August 18, 2014
You know those predator fish you see in nature documentaries, which lie motionless in wait all day on the bottom, moving once or twice a day, lightning fast, to swallow a meal? They don't need to exercise. They were designed for that.
But our bodies were made to move. Whether it's trying to build muscle, lose weight, or simply live a healthy lifestyle, exercise is central. It helps keep our hearts strong, burn calories and increase our energy levels. It's important to create an exercise routine that you're comfortable with and that you can commit to on a regular basis. Missing one day here and there won't negatively affect your overall health and wellness, but it could be the start of a habit of skipping exercise on a more regular basis.
Let’s face it, working out regularly takes a lot of discipline whether it's three, four or five times a week. Challenging our bodies at high intensity every single workout is difficult. Doing these things on a regular basis, as well as eating healthy foods, drinking plenty of water and getting enough rest says a lot about our commitment to ourselves. It takes willpower to overcome the temptations that surround us everyday.
Every time you go for a walk, run or cycle or make it to the gym, you become a stronger human being. Working on improving your physical conditioning will enrich your life in many ways. You will have more energy for your children, you will become a more productive worker, and you can stay more focused and be a better partner to your spouse. The strength and energy you get from exercising regularly does transfer to other aspects of your life and those same principals that you apply to your workouts can also apply to your daily life.
When we exercise regularly, eat well and take time to rest, the body is nourished. This is that good feeling after staying on track. It makes us better problem solvers and we have more patience. Exercise helps us sleep better and maintain a healthy weight. Ultimately we are happier people. There are 168 hours in a week and using five to six of them to care for your body isn’t much.
When we miss workouts our bodies have setbacks. Your muscles will not be as strong and your commitment to a strong body may waiver too. One missed workout becomes two and pretty soon you’ve forgotten how those “feel good” endorphins make you feel. Every workout is like starting over and before long you lose your motivation.
Moving our bodies regularly ensures it will last as long as we want it to. I think quality of life is much more important than quantity. Pressing that snooze button, working through lunch or sitting on the couch instead of doing regular exercise gets you into a bad habit of not exercising. Overcoming that feeling of not wanting to workout can be challenging.
Try packing your gym bag or running shoes in the car in the morning that way you will have no excuse. Drive your car to the gym or your favorite running spot. Tell yourself just thirty minutes something is better than nothing. I’ll bet after that thirty minutes you’ll continue for at least another thirty. You know you will feel much better after you're done.
A fellow trainer shared this great quote with me:
“The greatest irony of our physical life is that when we are young, we are willing to sacrifice every bit of our health for wealth, and when we grow old, we are willing to sacrifice so much of our wealth for just one day of health.”
Don’t let this happen to you. You do have control of how you live your life every minute of every day.
"People do not decide their future they decide their habits and their habits decide their future." - John C. Maxwell