Finding Time to Exercise

Have you ever heard people say, "Life happens!" as a reason for not completing a chore or making an appointment? Well, life definitely does "happen" and it is for that very reason we all need to find time to exercise so we are able to maintain a healthy mind and body to get us through life.

• Plan. One idea for exercising is to add your physical training time to your daily and weekly schedules. So, block time out for you to do your workout. Your exercise regimen is just as important as any other appointment you may have on your schedule, it is time to start treating it as such.
• Consistency. A successful exercise regime is to be consistent. If you commit to your work out schedule, be consistent with your program. It works well to keep the same time for all of your workouts. There may be occasions where you may have to deviate from your schedule due to other priorities. There should be no problem with the deviation as long as you do your workout. Therefore, it is permissible to be flexible with your exercise program.
• Morning. Most people are the most energetic in the morning. If you are one of these people who are most productive in the morning, get up 30 to 60 minutes prior to your original wake-up time so you can add your exercise block in your day. After you start your workout program, you will note you will feel more energy for the rest of your day's activities.
• Lunch. Lunchtime is another excellent time to exercise. Bring a bag lunch to work instead of going out to lunch. Try substituting an exercise period in the time that you would normally have gone out to eat. Bringing comfortable walking shoes to the office for a brisk walk during your lunchtime will help you revitalize yourself for the rest of the day. If you have a gym near by and can put in a 30 to 45 minute workout during your lunchtime, go for it!
• Stretch. Remember to add at least 10 minutes in your exercise schedule for proper warm-up stretching before you start your workout. This is crucial to avoid injury due to lack of warming up your muscles prior to your exercising.
• Patience. Be patient. Realize that your second or third day may be tougher than your first day of your exercise program. You may not realize you had certain muscles that you now know exist within your body. Hold back the desire to give in to instinct of giving your muscles a break by not doing your exercises. Turn off the television or keep it on while you spend some time on the treadmill. If not, put on some headsets and listen to your favorite tunes while you take a walk or a bike ride while you are enjoying some terrific weather.

Treat your mind, body, and soul to some alone time to get you in the groove for your day. Maintaining a healthy body takes time, sacrifice, and effort. Once you succeed with your exercise program you will notice everything else will seem to fall into place due to the time you have found in your day to make life happen.