Don’t have the time to work out?

Have you always wanted to “get into a workout routine” but just can’t seem to find the time?  Do other things like work, gatherings with friends, laundry, sleep, eating, watching tv, browsing Facebook, etc. always suck up all your extra time?  Let me tell you- there will ALWAYS be a million other things to do rather than work out.  Life is chock full o’ distractions and you won’t even need to look beyond your own home for a “Top 10 Things To Do Instead Of Going To The Gym”.  This trap gets a ton of people in a state of feeling stuck and it’s not a great place to be.  How, then, can you find the time- amongst all other activities and commitments- to exercise??  The key is that you must MAKE the time.  Exercise and living well must be a priority in your life.  This means putting it at the (near) top of your “To Do” list each day.  At first glance, a day may seem full of this and that; there’s no time to fit in the gym.  But take a closer look- the 2o minutes you spend reading the Facebook news feed, the 20 minutes you spend flipping through the TV channels, and the 20 minutes you spend lounging around after work could translate into a SOLID HOUR of workout time, if you plan accordingly!  Yes you may work a full time job, have kids, a spouse, a hobby, and a million other responsibilities to juggle, but I still challenge you to find the time.  I know people who wake up at 4am to get their workout done for the day because that’s the only time it will fit their schedule.  I know other people who are at the gym until closing time at 10pm because its the only hour of the day they can work out.  If you want it bad enough, you will make it work.

Think about the goals you have for yourself and your healthy lifestyle.  Write them down. Make them visible.  Post them near the TV or the computer, so you don’t choose the Boob Tube over the ARC trainer.  Post them near the fridge or the cupboard so that you don’t choose the Ring Dings or Mac & Cheese in a box over the baked chicken and veggies or the dried fruit and nuts.  Life is about the choices you make at any given moment in time.  Keep making positive, healthy choices that will carry you  one step closer to your goals.  Choose to MAKE the time to exercise and eat well.  Sometimes that might mean sacrificing a night of drinking with friends, another dinner party, girls night, or after work happy hour.  I’m not saying to give up your social life at all, but instead find the balance point at which you can honour the commitment you’ve made to your goals & honour your commitments to friends and family.

Excuses don’t produce results.  Hard work, dedication, commitment, and planning do.  Next time you tell yourself that you don’t have the time to work out, think about this: Taking 1 hour a day for yourself is only 4% of the entire day.  Make time for the 4%.