How to make exercise a priority
You know the routine. You’ve been busy all day either attending school, working or taking care of the kids. The last thing on your mind is going through a workout. All you want to do is relax and unwind. If you’re overweight the effects of a busy day can wear you down even more than your thinner counterparts.
So how do you make exercise a daily priority?
I have tried to make it a part of my daily routine as so many experts have recommended. For the most part it does help, but I’ve found that it just became one of my many tasks that I didn’t want to do. Currently I workout 4 days a week 30-60 minutes per session. I have been able to stick to it because I have made exercise a part of my unwinding and relaxing time. Now I look at it as time just for me to do what I want to do and not what I have to do.
The secret is to make it fun and competitive.
Find a physical activity that you enjoy doing like walking, running, biking or even lifting weights and set a realistic goal for that session. It could be anything from the amount of calories you burn to how fast you can complete a set distance.
For example my exercise of choice is running. I have 2 routes a 5 kilometer one and a 10 kilometer one. On each run I set a goal time to beat. (23 or 50 minutes). It’s an awesome feeling to beat or even reach that goal. It keeps me motivated and I look forward to beating that new time on my next workout session.
Cutting out the excuses
There are so many excuses that can trip you up. “I’m too tired, the gym is too far away, my favorite TV show is on or it’s raining outside” are some of my favorites. All of these can stop your momentum, but can be easily overcome. Here are some simple ways to counter those excuses:
1.) Change into your workout clothes right after dinner.
2.) Set a time to meet with a workout buddy. You’re less likely to skip it if you have someone else waiting on you.
3.) Use your Tivo, PVR or VCR and record your favorite TV shows and watch them on your rest days.
4.) Who says you need a gym to workout. Put on a workout video, run the stairs or do some body weight exercises.
5.) Work out in the morning as a great start to your day.
My favorite excuse is I’m too tired to workout. There is no better cure for low energy than a good 20-30 minute walk/jog. Motion creates energy and increases the oxygen flow to your brain, essentially waking it up.
Regular exercise can improve your overall health, add years to your life, improve your self-confidence and make you look and feel better. So good luck and get moving.
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When is the best time to workout?
I’ve been asked this many times both on and offline. It seems that people have this misconception that there is a magical time during the day at which your body will melt the fat and burn off tons of calories. This simply isn’t the case.
I will concede that you can burn slightly more calories after a good rest and on a somewhat empty stomach.
The short answer: The best time to workout is when you have the time to do it. Fitting workouts into your already busy life can be difficult but it’s essential to losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Here is the long answer. This is just from my experience and the results I’ve seen. When it comes to aerobic activities like running, biking, rollerblading etc. the rule I follow is that – motion creates energy – So I do my cardio workouts when it’s most beneficial to have or create lots of energy. This means first thing in the morning. I need that energy boost to start my day.
I’ve found that an early a.m cardio workout wakes up my whole body, reduces any anxiety or stress I have about upcoming tasks that day and makes me more creative and productive. This is of course after refueling with a good healthy breakfast and a hot shower 
Weight training or strength training workouts are best suited for the early evening/night. The reason is you’re breaking down your muscle fiber during these workouts. If they’re done properly they should leave you feeling a little shaky and a bit weaker. Your body’s reaction to this is that it wants to rest and rebuild. What better way is there to listen to your body, than to give it 8 hours of sleep!
Final Thoughts
I have found that cardio sessions done at night keep me up all night and I just can’t get a good rest. Weights in the morning make me tired and I do nothing but yawn all day.
Experiment with your schedule and see if you can fit this way of exercising into you routine. You can remember it like this – Burn in the morning, build at night – It’s worked for me.
If you’re thinking that I am just a morning person? Wrong, I’m the snooze button King.
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