Susan Dawson-Cook
People who have never exercised regularly tend to continue the inactivity habit even after retirement. The suggestion that there are not enough hours in the day to fit in a workout wasn’t a valid excuse when you were employed and certainly isn’t now. Don’t allow this false belief obstruct your path to a healthier mind and body.
A sedentary body lacks skeletal muscle and cardiovascular strength. In addition, mental concentration becomes more difficult, memory is impaired and the body and mind may become turbulent with stress and worry. A worried mind believes that accomplishing even a few small daily tasks is nearly insurmountable.
Some people allow themselves to commit to too many activities. If you find yourself in that situation, write down a list of your priorities and let something go. You deserve to have that “me time” every day and if you don’t allow yourself that time, in the long run your health and peace of mind will suffer.
Give yourself the gift of an hour a day. The second you start your workout, whether it’s a walk through the neighborhood, a yoga class or a dance class, tell yourself this is your sacred time. This is your time to get blood circulating, raise the heart rate and empty your mind of worry. Don’t answer the phone or stop to do other tasks. Dedicate that full hour to yourself. Instead of thinking about what you will do afterward, focus on your body’s movement and your breathing. Physical exertion and deep breathing can help calm your mind and improve your focus.
After an hour focusing solely on your physical and mental well-being, the rest of the day will go smoother. Tasks that need to be done will feel more manageable. Your mind will be clear and focused and you will be able to tackle them and feel a sense of empowerment in the process.
Try to avoid exercising sometime during the day. Sometime too often turns out to be never. Establish by the day before what you will do for exercise and at what time you will do it. Planning a schedule is the first step. Once you pursue this exercise routine for a while, you will look forward to it and this new commitment will become established as a habit.
The habit becomes easy once you begin to reap the physical and emotional benefits of the regular activity. Once exercise becomes a habit, you will be less likely to drop out, but make sure to continue exercising on vacations or when you have visitors so you don’t fall back into the inactivity habit. Continuing on with this commitment to caring for yourself will ensure you will feel the best you possibly can every day.
Susan is an AFAA certified personal trainer and group exercise instructor as well as a RYT 200 Yoga Alliance certified instructor. She is employed by Vital Moves.