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Finding time for healthy living - no more excuses



We are expected to get relatively chilly here in Jacksonville over the next few days. I have two rides on the training plan for this weekend so I have my winter-riding gear all ready to ensure a comfortable workout. Campy was all bundled up last night as he was a bit chilly from his evening walk. 

When you think about children and animals, they sure do to depend on us to keep them  healthy, safe and well. It's not like Campy can go buy himself a sweater and put it on to keep himself warm. It is up to me, his mommy, to make sure he is not suffering when he is out in the cold. I'm sure you do (or would do) the same for your children (furry or human) for they rely on you to make sure they have the right clothes to keep them warm when the temperatures drop. Always better to be safe than sorry.

Thinking about your own lifestyle as an active adult,  I'm sure you are quite impressive when it comes to planning ahead. You check the weather and depending on the forecast you know you have some shopping to do for some new "seasonal" clothing. Or, you get yourself ready for cooler temps by preparing your seasonal wardrobe well before your upcoming workouts. It's no different for work-clothes but of course, it's much more fun to shop for new exercise clothing when it comes to training throughout the year. 

You know how hard it can be to jump out of bed and start your morning workout without a glitch, so you discovered that having your workout clothes all laid out from the night prior makes it super easy to get into your rhythm in the early morning hours. You hate it when you don't have your Garmin or iPod charged for a workout so instead of making the same mistake twice, you have developed a habit of always charging your gadgets immediately after a workout so that no matter when you are planning your next workout, you and your gadgets are ready.  You probably have a few favorite outfits that you perform the best in so you make sure that days in advance, the outfit is washed so that it is ready for you to wear on race day. 


So, why can't we all have that same excitement when it comes to the planning of the diet or being consistent with daily exercise? 

Consider the time you spend throughout the day doing things that make you a better person. If you feel like your life is devoted to work, life and family, that is a good combination. However, in order to succeed in life you must find the time for you and your health before you have to make the time for illness. It may sound extreme but consider your diet and exercise routine as two vital components of the equation of living a long and quality-filled life. 


As a society, we love to compare ourselves to one another. So, let's stop that right now. Focus on yourself, your own family and your own goals. You have the time for meal planning and developing long lasting healthy dietary and exercise habits but right now you are too focused on other priorities which likely have immediate results. You show up for work late, you risk getting fired. You are behind on paying bills, your credit is affected. You accidentally slept in, you are stressed because you are sitting in traffic instead of being in a meeting. We immediately recognize the results of our actions in so many areas of life.....except for the diet and exercise routine - well, at least until it is too late. 

Perhaps we know that in today's society, we do not have to feel immediate effects of our actions when it comes to the diet because we don't have to risk starvation by not bringing meals/snacks to work because food is convenient no matter where we go. In today's society, we do not have to grow our own food or even prepare our own food because someone else will not only make your food but serve it to you and clean up after you. All you have to do is pay money for their time. 

Convinced you don't have time or just not recognizing how your life will change when you make the time? Give yourself 3 good reasons in the area of diet, fitness and lifestyle that will override a handful of excuses as to why you haven't made the time to move yourself closer to your goals. 

Don't be a victim of your own actions. Instead of making excuses, take action. Make things simple and not overwhelming. Whereas many things in today's society can make it conveniently easy to be unhealthy, taking the stairs, drinking water throughout the day, buying frozen veggies and going for a 10 min walk in the morning are four easy ways of healthy living and do not require a lot of time or energy. 

Take responsibility for your own actions and give up the excuses. Likely you are only disappointing yourself as you make an excuse that weighs heavy on your shoulders despite you having the ability to act in a favorable manner to move you one step closer to your goals. 

Give yourself a to-do list and use a day planner to schedule time for health living. Before you know it, your healthy lifestyle will be something that you have learned to love and you will question why it took you so long to stop the excuses and make the time for healthy living.