Your Time Is Precious

Appetizer

Do LESS stuff. Lately, a lot of people have been telling me that they just don’t have time to exercise. While I sympathize with how busy they are, I like to remind them that no one has time to exercise – we have to make time.

Our schedules are so full with work, family, friends, entertainment, cleaning, meetings, traveling, volunteering, and sleeping that structured physical activity is often put on the back burner to be revisited another time. Too many women consider it selfish to have “me time”, but in actuality, you will be a better friend, employee, mother, or wife if you’re healthy and feel good about yourself.

Since there will always be just 24 hours in a day, those of us who are committed to making time for exercise are going to have to give something else up.


Main Course



25 Creative Ways To Get Moving:

1) Wake up a half hour earlier and spend 30 minutes with the morning crew on FitTV

2) Walk briskly around the park or gym while your child is at soccer or basketball practice

3) Get to the mall before it opens, and power walk inside before you shop. Most malls have a mall walkers club designed for this precise purpose.

4) Walk or ride your bike to the store when you only have a few items to pick up.

5) Join a gym with free daycare so that you can bring the kids with you when you go.

6) Get rid of the landscaper. Mow your own lawn and plant your own garden.

7) Cut down a fresh tree at the Christmas tree farm instead of buying on that’s already been cut.

8) Host your monthly bookclub meeting on a trail or at the park. Talk and walk at the same time.

9) Read your boss’ report or study your notes while riding the recumbent bike

10) Lead a carwash fundraiser instead of selling candy. Scrub those tires and watch the calories fall off!

11) Charge yourself interest for every day that you miss the gym. All proceeds must go to a charitable cause.

12) Buy a membership to an online DVD program like Netflix so that you can have an array of aerobics videos sent to your doorstep.

13) Sign up for a family tae kwon do class WITH your child instead of watching from the sidelines.

14) Find a walking partner in your neighborhood who will hold you accountable to sticking with the schedule.

15) Park your car several blocks from work, and walk to and from the building.

16) Dedicate one night a week for Ladies Night. Meet your girlfriends at the track instead of the restaurant, and go out for smoothies afterwards.

17) Do jumping jacks during every commercial break of your favorite show.

18) Wear comfortable shoes to the airport and walk briskly through the entire concourse during long layovers.

19) Skip dinner & a movie. Go outdoors for your next date…hiking, kayaking, running, skating, swimming, etc.

20) Play kickball with your students during recess

21) Insist on only staying at hotels with fitness centers

22) Require yourself to do 1 minute of exercise for every dollar you spend shopping

23) Cut back on your evening activities. Choose those that you can’t live without, and let the others go.

24) Serve your community service hours at the YMCA or community center.

25) Make new friends. Hanging out with other physically active people will help you embrace the lifestyle.

Please share some of your ideas and things that have worked for you in the comments section.

Dessert

It always kills me when I hear people say that they just feel so great when they’re exercising or that they love to feel the “burn” that accompanies a hard workout. I guess I’m just different.

I don’t like the way I feel while I’m exercising because I’d usually rather be sitting on the couch, eating ice cream and watching TV. I especially don’t like to feel the famous burn because it hurts, plain and simple.

However, what I do like is the sense of accomplishment that flashes through my mind AFTER working out. I love the feeling of empowerment that comes with knowing that I’m doing all that I can to take care of my body, and I really like fitting comfortably into my Sevens. I think I actually like that part the best!

About Cafe Physique:
The mission of Café Physique is to help clients reach and exceed their personal fitness and nutrition goals. If you’re in need of an a nutritionist in Atlanta or an Atlanta personal trainer – Café Physique is the perfect solution. We offer Atlanta yoga instruction, Atlanta prenatal workouts, and Atlanta personal training. We also have private sessions of pilates that Atlanta residents are raving about. We invite you to let a member of our Atlanta registered dietitian staff or personal training team develop and implement a realistic and healthy lifestyle plan to meet your personal goals.