According to the American Council of exercise (ACE), just as you make time to take a shower or brush your teeth, exercise should be a part of what you do every day, and it has to be for your own good.
First hand, it is an "excuse", not a reason. Especially as women, we take time to take care of everything and everyone else: kids, homes, spouses, chores, friends, family, and, in most cases, a full time job as well. My question is: What are you doing for YOURSELF? And will it improve the quality of you life?
I am a mother of twin 13 yr old boys. I am a wife. A friend. An aunt. A daughter. A sister. A confidant. A full time personal trainer. I hold a full time job outside of the home. I conduct skin care classes outside of the home. I operate several in home businesses, including that of a Beachbody Coach. I still workout 4-6 days a week. Is it easy? NO! Absolutely not. But I know that exercise is going to give me more energy throughout the day to do all the things I need to do. There are soo many benefits to exercise, that I could probably write a book about it. But I'm only going to list a few:
- Reduces the risk of premature death.
- Improves your mood.
- Combats chronic diseases such as heart disease, which is the leading killer of woman, & osteoporosis.
- Reduce the risk of developing colon cancer and breast cancer .
- Reduce the risk of developing diabetes
- Helps manage your weight. Notice I said HELPS. You still have to eat a healthy diet, full of lean proteins, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
- Boosts your energy level.
- Promotes better sleep.
- Can help put the spark back into your sex life. Are YOU often too tired for sex or feel outta shape and "fat"? Who wants to be intimate with their significant other when you feel that way?*Can help promote closer family units. You can make fitness a part of your life. Get the kids out from the front of the television, video games and the computer,and get them off of the couch! Go to the park or the pool. Go outside and throw the ball around or for a family bike ride.
- Reduce high blood pressure or the risk of developing it.
- Build and maintain healthy muscles, bones, and joints .
- Enhanced work, recreation, and sport performance.
- Improved digestion.
- Alleviates menstrual cramps.
- Makes body more agile.
- Enhances immune system.
- Improves liver functioning.
- Increases speed of muscle contraction and reaction time.
- Increases metabolic rate.
- Enhances coordination and balance.
- Improves posture.
- Eases and possibly eliminates back problems and pain.
- Makes the body use calories more efficiently.
- Improves body composition.
- Increases body density.
And the list goes on and on. I want to make sure that you are here to see the children grow up, live out your life with your friends and family, enjoy the time that you have. Exercise will help you do that. Not to mention the natural high that you get and the sense of accomplishment from completing a work out.
Okay Karen. That's great. I get it. I need to workout. BUT WHEN?!?!?! Here are some suggestions:
- Wake up an hour earlier. This is what I do. I get up at 5 (sometimes 4 if I have an early client)because no one is up at my house until 630 or 7.
- How important is that television show that you are watching? Skip it. I have a friend who watches the news all day long! Why? It's depressing! Skip a news cast and catch it later. Or, TIVO IT!
- Can not under any circumstances misses your show? Okay. During the commercials, do jumping jacks, jump rope, jog in place. During the show, do arm curls, lunges, squats, in front of the TV.
- DVD workouts. Can't make it to the gym? Workout DVDs will help you with that. I, personally, do Turbo Jam, P90X, Power 90, Hip Hop Abs, Yoga Booty Ballet, and numerous other Beachbody programs. Having a variety of programs is key for me. I can match my workout with my mood if I need too. Click HERE to see these and other programs.
- SNEAK it in! Take the stairs. Park further away.
- Get the family involved. After dinner, why not take everyone on a brisk bike ride or walk?
- Workout on your lunch break. Worried you won't have time to eat? Try shakes. My meal on the run is a Shakeology shake with Sunrise Orange Crystal Light. I bought a shaker cup from GNC that has a cup that screws on the the bottom of the shaker cup and a frozen wand that's inserted into the center to keep it cold. I put a scoop of the Greenberry Shakeology in the cup and fill the shaker with 8 oz of cold water and 2 oz of Sunrise, with the frozen wand in the center. When I am ready for a meal or a snack, I unscrew the cap, dump the powder into the shaker, shake it up and enjoy. Your options for shake ideas can be endless if you have a Magic Bullet! Click HERE for Shakeology information.
- Girls night out? Make it a boot camp at a local facility or gather them together for a workout in your home.
- Get a Personal Trainer. Even if its only a small amount of 30 minute sessions. A good Personal Trainer will help you make the most of your time to get the bigger benefits. Yes. An hour session is better, but if time/money is an issue, a 1/2 hour session is way better than doing nothing. Plus, you are more likely to make the time when you are paying for it. Same thing for a gym membership. If you live from Kendall-Islamorada, click HERE to register on my Certified Personal Training website.
- Enlist the help of TRUSTED friends and family. Can they take over some of your load? Maybe watch the kids for an hour or so?
- What are you doing that you don't need to do? Are you still cleaning your teenagers room or doing their laundry? Why? My 13 year olds do their own laundry, clean their own rooms, clean their own bathroom, wash their own dishes and sweep floors, can cook eggs, toast and oatmeal, and can make themselves one hell of a turkey sandwich on whole wheat! Am I taking away from them being a kid. No. Part of my job as their parent is to teach them responsibility and skills to care for themselves. Next, we'll be moving on the preparing chicken and fish!
- Make it a priority. Schedule it like you schedule everything else.
- Make it routine. Make exercise a habit. And make it as enjoyable as possible.
- Use kids practice time. While the kids are at soccer, football, dance practice, or whatever the sport may be, walk, jog, do walking lunges, squats. It's practice. You don't need to be there disrupting them or hanging out. Get Moving!!!
- Take a hard look at yourself and decide. Make a commitment to do it and get it done!
- Join an online gym, for Free! Lets workout together and keep each other accountable! Click HERE and join my SuperGym for free. add workout buddies and more!
If you can make time to do all the things that you do, could you not take 30 minutes to an hour, everyday, for yourself? There are 168 hours in a week. With everything that you do, don't you deserve 7 of them?
In health and wellness,
Karen
