Move it, Move it – The 10 Step Plan

like to move it…move it!

You need to exercise.  I need to exercise.  I moved ahead to write this chapter because I have a struggle with myself when I am working on too many exciting things and that is to leave my time in for exercise and fitness.  The problem is, once you quit moving so do our endorphins and it gets a little depressing.

#1 Make time…no matter how busy…make the time!

We think we don’t have time, but actually, we do.  I have found in my experience, the more time I make to move my body the more time I have in the day.  Funny how that works! I think it is because I have more energy and I am sure that endorphins have something to do with it as well.  The truth is, the more you move, the more active you become!

#2 Find something you love to do!

You need to do something you love.  It doesn’t really matter what it is, as long as you do it.  I love swimming and I love to dance.  Being in the water, moving around, makes me feel alive. And I love dancing. Most if the time, I dance by myself in my house, sometimes pretending I’m a ballet dancer. And that makes me laugh. So, I have a great time exercising. I invented a form of exercise, just for myself, where I incorporate Qi Gong in my dancing movement. Qi Gong with a twist.

You may love yoga. It is not my favorite. I have not learned to love it that much, I find it to slow for me. I just don’t enjoy it. I know it’s very good for you.  Walking may be your thing!  There is nothing like getting out and getting a little fresh air and moving your limbs.  I like walking in my neighborhood where I can wave at the mailman and the neighbors and feel connected; that is like getting a double whammy of healthy!

#3 Pair it with something you love!

If you love being on the water, go swimming or kayaking. If you love music, dance. If you choose something you don’t like to do but have a higher purpose, then you might reach new heights of satisfaction you would never have known otherwise.

Experiment and find what is right for you.  Some people like to play.  If that’s you, then join a basketball team or perhaps a volleyball team.  Sometimes if you pair it with being social then it doesn’t feel like exercise. 

#4 Clarify what you want to achieve.

Do you want to lose weight, de-stress, build strength, improve your golf game, rebuild your knees?  If you need to get to the grocery store, you have 3 choices, walk, ride your bike or drive.  If you want to rebuild your knees, you are not going to pick lunges, well, that just doesn’t make sense.  If you can’t figure it out, don’t be afraid to hire a professional trainer.  They have been taught to know the things that you do not.  They know what you can do that will best achieve your goals.  You can hire them for one visit, to make a plan or you can hire them for a longer term to show you how and to build on your success.

#5 Make an appointment with yourself for exercise.

Schedule it into your day.  The reason I say this is because, if you show up you will do it.

#6 Get more out of a shorter amount of time.

That is the principle of high intensity interval training (HIIT).  The idea is that you start out slowly and build up to intense bursts of effort.  You do this about 10 times and you have a really good workout.  Bill Phillips recommends you do a 5/25 – you go 2 minutes walking, 2 minutes jogging and then run as fast and hard as you can for 1 minute.  Repeat this 5 times. When you get bored with that then you can do 1 minute pedaling slowly, 1 minute pedaling your heart out for about 15 times.  You can vary it any way you want.  Tests have shown that this works for reducing body fat levels.  If you have no fat to spare…this workout is not for you.  You should stay with more endurance type exercises. You can also do the same with weight training workouts.  Start out lower weight and build up.  You can vary the muscle movement so you don’t have to take one minute breaks.  But this might be too intense for you. The idea is to increase your heart rate. So, find something that’s easy for you so you get to move it!

#7 Do your homework and know why you are moving it and shaking it!

It helps to know that if you don’t work out on a regular basis, you won’t feel as good about yourself. Exercise prevents heart disease, diabetes, cancer, depression, osteoporosis and arthritis (just to name a few).  Exercise makes you smarter (proven), leaner and healthier.  If that isn’t enough exercise gives you energy!

#8 Make sure your children are shaking their booty!

Studies show that children perform better academically if they get regular exercise.  Not just a little bit, but significantly!  (read Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain” by John Ratey, M.D.)  The kids stay fit and smart! Find some form of exercise you can do with your children or grand-children. That adds fun to it.

#9 Look for a mentor!

There are tons of people out there who have done it.  Those are the people you want to find.  They are also very willing to show you how to do it. The secret is to find someone who is doing what you want to do and learn from them.  You don’t have to do the same thing over and over because you can learn new things and add it in to your old routines.  You can diversify.

#10 Exercise just like food, changes everything.

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