When the typical American watches an average of 171 minutes of television a day, how can they find the time to workout and stay active? It’s obvious that a lot of people have their priorities screwed up and need to make a big change to get healthier. Where does that much television get you? For myself, in about a month of sitting on the couch watching the tube I would most likely experience these negative health effects:
- Slower metabolism
- Craving for sweets
- Depression
- Sore back
- Five pounds of unwanted weight gain
It seems that most people who ask for fitness advice have the same issue with time, yet they can always make it to their comfy couch to watch their favorite reality show every night. Get real people! If you want to feel alive, get off the couch and get active!
I don’t want to take your entire TV watching life away, but I would like to compromise with you. How about doing 30-45 minutes of weights along with cardio at some point before 3:00pm and then you can have your fun time watching your favorite program later in the day? With just 30-45 minutes of activity each day, you will be so much closer to reaching your health and fitness goals!
For example, you might have children that you need to get ready for school, then you need to go to work and you don’t actually get home until 6:00pm at which time you are making dinner and preparing for tomorrow’s activities.
If you have a few 30 minute breaks at work, use one of them for a workout, especially if the gym is just a few blocks away, or even better, in the same building!
Try this:
- 10 minutes of cardio exercise and 20 minutes of weight training. That’s it!
If you have two hours in your day when you enjoy watching TV, try to spend 45-60 minutes on your health. I guarantee you will feel more energized from your workout! It’s time to get started on something healthy that you have been putting off for a while. Active people make things happen in their lives. Making time for YOU will keep you around longer so you can enjoy quality time with your children and grandchildren. You will be in much better healthy state then if you spent the next 15 years watching 2.5 hours of television every single night. We know that with television often comes mindless snacking which leads to weight gain.
Mothers are often the ones that give new meaning to the word multitasking. It’s like they all have a little bit of Libra in them, trying to please everyone else before themselves. Life is about balance and if you truly care about your family, children and friends, it’s time to start making a change in your life and take care of yourself! This will ensure that the people you care about most won’t be waiting on you when you are in poor physical health in the later stages of your life.
Try One or More of These Healthy Suggestions:
- Train at home: For you, it may be about the convenience of using a home gym. Purchase a workout DVD, a jump rope, a set of dumbbells and/or a miniature trampoline to help get your body moving and your heart pumping.
- Become a morning person: Studies show that people who exercise regularly in the morning are more likely to stick to their exercise regimens. Energize yourself for the day and you will be less likely to have things come up in your daily schedule like a late meeting, your child’s after-school activities or many of the other things that can pop up during the day. Always train before 3:00pm if you know that your motivation is low at night.
- Make Time: Pencil it in! Write down that you are going to run from 10am to 10:30a.m every Tuesday and Thursday and stick to your plan. This fitness appointment should be treated with the same respect as you would treat any other important meeting in your day. This is YOUR time so make the most of it!
- Workout during lunch:Change your lunch hour into a fitness hour. Go outside for a run or enjoy a 30-45 minute circuit training workout at the gym. Running and walking are excellent forms of exercise.
- Shorter but more often: If you have days where there are two or three 15 minute periods of free time, then get outside and enjoy a power walk. People who run three times a day for 15 minute durations will get practically the same physical benefits as those who run once for 45 minutes.
- Intensity vs. duration: Do you normally train for 40 minutes, but have just 20 minutes on certain days? Then try to increase the intensity of your usual pace or do interval training. If you normally walk for 40 minutes then try jogging for 2 minutes for every 5 minutes of walking. This change in your workout routine will actually increase your endurance and calorie burning while saving time.
Please remember to make yourself a priority. It goes further than your loved ones having to wait on you when you are sick or not physically capable of doing things for yourself as you get older. You are trying to set a healthy example for your children so make sure you do it! Spend just 30 minutes a day and go for a walk in the park or around your neighborhood with your kids. One-on-one time will expand their minds and when paired with something as simple as enjoying the fresh outdoor air, you will be encouraging your children to live a healthy and vibrant life!