Exercise..How do I find the time?

[Perry]

The big "E" word. EEEEEEEEEEEK

"Exercise is non-negotiable." We all know where that quote came from, right?

The more muscle you have, the more toned your body will be, the better you'll look, the less saggy baggy skin you'll have, the stronger you'll be, the healthier you'll be, and the more calories you'll burn at a resting rate. Exercise is the body's best and most natural form of stress management. You'll feel better, sleep better, and have more energy. What's bad about any of that?!

**What should I do? - ANYTHING! Ultimately you should be doing 30 minutes of exercise a day. This doesn't mean cleaning your house or chasing your kids. -Life doesn't count! Deliberate exercise designed to make you work and sweat. Ideally a combination of aerobic and strength training is best. BUT, it doesn't matter what you choose to do if you don't routinely do it! Start off slow. No one expects that you'll be able to run a marathon by the end of the week. Slow and consistant wins the race. Think "turtle" and not "hare" here!

I saw a story once about a woman that hadn't done any exercise in years. She started off by getting up in the morning and putting on her walking shoes every day for a week. The next week? She put on her shoes and walked to the mail box and back. The following week? To the end of the block. That woman did an interview on Oprah after completing her first marathon. Umm, hello! Talk about inspiration!!!

Something...anything..is better than nothing!!

**When should I do it? Who cares?! So long as you get it done. If mornings work best for you and your schedule - go for it! Evenings? Have at it. Just make a commitment and get the job done.

**Where do I find the time?

This is a great quote. (Ya'll know me and my quotes. LOL)

"Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Louis Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo DaVinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein."


I have three children ages 11, 7, and just turned 3. I homeschool my 11 & 7 year old and my 3 yr old is a special needs kid (she also has a sleep disorder so sleep in something that often eludes me.) Then there's the whole gymnastics/play rehearsal/gun safety/drum lessons/guitar lessons.....I'm sure you know the drill. Add to that that my husband and I own a company and yours truly is the chief scheduler/organizer/payroll accountant/book keeper/phone answerer.

ACCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCK

Sorry 'bout that. LOL Deep breath.

Bottom line is that no one has time to exercise. You just have to make it a priority and do it. I figured if I could find time to make sure I catch "Third Watch" on tv, I can find time to get my butt in gear too. Get up half an hour earlier. Ditch 30 minutes of your TV time in the evening. MAKE the time. If an old friend you hadn't talked to in years called you up right now, would you have time to talk to them? You'd MAKE the time because it's important. Be your own old friend!

If little ones are what you're allowing to hold you back, here's a suggestion: Your little ones would probably love to get up and hop around and copy mommy. Took some coaxing for my peanut to get up and try, but she can squat and kick with the best of them now!

Make sure s/he has dry diaper, something to snack on that's not going to cause you a heart attack if it gets spilled on the floor, something in a spill proof cup and all the doors in the house closed so s/he can't get into anything. Invite her/him to join you often. So what if you only get 15 minutes in at first? Do it twice a day then! It's better than nothing! No excuses! With consistancy on your part, s/he'll get involved and you'll get in shape. And what a great habit to incorporate in them!

You'll find tons of information on the internet/at your library/your gym/where ever that will tell you what, when, how, where, why. Take the time to explore it and make it work for you!

Now, flex those muscles and get your hiney in gear!
I wish you success

(post by Brook, June 2003)