Right where you are!

How many times have we thought about exercising? Or more importantly, trying to positively change the way we think about exercise in an effort to justify making a commitment to a fitness program? Well, for one, finding the right motivation to begin any fitness program for some of us can be pretty daunting. You know what I mean, the "New Years resolution", or the "tomorrow I'm going to get started for sure" statements. Or how about this one, "I just can't seem to find the time to fit exercise into my busy schedule". We have all used these contemplative statements, but how many of us actually put these phrases into action? Needless to say, there has never been a better time to exercise than right now. Right were you are at!

So what do I mean when I say right now, right where you are at? Since the onset of this pandemic, exercise has found its way into millions of homes via the internet. Online fitness programs have proliferated so quickly, we now find ourselves overwhelmed with options. Not only are the options plentiful, but for those of us that now find themselves working from home, the train has now departed that stop called "Procrastination". So what is precluding us from choosing exercise? A growing number of us have the time. Could it be due to limited resources such as current fiscal obligations? Well, there are a plethora of "Free" fitness programs out there for those who choose to employ them.

Succinctly, if we never take the time, or allocate the time for fitness, that "time" may never come to fruition. So for me, the best time to begin any fitness program is "right where we are at". Yes, truly, I mean, right where you are at. For instance, let's say that I am sitting on the couch watching a movie and I need to go to the bathroom. Would I not pause the movie to go relieve myself? Of course I would. In that same moment, what is keeping me from doing 10 push-ups during this brief intermission as well? Absolutely nothing. The truth is, there is possibly something keeping us from taking advantage of this time and that something could be our "Mindset".

As I started to age, it was apparent that I had to change my mental perspective of "Fitness". I soon came to the realization that certain life changing factors such as ageing, hypertension, PTSD, and the ability to play with my daughter and grandchildren where of the utmost importance. For me, exercising for 30 minutes ~ 150 minutes a week had to become a way of life. If I wanted to maintain a healthier lifestyle it was going to require me to make a choice. The choice was plain and simple; exercise on a consistent basis or, allow myself to succumb to these potentially life altering/threatening, physiological/psychological conditions. Well, as I would suspect most of us would do, I chose to exercise. I had to convince myself that exercising consistently was just as important as breathing, eating, hydration, or that over 50 doctors' visit that we dread every 5-10 years. Needless to say, I no longer viewed exercise as an option, but a way of life. By maintaining a consistent fitness program, I have maintained and improved my ADL'S, (activities of daily living). Through the use of proper fitness programming, I have been able to maintain and even improve in the areas of flexibility, balance, muscular strength and endurance, and overall power. As we get older, we tend to see a decline in these areas, which for me, would be potentially life altering.

So how do we get started right now, "right where you are at"? For some of us, we can just lace up our shoes, head out the door and walk a few steps or blocks, while maintaining social distancing of course. On the other hand, when its time to take it to the next level, schedule an appointment with your physician and inform him or her of your fitness intentions. Perhaps you should do that first, just in case you have an underlying condition/s which would preclude you from walking or performing certain types of moderate to intense physical activity. In either case, a doctors visit could be used as a "health baseline" from which improvements could be measured, such as taking our vitals (blood pressure) and blood (lab) work. And lest we not forget about the importance of proper diet and nutrition, which will be addressed here in the very near future.

However you choose to begin your fitness program, I want to encourage you to get started today. We are all "busy" in our own right, with in-home schooling, working from home and things of that nature, but is a decline in our health really worth risking if we have the ability to plan a few minutes towards improving our physical and mental (cognitive) dispositions? From this perspective, the choice to exercise should not be an option, but a personal mandate. Therefore, I chose to begin and consistently maintain my personal health and wellness by exercising "right were I was at"! You too can make "The Choice" and choose to start exercising, "Right where you are at"!