids from school! Crazy, but I really love that class (and it’s only once a week).
Friday is another running day. Lately I’ve been running in the morning (9:00ish) because Ty’s home to babysit. It’s been nice. Friday’s more flexible so I can just fit in a run where it fits!
Saturday I have several classes I switch around with. There is a class at 7 AM that I go to if my day is crazy. I prefer to go to a 9:15 muscle class. Kev and all the kids are home so it’s easy to sneak away for a couple hours. I also try to go on a run later in the day. I just fit it in where I can. I usually like to do it soon after I get home from the gym so I can just wear the same clothes and shower once!
Well, there you have it. Crazy, but it works. I’ve been amazed how much I like the 5ish o’clock classes at night. Seems like a crazy time, but it’s better than early morning or in the middle of the day I think! I’d also tell you that if you’re not a morning person (I know I’m not!) I wouldn’t plan on exercising in the morning too much. Whenever I’ve tried to work out in the morning regularly, I’m always bugged that I don’t stick with it!
Good luck!!! It is so hard. I wish you were here and we could go to the gym together!!!
It’s that double workout on Saturday… that’s very impressive!! It adds the extra endurance you need for your races!! GREAT job!! You make me want to work harder. LOVE IT.