Does it Really Have to be Hard to Stay Fit?

I think about this all of the time. Does it really have to be hard to stay fit? Unfortunately, it seems to be very common for people to think this way. I have worked with the fitness industry since the early 1990s and hear the same reasons why getting fit and stay fit is so challenging. I really think that we need to start thinking getting fit differently.

First of all, take a look at what activities you do each day.

For example:

1. Walk your dog.
2. Drive to work.
3. Walk from your car and use the elevator to get to your office.
   Etc.

Now how could you change those activities to make yourself slightly more active? Can you walk your dog a little bit further? Is walking to work a possibility? Can you park in a parking spot further from the entry to your office? Can you walk up the stairs instead of using the elevator?

Easy as that, you have become more active in your day.

Secondly, a shorter work out is better than no workout.

Know that it is ok to exercise for a half hour if you cannot fit in an hour. It is also ok to break up your workout into more than one session in the day, if that suits your schedule.

Finally, do what you love.

If you don’t know what you love, try new activities. You might think that you hate all exercise. No one said that you have to do squats and lunges. You might learn that you love Brazillian Jujitsu or dance class. Think outside the gym. Once you start moving more, you will start feeling more energy, stronger and happier. Start small and you will expand your interests and add more activity. One, because you start to enjoy the feeling of being stronger and healthier. Two, you meet new people with similar interests, who in turn might invite you to try other new activities.

Try to think of fitness as being an element of your day, like sleeping or eating. Start by expanding a little bit on what you are already doing. Then reach out to a coach, teacher or Personal Trainer for guidance. There is no need to overwhelm yourself with goals of exercising every day of the week. Be kind to yourself and let yourself have a day off. Give yourself options, such as trying morning workouts, a run at lunch hour, or an evening dance class. Figure out what works best. If it starts to feel overwhelming, then you scale it back. The workouts should still be challenging and even hard. Have some variety to keep yourself looking forward to staying fit. Find something that your do not want to miss out on.

You got this!

b.HEALTHY, B.HAPPY, b.STRONG

b.PILATES & FITNESS