I find many reasons not to exercise. However I’ve made a concentrated effort to be in the best shape possible going into my knee surgery. So, I’ve adjusted my daily routine and started by squeezing in 20 minutes of aerobic exercise a day. So the question to myself and to you is “do you have 20” (minutes that is)?
Once I start I often do more than 20 minutes. I’m not off the hook the next day though; I still do 20 minutes each day. If I do 20 minutes of aerobic exercise a day, I’m very close to the American Heart Association’s recommended amount of 150 minutes/week. If I do an extra 10 minutes throughout the week plus my 20 minutes/daily, I’m meeting my goal.
But back to those excuses…there are many! Nevertheless, if I really believe my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit as the Bible says, I shouldn’t cave to excuses. Here are some of my favorites-maybe yours too? Also included are ways to successfully counter these excuses and get started!
I don’t have enough time-
- Presidents of the United States make time to exercise because they know how important it is to physical and mental health. They probably have more going on than me and you so get going!
- Get up 20 minutes earlier in the morning-hard to do but once you start, it becomes a routine that gets easier.
- Do you sit down at night and watch TV?-Exercise for 5 minutes at every commercial break-you will have your 20 minutes done while watching one hour long program.
I don’t have special equipment-
- You don’t need it! Do you have tennis shoes? Go for a walk, run or skip-skipping is really fun, why don’t we do it any more as adults?
- Do you have a floor or a wall? Do some squats, jumping jacks, sit ups, pushups, leg lifts or jump ups. If you can’t get down on the floor-use the wall for pushups-put both hands onto the wall with hands slightly lower than your shoulders, engage your core-mid section, and push your body weight up with your arms. Do 20 or more and tell me you don’t feel it! (I use this with my older clients-works great!)
- Do you have a bike? Dust it off and go for a ride. Wear a helmet to protect that amazing brain of yours and explore the world around you. This is a great way to exercise and be mindful of everything we discussed in Wednesday’s mindful post.
I’m tired-
- Many times fatigue could have a medical reason-i.e. low iron levels, thyroid issues, other undiagnosed issues etc. Check with your doctor to rule anything out, and then get ok’d to exercise. Typically, it’s just our busy lives making us tired.
- One great way to combat busy fatigue is with exercise! It gets endorphins flowing which gives us a sense of happiness and makes us feel energized.
- It gives your heart a good workout and just as importantly, exercise helps grow new brain cells to cognitively function better and remember more!
As always, before beginning any new exercise routine, check to make sure you’re up for it with your doctor. Fight those excuses and plan to find 20 minutes in your day to exercise. You will feel, think, sleep and be better for it!