If you want to make long term body composition changes and improvements to your health, it is imperative that you couple your good nutrition with exercise.
“It’s not what we do once in awhile that shapes our lives (or our bodies)...
it’s what we do consistently!”
This is why we are recommending that you exercise with intensity (i.e. CrossFit) at least 4x/week during the Nutrition Challenge to see great results. Once you experience the benefits this brings, we hope this will become a habit that will stick for life!
So in the next little while we will focus on the barriers that keep you from working out regularly. It turns out that “barriers” for most people are really just excuses!
So let us begin with the #1 excuse for not getting too the gym:
“I DON’T HAVE TIME”
(aka “I'm too busy”)
Games athlete, Brent Fikowski recently said, “Want to know the secret in getting some free time to exercise? Me too! There is never spare time lying around, you just have to make time for what’s important.”
Next time you are tempted to say “I don’t have time for exercise”, try subbing “make” for the word “have”. The truth is no one has more time than anyone else. In a world of inequality, the one thing that everyone has the same amount of is TIME. It’s how we choose to use that time that differs so vastly from person to person.
At CrossFit 7220 we have classes full of working professionals, parents and students who have tests, deadlines, sick kids, sick dogs, cars that break down, and visiting relatives. But these same folks have discovered that when life gets stressful the one constant that helps manage the stress of life and preserve a bit of sanity is showing up for the WOD! No matter what is going on in life, a workout helps us decompress, sleep better, feel better and be happier. Some of these folks wake up before the crack of dawn to workout at 5:00 am. There are others who leave their busy days at work to run over on their lunch break instead of joining their co-workers for a relaxing lunch at Applebees. And still others stop in at the end of a long day at the office or at school to get their WOD in when it’s very tempting to go home and collapse on the couch.
Coach Gretchen told me the other day that both of her computers had crashed, her technology in her classroom wasn't functioning, and her car had broke down. Keep in mind this mother of two is also a a UW professor, physical therapist and trainer. I’ll challenge anyone to put their “busy” schedule up against hers any day! How did I know all of this was happening? She told me about it at the gym while warming up for a quick workout! Yes, life got crazy, but she still showed up to do what she knows she needs to do in order to endure the craziness of life. She said exercise was the only thing keeping her grounded.
So how do these folks “make” time? If every hour of your day is currently booked with “stuff” then a sacrifice has to be made somewhere. Like you are doing with food, journal your activities for a few days and see where you are spending your precious time. Of course we don't want you to sacrifice sleep or a lot of family time, but how many minutes are you scrolling through facebook or instagram posts? How many TV shows do you know WAY too much about? Of course there is a need for some fun and down time on a regular basis, but not to the extent that it interferes with our well-being.
Some may argue it’s vain or selfish to take an hour away from loved ones to workout. Trust me, those that do— are better spouses, parents, friends, etc. If you don't get enough time with loved ones as it is then you may need to join the 5:00 am crew while your peeps are asleep! That 5:00 am crew doesn’t wake up before the crack of dawn because they enjoy it, it’s because they are making a sacrifice to stay healthy and to then be able to spend time with family after work.
If you are working overtime to get ahead and your health suffers as a consequence, you’ll end up missing work for doctor’s appointments or sick days in bed and you'll only end up behind!
It is rarely “convenient” to take time out of your day to change into workout clothes, drive to the gym, workout and then get back to your job, family, schoolwork etc. It requires juggling many things and sacrificing a few others. But YOU ARE WORTH IT! So pencil in at least 4 workouts each week as if they are very important appointments. They can be rescheduled for a different time that day if urgent matters come up, but should not be missed!
We know that there are those days once in awhile where too many things go haywire and getting to the gym is just not in the cards, but just as planning ahead is key to good nutrition, we must try to anticipate daily disturbances that may cause us to miss our workout. Are you signed up for the noon WOD tomorrow but know that your 11:00 am work meeting will likely go long? Then maybe an early morning WOD is a better choice for tomorrow. Skip that episode of "Keeping up with the Kardashians" and get to bed a little earlier. Then get up and get your workout in early. You’ll have a productive day at work and you won’t give out dirty looks to your co-workers when the 11:00 meeting goes until 1:00.
Traveling is also challenging. Don't forget we have a great list of travel WOD's that can be done most anywhere with little or no equipment. These are also possible to do at home when you can't get into the gym.
So do you have time for exercise? Yes, you have 24 hours everyday with the freedom to decide what you’ll do with it. So figure out how you’ll start MAKING time to do what you know is important. Don’t make exercise something you’ll do only if you happen to have “free” time.
See you in the box,
Nicole