FIVE KEYS TO EXERCISING REGULARLY, EVEN THOUGH YOU HATE EXERCISE
(This is a reprint of an article where 2,000 business executives were surveyed regarding their workout regimens. I’ve added some comments of my own)
1. Remember the key: No pain, you gain.
This is the headline, and of course it requires explanation. A lot of executives make New Year’s Resolutions to work out 3 times per week. They hire a Mr. America-type 23-year-old trainer who snickers, “Chris, you are in sorry shape, but give me 1 hour three times a week and I’ll get your sorry body in shape!”
The executive is diligent for 1 month and then has a business trip and … well, never quite gets back to the intense workouts. Why? Because they were too painful, that’s why. High performers have enough pain just living and working, and don’t need torture 3 times per week.
2. Start SLOOOWLY, progress SLOOOWLY, doing SOMETHING 3 times per week.
The Successful 2,000 exercised comfortably, starting so slowly and easily, and progressing so slowly and easily, that even with jet lag or a cold they’d exercise.
What does that mean? It means literally just walking for 10 minutes, three times per week, if that’s all you can do comfortably.
The point is to make a lifelong commitment to regular exercise, and when “way down deep” you know that your exercise session will NOT be painful, it’s easy to stay with the program.
Even if your effort is not aerobic to begin with, it eventually will be as you EASILY add time (eventually 20 minutes, 3 times per week) and intensity (how fast you peddle, walk, run, or whatever). As you get in better and better shape, you’ll add time and intensity with no pain.
3. Mix up the aerobic exercise.
Most executives get bored doing the same aerobic exercise all the time. In the winter I run or ride inside because I can watch news on TV at the same time.
But when the weather is good I sometimes play racquet ball, ride a bike, swim laps, or ride horses (good leg work-out if you aren’t used to it).
4. Exercise mostly at home, to save time.
Only about 1/3 of the executives in the study got in the car, drove to the health club, undressed, worked out, showered, got dressed, and drove back to work. Simply to save time, 2/3 of execs in the study walk all the way down to the basement, because it’s convenient and saves time.
But the 1/3 love their health club and visit it regularly, mostly in the early morning.
5. Keep a chart.
Remember how I kidded myself into thinking I worked out regularly? To be SURE you’re working out aerobically 12 times per month, just tape a 3″ X 5″ card somewhere, draw lines showing each week, and add one chit mark every time you work out.
Is it the end of the month and you have only 10, not 12, chit marks? Then next month do 14. Let it creep into your brain that you WILL work out aerobically 3 times per week, 12 times per month, 144 times per year – no excuses!
IS THAT ALL THERE IS TO IT?
Yes, sort of …. but I should tell you what the 2,000 execs experienced. Almost all eventually added 2 days of weight training, not to build bulk but to tone their body. And almost all added stretching before and after every work out, to add flexibility.
And I hate to say it, because I don’t want you to anticipate pain I’ve promised you’d avoid, but almost all the execs work out 5+ days per week. Asked why, 3 decades ago they all used the same terminology: “I find that any day I don’t do some sort of exercise, I feel like S_ _ _!” They say, “Working out isn’t painful and NOT working out is painful, so I do something almost every day.”
SUMMARY
Do you want to get in shape and stay in shape but hate exercise? Then start slowly (maybe not aerobic for a year), do something easy 3 times per week, and do different aerobic activities for fun. Make it convenient (exercise at home), keep a chart (3 chit marks per week), and eventually add some light
weight training and stretches.
Remember: No pain you gain! because without pain you’ll stick with your exercise plan
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