This morning I got a really nice compliment from a stranger. It sparked a conversation about working out. It was also a nice start to my day 🙂 We got to talking about how he has been putting in a lot of effort to getting back to being fit again.
There were 3 major points to our chat.
- 1. Be consistent
- 2. Stick with what you like
- 3. Create the time
What can you do on a regular basis?
Consistency is always, always going to be number one. It gives our bodies the daily (ideally) reminder that we need to move our body. Helping it to make adaptations to be more effective in doing so, like building stronger bones and muscles or increasing the ability of our heart and lungs to deliver oxygen and nutrients to sustain our efforts. In turn this yields the results we see in others that we would like to be reflected in ourselves. Which are short term gratifying goals, although it may take months and years to achieve said goals. In the long term we ultimately achieve health in the avoidance of chronic disease, but few of us ever really think that far ahead until after the fact.
Have your go-to’s but don’t be afraid to expand your horizons
So, in the short term what will help you be effective in staying consistent is doing activity that you really enjoy. Finding exactly what that is may require some exploring on your end. And if you are lucky enough to find those few exercises or types of activities that you really enjoy don’t be afraid to continue to explore fitness and physical activity. You never know if your new favorite recreational sport or activty is waiting for you at the gym down the street or at your local parks and recreation activity center. The more things you learn to enjoy the more variety you have to fall back on when your routine gets stale.
How to fit fitness into your busy day
On that note, the best routine is the one that you do. The challenge: Finding the time.
One tactic that works well is building on top of things that you already do very well. For example: if you manage your own schedule effectively, then schedule time in your calendar for your workouts. Another example may be that you prefer to sip a cup of coffee early every morning enjoying the silence before anyone else wakes up. Add a walk or other form of enjoyable physical activity afterwords. For most busy adults, we prioritize so many other responsibilities before we get the opportunity to do something for ourselves. By the time we have a moment for that the day is done.
In retrospect, prioritizing our own health through fitness is going to improve our ability to be productive, stay mentally and physical capable of doing work and allow us to have something from our own cup to pour into others. If you are coming from a place where in the past you felt very fit but it has fallen to the wayside then you know this to be true. So remember what you enjoy doing, be consistent with it and create the time for it. Like the new aquaintance I made today, it can seem daunting trying to get back to being fit. Keep in mind that you know the path back as you have traveled it before. You just have to keep walking it.
