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"I would exercise, if I could just find the time!" If you
have ever found yourself uttering
a phrase similar to this one,
keep reading. Most people
say the number one reason
they do not get regular exercise
is lack of time. It makes
sense. The world we live in
today runs at a much faster
pace than it did 50 years
ago. Interestingly, though,
consider that as the pace
of our society accelerated,
the incidence of obesity was
simultaneously on the rise.
So what has changed in the
last 50 years? In today’s
world, we have more obligations,
responsibilities and distractions
than the generations that
came before us did. Statistically,
we spend more hours at work,
in front of the television
and using the computer than
people did 50 years ago. We
also have more leisure activities
and the means to enjoy them.
Indeed, we have the same amount
of hours in each day as we
did 50 years ago. The difference
is, we just choose to use
them differently. Our children
spend their afternoons playing
video games instead of playing
outside. As adults, we have
replaced active, calorie burning
time with computer and TV
time. Not only do we have
hundreds of television channels
to choose from, we don’t even
have to get off the couch
to flip through them anymore.
So in this hurry-up, internet-surfing
world that we live in now,
how do we find the time to
exercise? Each of us has only
24 hours in each day. No more,
no less. In order to exercise
for 30 minutes a day, you
must take a 30 minute block
of time from the 24 hours
you start with. You see, it
is not about finding the time
to exercise. It is about making
the time. We make time for
important appointments like
the doctor, a haircut, or
parent-teacher night. Why
not schedule yourself an appointment
for exercise? Block off the
time, in writing, so that
something does not come along
to take its place. In reality,
what you are doing is assigning
exercise a high priority by
putting it on the same level
as your other appointments
that you don’t intend to miss.
You say you just don’t have
a big block of time in your
appointment book? Break up
exercise in to smaller pieces.
Can you walk around the field
at your daughter’s soccer
game, instead of just sitting
in the car or on a lawn chair?
Can you do a few arm curls,
push-ups or sit-ups during
a commercial break? Can you
cut out a half hour of television
three days a week and take
a walk in your neighborhood
instead? Once you get into
the habit of making the time
to exercise, you will find
that you had more flexibility
in your schedule than you
thought. So don’t wait for
the time to find you, start
now by making the time for
exercise. copyright 2006 Jennifer
D. Wetmore, DPT You may reprint
the above information in its
entirety in your publication.
Please provide notification
to the author of any reprinting
at articles@lifehealthpt.com.
Jennifer D. Wetmore, DPT has
been involved in the field
of Health and Fitness for
over a decade, working with
a range of clients and patients
from health clubs to hospitals
in positions such as group
fitness instructor, personal
trainer and physical therapist.
Dr. Wetmore is president of
LifeHealth Physical Therapy
and author of "Small Changes,
Big Results: The Health and
Fitness Manual With the Secrets
To Working Smarter, Not Harder."
Please visit http://www.LifeHealthPT.com
for more information and tools
to help you achieve a healthy
and fit life.
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