By Kac Young PhD, ND, DCH
20 years ago I hated exercise. I thought it was boring, inconvenient, time consuming and exhausting. Then a friend took me to her yoga class and it made all the difference in the world. Suddenly I liked exercise, I made time for it, I looked forward to it and thoroughly enjoyed it. Exercise brought me great gifts: a slimmer body, more energy, better sleep and an improved outlook on life. Who knew?
If you’re not exercising now please consider what excuses you might be making and have a look at solutions you may want to incorporate into your 2014 regime. Take it from someone who boycotted exercise, had a heart attack and now boasts of having been able to reverse heart disease through diet and exercise.
If you are thinking:
1) I don’t have time to exercise.
This is actually a myth, not an excuse. We all have time. In an average lifetime (78.6 years) we have 683,806 hours to spend. It’s simply a matter of distribution. Start with 10 minutes a day and work your way up to more. Close your door and jump rope for ten minutes; run in place; do aerobics, practice Tai Ch’i. You can spare ten minutes, you really can. Just try it. Here are some ten minute exercise links you can use:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-VH0aTOOik
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/tony-hortons-10-minute-workout
http://www.oprah.com/health/Ten-Minute-Workouts
2) I’m too tired.
Well of course you are. You work hard, you tend to the needs of others and by the end of the day you’re burnt out. If you believe that, then it’s true. However, if you get up a half an hour earlier (which means you should go to bed half an hour earlier) get a workout in and start your day with more energy. TiVo exercise routines from television; purchase a workout video, download workouts from your phone, get an app for exercise. Here are free links with routines to follow:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToR4S5Oms2o
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20306919_1,00.html
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/thirty_minute_workout.asp
and my favorite:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/daily-workouts-free/id469068059?mt=8
3) I hate it; it’s boring.
Sure. Anything we do by rote, without passion, is boring. Remember, we bring the excitement to everything we do. To motivate you and inspire you, look at these benefits: According to the Mayo Clinic:
* Exercise controls weight
Exercise can help prevent excess weight gain or help maintain weight loss. When you engage in physical activity, you burn calories. The more intense the activity, the more calories you burn.
* Exercise combats health conditions and diseases
Regular physical activity can help you prevent or manage a wide range of health problems and concerns, including stroke, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, depression, certain types of cancer, arthritis and falls.
* Exercise improves mood
Physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed. You may also feel better about your appearance and yourself when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem.
* Exercise boosts energy. Exercise and physical activity deliver oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and help your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. And when your heart and lungs work more efficiently, you have more energy to go about your daily chores.
Stay tuned for part 2 of this article shortly…..
– Kac Young, a former television director and producer, has earned a PhD in Natural Health and is a Doctor of both Clinical Hypnotherapy and Naturopathy. She is the author of 10 books. Heart Easy is a system of nutritionally sound, delicious meals that promote heart health, long life and taste great. In the Heart Easy Cook Book sound nutritional advice is followed by family favorites that have been turned into heart healthy meals anyone can make and everyone will love.