Life Can Be An Absolute Shit Storm

Sometimes life can be an absolute shit storm.  Too much work.  Too many family events.  Too many friends pulling you in all directions.  Too little sleep.  This shit storm often time leaves: low energy levels, lack of motivation, bouts of depression, frustration and even illness in its wake.

With everything going on in your life, it becomes very easy to make excuses and then validate them either on your own or to have a  friend (also in the middle of a shit storm) validate them for you.  The excuse I hear most often and use to use myself is, "I just don't have time."  That my friends, is a load of crap!  You're reading this blog post, right?  Don't get me wrong, I love the fact that you're taking time to read this, but let's be honestly, if you have time to sit down and check social media, you have time to exercise.  When dealing with work, family, friends, lack of sleep and any other variable keeping you from staying/getting fit and living a healthy lifestyle; you have to get creative.  The one thing people often don't know is, your exercise doesn't have to be done all at once.  You can do two bouts, three bouts, four bouts or more of exercise a day and see the same benefits you would if you did it all at once.  With that being said, tell me you can't find six times throughout your day where you could throw in ten minutes of exercise.

If you don't hit snooze, that's seven minutes and then add three for a total of ten.  

Again, you're reading this blog post.  If smokers get to take ten, why don't you take 
ten to exercise.  Don't go out for lunch; bring your lunch and use the ten minutes you 
would have been in your car.  On the way home from work stop at a park for 
ten minutes alone.  Go on a walk with your dogs, with your wife, with your children 
or with a friend for ten when you get home.  If your not in charge of cooking dinner, 
you have at least ten while dinner is prepared.  There is no rule that you have to be 
sitting on the couch to watch TV, so there's at least ten.  
Finding time is easy, you just have to be creative as to where you look.

Now that I've found you an hour in your day for exercise; what are you going to do with it?  Nothing, unless you are motivated to stay/get fit and live a healthy lifestyle.  Where do you find said motivation?  It has to be inside you, it can not be something someone else wants for you.  If you are not motivated to: start a fitness program, lose the weight, eat healthy or be the positive role model for your children, you will not be able to stay on track.  This change has to be something that you want.  This change has to be your driving force.  If you really, really, want this change, you will stop making excuses and start living the lifestyle you want.  

If you are motivated and ready to make change; where do you begin?  The best way to begin and stay consistent with an exercise program is to do what you enjoy.  If running is torturous for you, you won't do it, so don't make it part of your new fitness routine.  If you like shooting baskets, make that part of you routine by adding full-court "fast breaks" after missed shots.  If you need to take out some frustration, get a punching bag and some gloves, then thrown down until you can hold your arms up.  If you are doing something you like, you will then like exercising, thus you will keep exercising.

WARNING!!  No matter how self-motivated you are or how much you love your fitness program, there will be set backs.  You may get sick.  Maybe there is a vacation scheduled.  Perhaps you get injured.  Maybe there's a day where the shit storm is too much and you don't have your regularly scheduled training.  No matter your set back, remember it is what it is, just a set back.  The best way I have found to get through a set back is to stay positive.  If I'm injured, I try to goal set in other aspects of my life so that I am still working toward something.  If I'm sick, I use my time to write or research so that I feel like I am at least doing something.  If I have a day where I just can't get a work out in, I recover and get back at it the next day.

My last bit of advice.  If your shit storm becomes overwhelming and you simply don't know how to make it through; sit down and talk with someone.  Ask someone, ask me, to help find ways to incorporate fitness and healthy lifestyle choices into your daily routine.  If you really want to "work toward something greater," I will be happy to guide you.  -jason b.