Time Poor

OK, let's be honest, many of us are pressed for time these days. Life is busy and despite often commenting that things will slow down soon enough, who am I kidding, they won't. They never do. There is always mouths to feed, babies to dress, nappies to change (boy will I be stoked when this part of my life ends), a house to clean (not that it is), people to meet, coffee to drink, and work to be done.

The business of life naturally makes it difficult to find time (or make time) for exercise. Realistically it's also the same reason we are so prone to grab takeaway for dinner or make a fleeting visit to a drive-through. I've been guilty of this many times. The easy option, or so it seems.

There was a point in time where I wished KFC had frequent driver points. I'd have earned a free meal every week. And of course, being as lazy as I was, unwrapping that burger and lifting it to my mouth counted as my daily exercise.

Before I had Jim and Bob, I was living the high DINK (double income, no kids) life. Friday night drinks with friends (OK, this still happens), weekend trips away with Muscle Man, dinners out, and take-away meals weekly. Basically all the signs of an expendable income and in my case, an expanding waist line also!

It was so easy to make excuses to avoid working up a sweat. "My make-up might run", "I could strain something", "I don't own gym clothes", "I have no co-ordination" and the most common excuse "I don't have time". Well I guess here's the news flash - You don't have time to NOT exercise. Cliche yes, but we really do only have one body and one life. I am positive that the majority of us want it to the best we can make it.

The Australian Heart Foundation has the following recommendation:

The Heart Foundation and other leading authorities recommend at least 30 minutes
of moderate-intensity physical activity on all or most days of the week. This can be accumulated in bouts of ten minutes or more if this is more convenient.
http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/healthy_living/physical_activity.htm

Now, even though it's not specified here, I would take that as INTENTIONAL exercise. Sadly this means thinking about it does not count. It also means walking to the mailbox (which in my case is 15 metres from my front door), walking to the fridge, changing the Chanel's on the TV, and tying your shoelaces does not count (if only).

No, you have to get up, get out, and get moving (Sheesh, all I need is pom poms and a mini skirt and I could be a cheerleader, Give me a G.....).

Beginning with those "Baby steps" http://fitandfabmamma.blogspot.com/2008/05/baby-steps.html is a great place to start. Park the car further from your destination and walk. Take the stairs rather than the lift, walk the kids to and from School. The physical benefits of working up a sweat (or the makings of one) truly are amazing.

Today I was feeling quite lethargic from Bob's incessant waking through the night (how dare he! OK, fair call he is only a baby), Jim's constant "Why Mum, Why Mum, But whys?" (BECAUSE SON). Oh OK, and from last night's Desperate Housewives tradition. So, when Jim and Bob were down for a sleep I decidedly thought I would have one too. Suddenly my own advice flashed before my eyes and I realised my exhaustion was really just another excuse to avoid increasing the heart rate.

45 minutes after this lovely self-reprimand I was off the treadmill, sweating profusely (hey, I jogged for 30 minutes) and feeling fabulous. Energy levels pepped (heck, I could even clean the house on these endorphins...**), satisfied and strong! GO ME!!

When you think about it rationally, we all use 30 minute segments in our day for things which in many cases could be compensated with something else, i.e. exercise. I know I do. Watching TV, surfing the net, writing this blog, chatting to sexy twin, deciding what clothes to wear, applying my makeup, straightening my hair, trying on the Slim N Lift Supreme. Yep, even despite having two young children I can unequivocally MAKE 30 minutes in my day to contribute to a healthier life. So, can you?

** I did not clean the house. Can someone point me in the direction of a blog, or similar, providing motivation for this?!