Life is demanding and many of us often find ourselves juggling many important things in our lives, whether it is multiple jobs, a family, school, and/or caring for an ill loved one. Whatever the case may be, it is very easy to neglect “YOU” – which ironically, if there is no “healthy” and functioning you”, then you will simply be of no good to others. So why is it that many people always seem to find the time to be the hero for others, but often not for themselves?
One of the common responses that I have heard from people during my years as a personal trainer and also during general conversations with others is that they simply do not have the time. However, although there may never seem to be enough hours in the day, it is no secret that people will create the time to do or accomplish things they TRULY feel are important. Hence, the first step towards getting fit is placing it at a higher value in your life. Just think for a moment about things in your life that you have placed at a high value, and also about what it took to obtain it. Whether it was getting an academic degree, a dream job, or buying something special that you always wanted. In order to make that special something become a reality in your life, you had to first make it a priority mentally.
The second thing that must be done is figuring out how to fit that special something into your life. In the case of physical fitness, one of the easiest solutions is to make it a part of your life style. Another way to say it is, “make it a habit”. For example, most of us probably don’ think twice about daily showers, brushing our teeth, combing our hair or even feeding. It becomes habitual after a while. Hence, if exercising becomes a natural part of your life style, then your mind will less likely resist the idea of it.
The final thing that you can do to generate more time to work out is taking advantage of your surroundings. People may miss out on great opportunities to exercise, and in many cases there are many resources at their fingertips. Whether it is having the convenience of having workout equipment at home, access to a gym at work, or living within close range to a gym or park – yet some people still find reasons for why they cannot exercise. I confess, I was one of those people, was guilty of not taking advantage of my surroundings, and in my case, I had a gym at work! In the middle of completing my master’s program I allowed myself to become approximately 15 pounds overweight (yes, it can happen to fitness professionals too!) The excuse I gave myself was, that I was working two jobs (full –time and part-time), producing a radio program, dealing with the stress of having a mother in a nursing home in a different state, going to graduate school and contending with a host of other challenges that comes with daily living.
Life, to say the least was becoming a bit overwhelming and I began to see exercise as “work”, thus pushing it to the bottom of my agenda. It was no longer a part of my lifestyle. One of the wake up calls for me, was realizing that I could no longer fit into my clothing, and that I was becoming more mentally and physically fatigued. I also saw myself in pictures and realized how much I had changed. Do I still have a host of things going on in my life? Absolutely. However, I have chosen to re-prioritize my life reminding that many of the things that I may desire to get accomplished simply cannot occur without a healthy me!
Contributor Renna Reddick is a certified nutrition specialist, personal trainer and group fitness instructor. Certifications include: National Association of Sports Medicine (NASM), National Federation of Personal Trainers (NFPT) and Aerobics, Fitness Association of America (AFAA) Group Fitness Instruction, and NFPT Nutrition Specialist
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