Just Do It

Just Do It
Often folks ask me what type of exercise they should do.
They want to know what is the "best type" of exercise, they
want to know the "best time of day" to exercise, and they
want me to tell them the what and when.

The thing is, I don't think there is a best type or time to
exercise. It is simply not a "one size fits all." I know
there are articles about the exercises that may change your
body composition, or the best time of day for "fat burning"
or "muscle building" or "calorie consuming." But the
reality is, there are no guarantees on any of these claims.
No one, with any solid reputation, makes the unrealistic
promises you see in these claims.

What it truly boils down to is this-what do you like to do?
When do you have time to do it? If you read in a magazine
that you must jog for 45 minutes to lose 5 pounds in two
weeks, but you hate jogging, how long do you think you are
going to keep up this activity? Do you really want to
punish yourself by making your body run, when you hate
running?

Perhaps some magazine said that the best time of day to
exercise is between 7 and 9 in the morning. But what if
you have to be at work? Or you just cannot get out of bed
on a weekend to jog (when truthfully, you hate jogging to
begin with?).

My advice? Find the activity you like, and do it when you
have the time. Most importantly, you need is pick
something you enjoy, so you don't feel like you are being
tortured while you do it. After all, how often do you want
to punish yourself?

And find a time of day for that activity. It may be a
short walk 3 times a day, it may be 15 minutes during your
break at work, it may be walking the dog at the end of the
day. Whatever it is, as long as you are doing something
you like, and you have time to do it-you are on the right
track.

When I was in graduate school, I actually used to jog 4
times a week around the golf course. I am fairly sure I
was feeling the peer pressure from all my healthy nutrition
colleagues. Now I am older, my knees hurt, and I have
learned I love walking. I bought a wonderful pedometer that
I wear every day, and I walk. Guess what? I am now one of
those people who walks around the parking lot, up the extra
flight of stairs, and sometimes (please don't tell my
husband), I'll walk back and forth across the floor to make
those extra 100 steps before I go to bed.

But I found an activity I like, I have a wonderful little
pedometer that gives me this immediate feedback I seem to
crave, and-I just do it.

And so should you!

Good luck.

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