Tips to Ensure You Exercise Every Day
Tips to Ensure You Exercise Every Day
By:
Stephanie Larkin
People find many reasons to procrastinate
exercising. They range from bad weather, to being busy, to having a cold, to
much more creative ones!
The trick is to retrain one's mind to understand and accept that exercising is
extremely beneficial. Think of it as a battle, with the obstacles to be
conquered not just once, but regularly. Instead of being daunted, consider it a
test to become stronger physically, mentally, and emotionally. There is nothing
sweeter than success, especially when it comes from self-improvement!
First, it is extremely important to exercise in a manner that appeals to you. No
one wants to something on a daily basis which they dislike. You must enjoy the
exercises you do, even if it's different than what friends or co-workers do. Ask
yourself what you did in the past that brought joy, even if it wasn't
traditional exercise. Could it have been playing tennis in college? Did you
spend hours with a punching bag as a kid? Were you the best skater in the
neighborhood? You get the idea. It may be easier to choose something to do on
your own, since you can follow your own schedule, but you may prefer the moral
support and camaraderie of others. It all depends on whether you need
socialization in order to make exercise fun. Even if you exercise "formally"
just twice a week, if you love it, you'll want to practice and stay in shape on
your days off.
Second, once you have found your desired way to exercise, objectively look at
your schedule. It is easy to commit to exercise, but hard to follow through, so
be conservative. If you work normal business hours, the only available time may
be in the evening; it is important to understand that feelings of fatigue are
often remedied by an invigorating work out. Many individuals actually have
increased stamina and strength in late afternoon and early evening, and studies
prove that even late-night exercise ending 30 minutes before sleep does not
interfere with it. (However, don't work out immediately after a big meal because
the body is spending energy on digestion.) Many indoor workouts can be done
while watching television or movies, and outdoor ones can be accompanied by
favorite music. This added entertainment will make time fly and add a different
dimension to your program. It now becomes your time to escape from daily life
and focus on your own interests, if only for 30 minutes. Failing that, you can
catch up on news broadcasts, or ponder situations that require your assistance,
increasing the value of this time.
Third, have what you need handy. That means keeping necessary clothes, shoes and
equipment together in one place. It's much easier to follow a regime if your
Tae-Bo DVD is already in the machine, if your exercise bike is set up and ready
to go, or your gym bag is in your car, outfitted with towels and toiletries.
Running late is often a deterrent to exercise, but with everything at your
fingertips, there's more chance of follow-through.
Fourth, find a way to monitor your improvement-and there will be improvement.
Sometimes the best encouragement to continue with any physical fitness program
is to see your body and abilities get better. Now, there may not be constant
progress (even pro's have off days) but after a few weeks, you should see small
changes for the better. When the scale numbers come down, or you can fit into
those old jeans, or your muscles look tauter, or you can continue longer, you're
heading in the right direction. Knowing that you are improving your physical
health and your personal abilities (not to mention appearance) will give you
impetus not to miss your daily workout. Don't worry if situations arise where
you just can't squeeze it in, though. People's lives are busy and family and
work obligations many times take priority. The next day, simply work out a
little more, and increase physical activities. Walk to meet the kids at the bus
stop instead of driving, or take the stairs instead of the elevator, for
example. Although it is important to get at least a half hour of physical
conditioning each day, you should not allow situations beyond your control to
cause stress. But do remember that it's important to bet back into routine as
quickly as possible, since the longer you postpone it, the harder it may be to
get back to the level you once were.
When you find the type of exercise that elevates your spirit and produces
noticeable results, you will look forward to that part of your daily routine,
and soon you won't be able to imagine life without it!
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