| "I know I need to exercise, but I just don't | | | | energy you'll feel that will help get you |
| have the time." | | | | through your day. |
| | | | |
| Sound familiar? | | | | 3. Buy a home gym or home workout equipment. |
| | | | There are extremely effective workouts that |
| This is the number one reason given for not | | | | can be done at home with little more than a |
| exercising: a lack of time. But like so many | | | | set of adjustable dumbbells and a workout |
| "reasons" for not doing the things you know | | | | ball. You will be able to save the time it |
| you should be doing to better your life and | | | | takes to drive to gym (and the money for the |
| your health, it's really just another excuse. | | | | membership) and you can fit a workout routine |
| | | | into your busy schedule much more easily. |
| The truth is, you find time for the things | | | | |
| you want to find time for. Whether it's a | | | | 4. Use the weekends to your advantage. It is |
| favorite TV show, a child's soccer game or | | | | often easier to find an extra hour on the |
| dance recital, or getting together with | | | | weekend. By making it one of your workout |
| friends or family, if it is important to you, | | | | days, you have fewer workouts to schedule |
| somehow you manage to squeeze it in. | | | | through the week. |
| | | | |
| Why not give your health and well-being the | | | | 5. Make full use of your workout time by |
| same level of importance? Once you have made | | | | multi-tasking whenever possible, especially |
| exercise a top priority, you'll be surprised | | | | for those times you are walking or on the |
| how easy it becomes to fit a workout into a | | | | treadmill. You can read a report or read or |
| busy schedule. | | | | listen to a book. You might be amazed at how |
| | | | much you can accomplish. |
| Here are some tips to help you get started. | | | | |
| | | | 6. Incorporate the help of others, and |
| 1. Put it on the calendar. Schedule your | | | | delegate responsibilities. If someone else at |
| workout time just like you would a doctor's | | | | home can pitch in and help on your workout |
| appointment or a parent meeting at school. | | | | days, let them know you need their help. A |
| Give it the same importance as any other | | | | spouse or older child can get dinner started, |
| appointment worthy of being included on the | | | | mow the lawn, or run an errand for you so you |
| calendar or in your day planner. Make sure | | | | have the time you need to get your workout |
| it's at least three times a week or you may | | | | done. |
| never see the results you want, and you will | | | | |
| end up quitting. | | | | 7. Lastly, if you just don't see how you can |
| | | | possibly squeeze out another minute in your |
| 2. Get up earlier. Part of reason so many | | | | day to devote to exercise, at least |
| people fail at consistent exercise is because | | | | incorporate it into your daily activities. |
| they try to do when they least feel like it: | | | | Take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk |
| after putting in a full day at work. Getting | | | | down the hall to deliver a message rather |
| up an hour or even a half-hour earlier in the | | | | than sending email, park farther away and |
| morning gets your exercise done and out of | | | | walk to the office or during lunchtime. Any |
| the way, not to mention the healthy boost in | | | | activity is better than none. |