Find, Beg, Make or Steal... Time!

If you're just tuning in, FoodWise Nutrition has launched The Movement Project!  For the rest of April we'll be discussing how to incorporate exercise into our lives, and on May 1^st  we're starting 30 Days of Movement.  I challenge YOU to move every single day during the month of May!

Before you decide what types of exercise you're going to pursue or nail down your health goals, you need to decide where movement is going to fit into your life.  Your goal is to find 20 minutes to 1½ hours every single day of the week.  Can you do it?  I think so!

Typically, people's schedules fall into two categories: those that have rigid structure in place around jobs, kids and hobbies, and those that have something different going on every single day.  Which are you? Perhaps you have the same schedule during the work week and then an erratic schedule on the weekend?

The trick when scheduling exercise is to plan ahead and schedule a time that works for the day, not the week or the month.  If you can hit the gym at 5:30 every morning before work because that's what works for your schedule, great.  Do it!  However, the majority of us can't work out at the same time every day, and that's OK.  That level of structure isn't necessary for a successful exercise program!

Get out your planner and look at your schedule for the week.  When can you exercise on Monday?  Tuesday? Wednesday?  Perhaps you can manage 20 minutes on Monday morning before work but Tuesday is your day to drive carpool so an hour after work is more feasible.  Wednesday might be a 30 minute walk at lunch and Thursday is another 20 minutes in the morning. Take a few moments now to lock in a chunk of time every day.

Write your exercise time in your planner, and write it in pen.  You've made a commitment to move, even if we haven't established what you're going to do yet!  If something comes up that interferes with your exercise time, don't throw in the towel. Move either the obligation or your exercise time.  It's that simple.

For people whose schedule is incredibly fluid (like business owners), it may work better to schedule exercise the night before because your schedule isn't fully flushed out until then.  That's OK too.  Do what works best for your life!

The Movement Project Goal:
      Before Monday, schedule in your exercise times and write them in your planner in pen.

Up next: What are your movement options?  What will you do?