Are You an Exercise Drop-Out?

by Linda Spangle, RN, MA

Why is that some people have no problem at all with exercise, yet for others, it’s a constant challenge? We all know it’s necessary for our health as well as managing our weight, but sometimes, that’s just not enough to keep us on a plan. In fact, even the most dedicated among us will occasionally become an exercise drop out.

Once the couch becomes more attractive than lacing up our exercise shoes, we’re in big trouble. Motivation goes into hiding and the frequent proclamations that “today” we’ll get back on track does no good whatsoever.

Part of the problem may be that we view exercise as an all-or-nothing proposition. I just read a newspaper article about a gorgeous female body builder who models for advertisers. But then I read the details—how she semi-starves herself, then works out three hours a day. Not for me! Another article described tri-athlete competition “made simple.” Yeah, right! These are not exercise goals that I’ll ever aspire to reach. In fact, they just make me want to go take a nap!

Sure, exercise is an essential part of managing our weight and our health. But for some of us, I think it’s fine to change a few rules around it and go back to using common sense.

Don’t assume you have to love it

You’ve probably heard that if you find a type of exercise you love, your struggles will disappear. That’s like saying that if you love parenting, your kids will never get on your nerves. Better advice is to love your children, and learn how to be patient on days you don’t love parenting.

For many of us, loving exercise isn’t ever going to happen. So instead, focus on loving your body and taking care of it. Then work on using your exercise plan as a tool for accomplishing your goals.

You don’t need to exercise for an hour a day

Some skinny researcher who loves to torture obese people invented this rule. If you’re overweight or out of shape, pushing for this level of exercise doesn’t make sense. Not only will it be hard on your joints, it will also make you so tired you won’t care about getting healthy, and you’ll simply quit.

Instead, set a goal of doing something every day. Take a ten minute walk or ride your bike around the block. Over time, you can gradually increase your exercise level. If you get to the point where you enjoy working out for an hour every day, that’s fine. But if not, do what I do—celebrate any day that you do something for 20 or 30 minutes.

Stop aiming for the sky

Quit looking in the mirror to see if your stomach has changed by a quarter of an inch. It takes time to re-shape a lumpy body. Rather than set your sights on being the poster child for some magazine’s before and after pictures, focus on using exercise to improve your health and your energy.

Remember that all activity counts! Anytime you move your body versus not moving it, you’ve added to your fitness level and your health. So when you park at the end of the lot and walk farther to the door of the grocery store, you’ve improved your body.

Doing something is so much better than doing nothing. It’s also better than skipping exercise because you’re too tired or pressed for time to get in an hour’s worth. So keep working on your exercise program, even if it’s small. Over time, the results will show, and you’ll know it was worth all the effort.

Tips:

When you can’t seem to budge off the couch, use this three-step approach to jump-start your exercise plan and get back on track.

• Just do something, then you’re started!

When your exercise program feels like a distant memory, tell yourself “just do something, then you’re started!” All you need is one positive step—take one walk, eat one healthy meal—then mentally acknowledge that you’re over the hump.

• Ten-minute solution

Any time your motivation lags, make a deal with yourself that you only have to exercise for 10 minutes, and after that, you can quit. Then go do it. Sometimes at the end of ten minutes, you’ll be relieved it’s over and you’ll stop. But other times, you’ll feel better and you might decide to keep going longer. Either way, you’re a success!

• Do it for three days

With whatever step you’ve taken, repeat it for a minimum of three days in a row. Once you sustain a positive action for at least three days, you’ll regain your confidence and start feeling back in control.

©2007 Weight Loss for Life, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Reprinted with permission from Linda Spangle, RN, MA, Weight Loss for Life.
http://www.WeightLossJoy.com/
http://www.theWeightLossCafe.com/

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