We all know that a balanced fitness program is important to maintain, but how many of us do it? Between our busy lives and the daily aches and pains, we associate with aging, going to the gym slips further and further down our to-do list. We constantly tell ourselves “I’ll do it tomorrow” or “I’ll start next week” until the excuses become our mantras. When we look at the proven plethora of benefits associated with staying active (it helps to control our blood pressure, it can lower cholesterol levels, it strengthens our bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons, it reduces our risks of falling, it can reduce our chances of getting osteoporosis, it helps prevent depression and isolation, it helps us maintain our independence…the list goes on and on), it’s amazing how many of us still find excuses. It’s not the benefit of the fitness program that is the issue; it’s our internal dialogue. We let ourselves off the hook, we make excuses that today is just not right, and we’ll do it tomorrow. Or maybe the next day. Or the next.
We need to change the way we look at ourselves and our fitness routines. Our ability to stay fit is not measured in our desire to go to a gym and sweat to the oldies for 90 minutes. We don’t need to run in the NYC marathon to be considered fit or be able to do 100 laps in the pool. Changing our internal dialogue to reinforce what we can do today and set a goal for tomorrow will turn the stay fit mantra from excuses to the excitement.
Think about it! If today we walk around the reservoir, then tomorrow we’ll stroll through the museum with our grandson and then when it gets warm out, we’ll be out playing in the sand on the seashore with him too! Instead of thinking of fitness as a chore, much like cleaning the kitty box or taking out the trash, let’s view it more as a path to greater enjoyment.
Just 30 minutes of activity several times a week will open a whole world of possibilities for us. Think about it. In the time it takes us to watch one episode of “Jeopardy,” we can be creating a healthier, happier and more active future.
Does walking on a treadmill still send boredom shivers down your spine? So instead, how about we do chair exercises? Gentle Yoga? Tai Chi? Swimming? Water Aerobics? Biking? Rowing? Play with an exercise ball? There is a huge array of options limited by our imagination. Do 30 minutes sound like a marathon? Let’s start with 10 minutes instead, or 5 minutes. The point is that we need to move. We can do this. Our exciting, active, and adventurous future is waiting for us! (See your doctor before beginning any exercise regime!)
