I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard this from potential new clients, as well as family and friends! It’s not a good sign. I can’t make anyone do anything they don’t want to do- or at least see the value in, but, to be up front, what I say to those of you who hate exercise- tough luck! Exercise is NOT an option any longer. It is as essential as brushing your teeth or taking a shower, and the first step is to convince yourself of this true fact. Why is exercise now a necessity? Well, our lives have changed dramatically over the last 150 years since we have become an industrialized nation. Compared to even 60 years ago, we hardly move. In fact, many of you sit for 4- 10 hours a day. It’s killing us! Since the human body is a marvel of movement, created on every level to jump, run, squat, lift and walk, the fact that we are not meeting the needs of this mechanical marvel means we are decaying instead. Like leaving a 1963 Corvette sitting in the driveway in the snow and rain, sitting at our desks all day causes rust, decay and atrophy. Disease eventually creeps in- not as a result of aging, but as a result of sedentary lifestyle. So- changing your mindset is the first step to making a committment to exercise. A great book to help you do that is “Younger Next Year” by Tim Crowley and Dr. Henry Lodge. There are male and female versions. Get it. Today. Once you understand how absolutely essential it is for living a long healthy life, the trick is now to make it happen.
This is the step where we all get stuck! I recommend making a list of all the positive things exercise will do for you. Post it somewhere where you will see it frequently. Use it as a motivational tool. Be positive with your list- not negative. We are more motivated by positive reasons than negative. Then, go through your calendar and find 1/2 hour where you can insert a brief exercise session. Starting small seems less overwhelming and you are more likely to stick with it. Put the exercise session into your appointment book and do not move it! No matter how “tired” you may be, no matter how many “excuses” you may have, commit to the ½ hour. You will always feel better afterward. Always. Try not to have ridiculous expectations about weight loss at this early stage. Just get the process going. Once you have stuck with your promise to yourself, you can then begin to fine tune your sessions based on your fitness goals. Hiring a trainer at this point is a great idea. The trainer will create a program that best meets your needs, and plus, having that appointment, as I mentioned earlier, is one key to sticking with it. Don’t wait to the New Year. Start now. Please.