- What Activities
Are Preventing You From Exercising
- Find Your True Priorities
- By: Lynn Bode
Do you have every intention to
exercise today? Did you wake up thinking today will be the day
to start your new life, yet, still find yourself going to bed
disappointed in yourself? You are not alone! For many, it can
seem impossible to find time to exercise.
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But wait, isn't it time to stop
making excuses and examine what so-called priorities are sabotaging
your good intentions? Starting an exercise program doesn't have
to feel like moving a mountain.
The vast majority of individuals
who don't regularly exercise say lack of time is the top reason
that working out doesn't make their short list. Yet, typically
the problem is not actually a lack of time but a conscious choice
to make fitness a low priority. According to the 2006 American
Time Use Survey, on average adults spend a whopping 2.6 hours
per DAY watching television.
So. Americans don't have time
to exercise but somehow find time to park themselves in front
of the television for nearly three hours a day. There's really
only one conclusion - it's not a matter of having enough time
in your day but the desire to place fitness as a top priority
on your daily to-do list.
What other items are high on
your priority list that may need to be re-evaluated? If exercise
is not making your short list, then it's time to be honest with
yourself - are there really that many activities that should
be considered more important than one that improves your health? |
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Exercise is so beneficial to
one's health and so instrumental in helping decrease many disease
risk factors, that it is hard to believe that anyone would make
time in their day for television watching but not for workout
time.
Some of the top benefits of regular
exercise include:
. lower body weight
. decrease risk of a heart attack
. lower body fat percentage
. lower the risk of breast cancer
. reduced instances of depression
. decrease stress levels
. more positive self-esteem
. better sleeping patterns
. more energy & stamina
. reduce symptoms of menopause
. help improve cholesterol levels
. improved physical appearance
If you struggle to fit exercise
into your weekly routine, take a few minutes to write down what
occupies every single hour of your day. Then review this above
exercise benefit list. Hopefully it will help you find ways to
de-prioritize some items in order to fit in even just 20 minutes
per day of physical activity. |
