Are you one of those people whose intention is right, but you can’t seem to get up and get exercising. You know all the benefits of exercise, have bought the latest trainers that are still lying in a box, have subscribed to various fitness apps, enjoy reading about health and wellbeing BUT when it comes down to the real thing, you are simply not motivated enough.
With your hands deep inside a big bag of chips, you think, “I’ll start tomorrow, or next week, or when its warmer…” The excuses will keep coming but reality is the body you are choosing to live with. Exercise is not just about looking good; that’s an added bonus, its about how you feel from the inside out. Your body is not going to change if you don’t. And more importantly, how you take care of yourself shows in your physical and mental form.
Here are a few tips that I hope will help you rethink exercise and actually get you going:
• Get up half an hour earlier and dedicate it to exercise. I am not saying an hour, not even 45 minutes, just 30 minutes every morning set aside for exercise. Start with a morning walk if you have never exercised before, explore a group class, put on an exercise tape, or just get moving on your terrace. The important thing is to begin and to stay the course. This half an hour is dedicated to your body; remember it’s the only place you live in.
• Be honest with yourself. We all care about how we look and feel whatever we may say to ourselves or to others. Honesty is a good place to start: have a really good look at your body in the mirror, see how it looks and what are the areas that you can work on. Also examine how you feel through the day: do you feel sluggish, slow, have brain fog, low self-esteem or lower confidence around people who are fit, active and energetic through the day. Now take this honest assessment and resolve to do something about it. Also know that its not going to happen overnight; change takes time. It took years of bad habits and abuse to get where you did; it will take time to make things right. There will be times you slip up and stumble but don’t be hard on yourself. Just step right back into routine.
• Food is a huge part of your wellbeing. You are literally what you eat. Please make a habit to make conscious choices when it comes to your meals. Eat what’s fresh and in season. Include lots of vegetables and fruits in your diet. Cut your portions if you are overweight but do it systematically so that you are not left craving or ready to binge. Consult a nutritionist. Most times, people eat without thinking, without feeling hungry, and with no thought to what’s going into their bodies. Just being aware of your hunger and attuned to your nutritional requirements will ensure that you eat healthy and stay well hydrated.
• Your mind is your most powerful tool. Ultimately the success of anything you desire is dependent on how you choose and prioritize what you do with your time. Commitment to your health may not be on top of your list, but if you decide to make it so, you will see that the positive effects will spillover to all other aspects of your life: your work, your relationships, your hobbiess. If you think you can do it, you can.
Exercise is non negotiable for me. And yet I understand that it is not easy for a lot of people to commit to structured exercise. I also know that the benefits are immense and I can only encourage you to take the first few steps. One most effective tip is to make it easy for yourself to exercise. Don’t expect to fall in love with your fitness routine. Don’t go looking for big and hard things to do at the very onset. Start small, start where you are, start with what you have but stay consistent and seek progression. At some point you will find something that you love doing. It could be boxing, yoga, running, gym or a combination of different things, but you will find it if you don’t stop.
