I have a confession.
I struggle with consistency.
Not in every area of life, but definitely in some. This blog, for instance. It’s easy to put it off for client deadlines and more pressing writing projects.
Exercise is another one of those areas. Sometimes it’s tough to find the motivation. Now, it’s WAY easier than it used to be. But there are days (or weeks) when I don’t feel like it.
But this morning, after two months of mostly weightlifting (because it’s been hotter than a two-dollar pistol around here, y’all), I went running. It wasn’t a long run, but it felt AMAZING.
If you ever work out, you KNOW that it makes you feel better. Here are just a few of the immediate benefits of moderate exercise (source):
- Boost in mood
- Improved thinking or cognition
- Higher energy
- Reduction in short-term feelings of anxiety
- Better sleep
So let’s do some quick math. If you were to work out for an hour, one day a week, you would end up doing 52 hours of exercise each year.
Now, if you were to do 30 minutes of exercise six days a week, you would end up doing 156 hours of exercise per year. That’s three times the amount!
That tells me that showing up is the key.
So September’s resolution is to exercise at least 24 days out of the month. That exercise might look vastly different, depending on your fitness level.
If you’re at optimal levels of fitness, those 24 days might look like full-on weight lifting workouts and long runs or sprints mixed with pilates or yoga on light days.
If you’re starting out, it might look like getting off the couch and walking around the neighborhood.
And you know what? That’s 100% okay. It’s something. You’re doing something good for your body that day.
This is not meant to be a guilt-inducing challenge. It’s meant to be an encouragement. Feel better physically this month. Do something that will help you in the long term and short term.
Do something fun! Maybe you like dance classes or sports or cycling while watching TV. Whatever it is you do, do it six days each week for the next four weeks.
And then let me know how much better you feel.