Behavior Change (Part II)
I wanted to continue with our series on behavior change you can implement to start putting your goals into actions. Last time we talked about how planning meals ahead of time leads to success with weight loss goals. For today, I wanted to discuss the all-too-often-used excuse for not making your goals happen… whatever it may be, that thing I’m talking about is this:
“I don’t have the time.”
Piggy-backing off of the first behavior change I previously spoke about, time management is a major crux for successful outcomes of goal achievement. It is understandable if you miss a weight training or conditioning session once in a while, or if you forget to plan your meals once or twice a month. But if you find yourself repeatedly saying the above quote, and your goals really mean something to you, I’d encourage you to take an inventory of what your 168 hours look like each week.
it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize how much you’re really into your goals if I hear the following from you more than a handful of times:
– “Sorry I couldn’t’ get my intervals in last night Mike… I had all the intentions, but I got sucked into binge watching (insert popular Netflix show here)”
– “I didn’t make it to the gym because my bed just felt sooooo gooooooood!”
– “I didn’t get into the gym last week because I got a hang nail….”
…crickets….
Man those hangnails are brutal though….
Joking aside, if it’s a priority, you’ll make the time. In fact, it doesn’t have to take nearly as long as you think to get a great training session in. Let’s carve out a sample “day in the life” of Average Jane/Joe:
– 7am wake up… shower, breakfast, drop kids off at school, be at work at 8am.
– Work from 8am-5pm with 1 hour lunch break
– Home by 5:30pm, dinner at 6-6:45pm
– Socialize with family/catch up on personal items/watch tv/surf internet/check email/read books
– 6:45pm-bedtime… probably between 10-midnight for most people.
Now let’s see where we can fit in a 40 minute training session in there:
– Before work – 6-6:40am
– During lunch break – 12-12:40pm
– After work, before dinner – 5:30-6:10pm
– After dinner, before “personal time” – 6:45-7:25pm
– Anytime during “personal time”…it could become part of your personal time. It is your health, afterall.
That’s 5 different time slots where we can plug in a training session. 40 minutes at the appropriate intensity is a doable amount of time to dedicate to your health for most people. You could even start with just 20 minutes and build your way up. Starting is the most important step.
Bottom line, unless you make your Health/Fitness a Priority, You will struggle to reach your Health/Fitness Goals. Period. Use your phone, make a schedule each day, and block off time periods where you will dedicate to your training. Don’t just say you’ll do it, actually block it off. Write it down on a list. Once you’re done with your training, check it off the list… I can guarantee you will feel satisfied afterward. People enjoy getting things done, and to visually see that you checked off training for the day, you will feel rewarded.
Have a great day people!
MG