Monday, February 25, 2008

Tomorrow, tomorrow

As we age, some things become more apparent: we don't see as well as we used to, we don't move as quickly or gracefully and try as we might, we rarely remember where we put our keys. Coming to grips with the effects of aging is a process that some find debilitating, while others "absorb in step" and find ways of rolling with the punches and deal with their situation as need be. It's generally those people who keep up with life and will pursue incorporating fitness into their lives because they recognize the value of what a healthy and fit existence can bring them.

I had an interesting conversation with one of my clients regarding her "wake-up call". She recognized that as she approaches the "BIG 4 0" that she wanted to and needed to more than ever, address her health issues. More so than her impending age was the realization that she wasn't in control of herself. Her focus, like most people, was on life, you know - work, her significant other, socializing, family, friends, etc. but she was suffering because she was neglecting her health. She was tired of feeling out-of-shape, lethargic, weak and most importantly, bad about herself. She wanted to take back control - a control that she had given up for many years -and she did so when she stopped finding reasons not to address her health and made the commitment.

I could go on and on here, listing all the reasons why someone should exercise, but I feel it best to just remind those of you who are sedentary or inconsistent that you can make as many excuses as you want - you're only kidding yourself. Tell me why you can't just do 10 minutes of exercise each day? 10 minutes?!?!?!?!? Think about that for a moment. We are a culture of "multi-taskers" so put that skill to use. Why you're making dinner, waiting for the pot to boil so you can put in your pasta, do some bodyweight squats and crunches. Do you have enough time to catch the news on TV? No problem, at commercial breaks instead of going to the fridge for a snack do some pushups or plank holds. Do something at each commercial break and you've done 10 minutes of activity. Some may not find this approach "ideal" but a little of something is certainly better than a lot of nothing. Premiere Personal Fitness