Easier said then done? I've got a few responses for that excuse. In the same article it is proposed that, "When people exercise above their respiratory threshold — that is, above the point when it gets hard to talk — they postpone exercise's immediate mood boost by about 30 minutes, Otto says. For novices, that delay could turn them off of the treadmill for good. Given that, he recommends that workout neophytes start slowly, with a moderate exercise plan." My next response addresses the fact that what keeps us from doing it is, in fact, an excuse. Too many times in our daily lives we talk ourselves out of doing something that could be beneficial to us. For the worst of reasons we self sabotage our good intentions. I'm too lazy, I'm too tired, It's in my DNA to be this way, I'm too busy. I have better things to do, or (and I have found that way too many of us use this one and don't even know it.) I'm not important enough. I have to put my family/friends first.
You may not think that way deliberately but your actions may speak volumes. It's time to take some stock in your life. If you don't take care of you, you can't take care of anyone else. Personally I don't really care how long I live so longevity is not really a concern of mine. (This is probably another side effect of my depression). However, I do know that I am important in my family. I do a lot so that they can have more time to do what they want, but I may have ended up with doing too much for them. So I will start to lead by example.
I can address things that trigger my depression/anxiety and hope that you find some content that you can apply in your own life. Let's get started. Now! Not later.
With all that said, I have developed a plan. #1 daily exercise, #2 daily goals, #3 retrain self sabotaging excuses, and #4 positivity.
I've posted on this blog some of my favorite sites that inspired me when I started jotting down my thoughts. They're still some of my favorites. Regarding fitness, I've found that people use the excuse that they worked hard that day so it counts as exercise. I hate to burst your bubble but it doesn't. Just the fact that your mind was somewhere else when you were doing that negates it as exercise. Now if, however, you've gone into the task with the mindset of exercise, that's a horse of a different color. Remember if you do it that way, proper form is a must. Vacuum lunges, here I come, however that alone does not fulfill my "leg day" requirements. So plan accordingly. Speaking of plans I'll end each day filling out the "Body for Life" diary. On this effective little form is a spot for goals every day. You'll find it here. It doesn't cost anything to peruse this site and check out the cool forms that you can use for your own goals. All these resources can be found in their library. Retraining oneself of excuses and negativity is a tough one. My inspiration comes from several different places that you may not think go together. I think they do, so all I can say is find what works for you. God is my number one resource for finding inspiration to change. We all are working to become the best at being ourselves, I do it for the glory of God. I believe that's my purpose so a daily dose of meditation and reading the good book is where I start my morning. Bible Gateway is a good source of many different versions of the bible if you are so inclined but don't have one of your own. Other places I go are not listed on my page but if you are interested here they are. The Secret, even if you don't buy into it lock stock and barrel just watching the video changes your perception about your life. The other inspiration I've found is a fellow Detroiter turn motivational speaker, Dr Wayne Dyer. I found him while watching a pbs telethon and have followed his teachings ever since. Even if just to get a daily dose of inspiration. Excuses Be Gone is one of my favorite audio books.
So here I go, I'm not going to say I'll start tomorrow, for clearly I've started today. I will share my diary tomorrow listing my goals and progress. If not for readers who may stumble across this site, but for myself because I need a shove in the right direction. Until tomorrow!
