Fitness Friday: Routines

As the season changes, so do many of our daily routines. Sometimes that can be a good thing; sometimes not...especially when it comes to exercise.

Here's an excerpt from the "Preparation" chapter of my first book, Intentional Fitness:

Then it (the new routine at the gym) starts to get a little old—same time, same routine, same equipment. What was once shiny and new becomes bothersome and mundane. Concurrently, the busyness of life sets in. Kids need rides to soccer practice, help with their homework. And well, they need to eat.

The “special project” at work requires you to work overtime. You miss one day at the gym, but you vow that you’ll get back at it the next time. Then a friend calls and says, “Let’s go do something fun,” or one of the kids gets sick and needs your attention. Before you know it, you’ve missed several weeks and your resolve is completely eaten away. The underlying guilt turns into complete apathy. Who cares anyway?

Been there, done that, have a closet full of t-shirts! I can’t tell you how many different gyms, programs and workout centers I’ve joined and how much home equipment I’ve cycled through over the past 20 years. In fact, some of it is still collecting dust in my living room! Each time I started, my resolve gave me the motivation to make time in my schedule. And each time, I enjoyed tangible results like increased energy and decreased weight—for a while.

But also each time, the infamous “something” caused me to fall away and lapse back into my fitness-less life. 

...

So what is the solution? Where can I find endless motivation?

...

 We all know that no one else can exercise or eat right for us. It really is up to us. In fact, if someone tells us they intend to lose weight and bulk up but have no plans to exercise, we’d question their sanity.

As I sit back laughing, yet remaining unchanged, what is the difference between me and those who find the time for fitness and will work it into their schedules, no matter what obstacles they face?

Simple. They’ve made a decision with resolve that they are the only ones who can change their own lives. Then they make a plan and discipline themselves to follow through. They are intentional in their effort to be healthy, and they reap the benefits in quality of life. Even when they must temporarily take a break due to life’s circumstances, or miss a time or two of working out, or enjoy a slice of cheesecake, they don’t let that sidetrack them for long. Life for them is missing something without exercise. 

Most of us easily do steps one and two (make a decision and a plan), but often fall short on step three (discipline to follow the plan). Therefore, we don’t reap the benefits. 

Take a bit of time over the next week to go over your daily routines, and resolve to include time to exercise. As with everything, seek God for what will work best for you this next season.

Then resolve to make it happen. You can do it!