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The fantasy

I believe that when most people make resolutions, they are tempted to imagine their lives the way they wish they were, opposed to the way they really are.

My personal favorite is pretending like I am a morning person.

I have this wonderful image in my mind of waking up refreshed at 6:00 A.M., leaping straight from my bed into my running shoes. I run three miles, come home, and make myself an egg white omelet. I walk out of the door on time for work or school, peppy and energized…

The reality

…and then I wake up. To my fourth alarm. My dog is licking my face and I am very late. I brush my teeth, throw my hair in a ponytail and put on the first outfit I see. The only exercise I get is racing against the clock.

I fully understand how difficult it is to schedule one-to-two-hour blocks of time to exercise, particularly when you are balancing an obscene amount of critical items on your to-do list. Some days I can spare two hours, and when I get back from these workouts I feel incredible.

Often, however, getting to the gym is not even a remote possibility.

23 years of experience has taught me that waking up at 5:30 A.M. is not an option, either.

The solution

Fortunately, the 45 minutes of exercise recommended by the Attorney General does not need to be consecutive. This recommendation can easily be divided into three 15-minute intervals spaced throughout the day at your convenience. Taking a brief walk after a meal is often the best way to stay active on days when outside obligations are overwhelming.

Another thing to consider is incorporating activity into your daily life. Small choices really do add up over the course of a month and take little extra energy. Consider:

  • Taking the stairs instead of the elevator
  • Parking further from your destination
  • Doing 25 crunches during commercial breaks
  • Stretching while watching your favorite show

Give up your favorite fantasies and throw out your favorite excuses. Life is exactly the way that it is right now, and that is not likely to change anytime soon. You know your personality, body and schedule better than anybody else.

So make time.

2 Responses to “Making time to exercise”

  1. […] my mottoes is “save it for dessert.” Most of my meals are healthy and I attempt to stay consistently active throughout the day. However, dessert is a daily occurrence for me. Sometimes an obscene amount of […]

  2. […] to five times each week. The full 45 minutes does not need to be done in one session, and can be broken down into smaller segments if necessary. There are two basic kinds of […]

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