How to make exercise a priority
Maybe you're overweight. Maybe you feel like you're overweight. Maybe you wish you had the great body you did when you were in your twenties. Maybe you've lost some of that energy you had before the baby came along. Whatever the reason is, it's making you unhappy. But luckily for you there's a way to change it: exercise. Exercising can help to eliminate many of your woes. But it can be difficult to make it a priority in your everyday life. So here are some ways to help make exercise a priority in your life.
The first thing you need to do is decide what you want. If exercise is not currently a priority in your life, what is? What's taking the place of personal fitness? Then you need to set a goal. Make it a reasonable goal and reachable and lay out all the steps you need to take to reach that goal. If necessary, reorganize some of your other priorities so that exercise can move closer to the top.
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Next, you need to se some short-term goals. You already have your long term goal (maybe it's loosing 15 pounds or being able to bench press 250). Now you need to set some smaller goals that will help you get there. It could be something like: jog three times this week and eat a piece of fruit before each meal. There will, without a doubt, be days that you don't feel like putting in your time on the treadmill or lifting those weights. But when you have those thoughts, alter your perception. Think about how you'll fell after you've exercised (really great). Think about something you could do to make your work out more exciting today. Then drag yourself to your room and put on your shoes and your workout clothes. Once you've set your body in the motion of getting ready for a work out, you've won half the battle.
Whatever your short term goal is, you need to make a commitment to that goal. Decide you'll follow it no matter what. Make it a rule that you can't skip a workout without at least getting through the warm up. Commit yourself 100% and hold yourself accountable if you don't follow through.
Fourth, you must track your progress. At the end of each week, take some time to see how you did. Make a note of your successes and your failures. Reward yourself with whatever you were able to achieve. Determine what you can do next week to prevent failure.
The most common excuses for not exercising are the following things:
- I don't have time to exercise. Well then get up earlier two mornings a week. Ask your roommate or spouse to help with dinner and dishes so that you can work out. Talk a walk during your lunch break. If you want to exercise, you can find the time to do it.
- I'm too tired to exercise. So exercise in the morning when your energy is highest. Get enough sleep. Instead of focusing on how tired you are, focus on how good it will make you feel to exercise.
- Exercising bores me. Then think of some new options. Change your workout. Go somewhere new.
- I don't get the results I want. If you're putting forth the effort, this can't be true. You may not be getting results as quickly as you'd like, but you're doing your body a lot of good.
- Exercise is too expensive. You need to readjust your attitude. What is the real cost of exercise? Is it worth it to you for your health to suffer just so you can save a few bucks?
It's all up to you. Make exercise a priority in your life and you'll feel better about your body and about your life.
