I’ve asked a few of my favorite people to step up to the keyboard and fill in for me as I take a few weeks off to spend time with my family over the holidays. I hope you’ve been enjoying these guest posts as much as I have. Unfortunately, this is the last one…I will be back to my regularly scheduled balanced bloggy-ness next week.
Meet my friend Jill Conyers. She may be familiar to some of you, since I link up to her Fitness Friday blog hop most Fridays. She’s a blog friend, turned REAL LIFE friend (I love when that happens), when she came to Louisville to run a half-marathon last year. I didn’t run with her, but I did get to spend the entire day with her afterwards! She’s the one who introduced me to Shakeology. And also the one who talked me into becoming a Beachbody Coach. She and I completed the P90X2 90-Day challenge together in 2012. Of course, she went on to run 12 half-marathons.
And I…did not.
She’s off-the-charts fit. No lie.
Bask in her fitness wisdom…
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What is the #1 reason for not working out? Not enough time.
As a mom of 2 very active teenagers and as a wife that works full time, who makes health and fitness a priority, I get it. It’s hard to find the time to exercise regularly. There was a time when exercise was the first thing to get pushed to the bottom of the priority list (if on the list at all.) Now, it’s close to the top of the list! And it can be for you, too.
First, you need to identify why this is important to you. What are the benefits of making the effort to find time?
1. There is nothing quite like the feeling of a completed workout.
2. A good night’s sleep. Most, if not all, of us have read how important it is to get enough sleep. I sleep better when I work out consistently.
3. Your health is definitely worth the time and effort. I am more fit and healthier than ever before.
4. Mood and an overall good feeling. I’m a better mom and wife when I make fitness a regular part of my life. My overall outlook on life is better!
5. Lose and maintain weight. That is a no-brainer!
6. Boost your confidence. Accomplishing goals, seeing progress and making positive changes can do nothing but boost confidence.
Second, come up with a plan. How are you going to make physical fitness a priority and fit exercising regularly into a busy and full life?
1. Identify non-negotiables. Start by taking an honest look at how you spend your day. Make a list of all the things that have to be done as opposed to all the things you want to do. For example, taking kids to school, family time, and going to work are non-negotiables. A negotiable might be watching TV or computer time.
2. Make your fitness a priority. Commit the time and stick to it. Keep it in the top 3 of your to-do list.
3. Cancel the gym membership. Workout at home. This one little change made the biggest difference in the consistency of my workouts, which improved my overall progress and success. This change also eliminates the often-used excuse of just getting home from work and not wanting to leave the house. Bonus: Use the money you save to buy a new workout outfit, a fitness DVD or hand weights!
4. Find a time that is least likely to be interrupted. Identify the time of day that is least likely to be interrupted by appointments, social engagements or work? That may be late night or maybe naptime if you have young children. For me that means getting up early. I was the most successful, consistent and saw the most progress when I started working out and/or running in the morning. 5:00 a.m. is rarely interrupted by phone calls, appointments, errands, etc. And I can honestly say it is my favorite way to start the day.
5. Make it a habit. Make exercising something you wouldn’t even consider skipping like brushing your teeth and getting dressed. Given enough time exercising will become a natural part of your daily routine.
6. Write it on your calendar. Schedule exercising just like you would a doctor’s appointment or school activity.
7. Do the prep. Maximize your time for working out with a little prep. If you’re working out in the morning, put your workout clothes out the night before. If you workout with DVDs, have the DVD set past the intro and ready to start.
8. Find a fitness program that you enjoy and can be done at home. There are endless options online, in magazines and DVD programs. Find what you like and you’re more likely to stick with it. Most of my workouts are with DVDs. My favorites are P90X and Les Mills Pump. If you’re unsure where to even begin a fitness program, there are endless options for different types of workouts online. If you need a place to start, check out my Pinterest Workout Board.
9. Track your progress. Use either paper and pencil or an online tool to keep track of your progress. Seeing the proof of your progress will make the difference between a skipped and a completed workout.
10. Turn it off. Whatever your “off” is, determine if how you’re spending your time is moving you toward your goals. If it’s not either reduce the amount of time or stop all together. Maybe the “off” is the TV or the computer.
Finding the time and making fitness a priority is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It takes 21 days to create a habit. Start with a commitment of 21 days to a healthier and happier you!
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Jill is a wife, mom of 2, full-time psychologist, FitFluential, Sweat Pink and Girl Gone Sporty Ambassador who is passionate about running, plant-based nutrition, fitness and an overall healthy lifestyle. She believes living a healthy life is not about perfection. It’s about commitment, effort and progress! She could chat about this stuff forever, so if you have any questions or if you’re interested in finding out more about Beachbody products and what might work best for you please feel free to contact her at jillconyers@gmail.com. She would love to know if you decide to commit to 21 days and how it goes.
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Jill,
Your ideas 3 through 9 have worked well for me. I do like to keep track of my work outs too. I looked back a couple of days ago and figured out that I had worked out 308 days in 2012 or 84 percent of the days. About 6 days a week. So I hope to hit over 300 again.
84% is a great accomplishment Mark! I love numbers and stats exactly for the reason you mentioned. Looking back at the end of a year and knowing you worked out 84% of the year motivates!
Jill @ Fitness, Health and Happiness recently posted..Fitness Friday || 2013 Race Calendar
I love this post, Jill! I get asked this question all the time too and get frustrated with people who use the ‘not enough time’ card. Get off the computer. Turn off the television. Get up half an our early. We all have wasted time during our day; figure out what yours is and get moving!
My favourite analogy is the ‘oxygen mask’ one. You need to take care of yourself first before you can take care of others!
Tamara recently posted..#FatblasterFriday | Fitknitchick’s DietBet ‘Weigh In’ Workout
Hi Tamara,
Love the analogy! It’s so true. I make the time for me and I’m much better for “them”! It’s not always easy but there is always time to be found
Jill @ Fitness, Health and Happiness recently posted..Fitness Friday || 2013 Race Calendar