Set Goal For Exercise Time

Do you feel guilty because you want to exercise but you do not do it? Do you feel out-of-shape and need more energy? Do you use lack of time as an excuse for not exercising? I know I fell into these traps. If you do any of these too, read on to see what you may do to get moving on your desired exercise program.

I am not an exercise enthusiast and used any excuse I could create not to exercise. I hated gym class in school and was thankful that only a few hours were required when I went to college. In college, I went for the easy stuff like badminton and walking. However, later in life after reading various articles and getting repeated warnings by my doctor, I realized that exercise was important for me to stay fit. So did I start to exercise regularly?

No, not until a disturbing event happened at the airport. It was not a security issue for the airport but it was for me. I was on a flight that was late and I had a connecting flight that I had to make. So of course, I rushed off the plane while dragging my carry-on towards the next gate. However, just as I was about to get there, they announced my flight was changed to another gate on the other end of the terminal that I just came from! Then I turned-around and practically ran to the next gate only to end up in a very long line of people boarding that flight. I not only was out of breath when I got in line, I was dizzy and thought I might pass out. I had visions of passing out and going to a first-aid station rather than boarding the plane. I remember thinking, do not pass out breathe deeply because I had to get on that plane after the day I had I really wanted to get home.

That day at the airport made me realize I was greatly out-of-shape and needed to do something. On the plane home, I decided to exercise. Very soon afterwards, I bought a 30-minute workout video. It stayed on the shelf for a few days because I still felt justified in using the not enough time excuse. Did I feel guilty about the excuse? A little, so I tried to do the entire video and ended up exhausted for most of that same morning. My new excuse became I need my energy for other things. Did I feel guilty about this new excuse? Not really, but I did feel a little bad about spending the money on the unused video. So what could I do to improve my attitude?

I use and teach time management principles in my work. I decided why not defuse my excuses by using those principles for exercising. One of the principles I teach is to take a difficult task and break it into smaller chunks. Therefore, I decided to start exercising with ten minutes the first two days and then add five minutes each day thereafter until I was able to do the entire 30-minute video. Now I needed to take the next time management step and plan the time to do the exercising and write it down. I decided the best time for me to exercise was in the morning, so I made an appointment on my calendar each morning called Exercise at varying time allowances. Then I moved my alarm setting back thirty minutes.

Did this appointment work for me? Yes it did! I may not have felt guilty about lack of exercise, but I do feel guilty if I miss an appointment even if that appointment is only with myself. I am happy to say that I not only exercise regularly but also have had the extra bonus of more energy because of being in better shape.

If you would like to begin exercising more, try what I did and make a plan for it. Start by being safe and practical about what you want to do with exercising. To be safe, check with your doctor regarding his recommendations before starting an exercise program. Plan to start small and work your way up to your goal. Be sure you make an appointment with yourself at a good time for you. If you are not good at keeping self-appointments, then get someone to buddy with you and set the appointment with them. Here are some ideas to get you started:

If you want to walk or run, start on one side of your street, go for ten minutes, then turn around and go home. Add a few minutes each day until you are going your desired distance or time.

If you want to exercise in the privacy of your home, get a video or ask a friend to start with you. If exercising with a friend, mutually decide how many minutes you will start with and what your plan for increasing time and activity will be.

If you need help with deciding what exercises to do, you can attend a class. If you are a social person doing things with a group in a class may be the best way to keep an exercise routine going. You may want to start with an easy class and work your way up to something more fast-paced. To determine what type of exercise class to start with call the gym, recreation center, or local Y where you are thinking of taking classes and ask to speak to the instructor. The instructor should be able to give you an idea of what they will be doing, the fitness level you need to have to start, and the benefits you will gain. When taking the class, do not feel you have to do every exercise exactly like the instructor when you start the class. Do what feels right for you. Even if you stop exercising before the class is over, stay for the entire time so you can see what you will be learning next.

If you want to use exercise equipment, then try it out a gym first. Some gyms offer a short trial period of monthly membership to let you try things. Do not buy any expensive exercise equipment until you are sure you are dedicated to the exercise time each day. An additional benefit of going to a gym is they have trainers who will show you how to use the equipment properly. Learning to use the equipment properly can prevent possible injury. An added benefit of consulting an expert trainer is they can help you develop a plan to build-up to where you want to be without over-exertion.

Note: The author of this article is not a fitness expert. Portions of this article are based upon authors personal experience or consulting with people who specialize in the fitness area. Please do not consider this article as expert advice, instead always consult your doctor before engaging in any fitness or exercise program.

Shirley Fine Lee, author of "R.A!R.A! A Meeting Wizard's Approach", has worked as a training and development specialist since 1986, and an independent consultant since 2000. She has extensive experience, helping organizations with their team building, training development, meeting facilitation, presentation delivery, and other communication needs. This work involves developing productivity tools, presenting workshops, and writing. For instance, she has authored numerous training manuals and guides, on a wide variety of topics. Her programs include time management, getting organized, problem solving, and team building. Find out more about her and options she provides on her website.

http://www.shirleyfinelee.com