Health and FitnessThe 3 Biggest Obstacles Women Face When Trying To Get Fit
Who hasn’t struggled to put a fitness program into action at one time or another? We start, we stop. We make promises, and leave them unfulfilled. Here are three of the biggest obstacles we ladies face when trying to implement a fitness program:
1. Making Ultimatums and Having Unrealistic Expectations
“I’m going to run every day!”
"I’m going to do one hour of yoga every morning.”
These are the kinds of ultimatums we set for ourselves that put a barrier in our path before we can even get started.
What if you said this?
"I’m going to get my butt outside for at least 15 minutes today!”Now, that’s doable. Of course, all target setting needs to be done in consideration of where you’re coming from personally.
If you’ve not been active physically, and you drop a nasty ultimatum on the table before you even strap on your sneakers, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment.
Here’s why:
Nobody, nobody, NOBODY feels good inside when they say something and don’t follow through. When you proclaim your promises to the universe, and then find a number of excuses or things to stand in your way, you die a little inside every time. It sounds dramatic, but it’s true. Keeping our commitments is one of the most basic and fundamental principles to thriving in life.
It’s okay to have ideals, and it’s okay to have targets, but state them as such.
“My ideal is to run one hour every day!”
That’s fine, but stop and think carefully before you use the words, “I will…” “I’m going to…”. If it’s an objective you’re committed to achieving, then GO FOR IT, and by Goddess, don’t let ANYTHING stop you from keeping your word.
2. Believing You Don’t Have Enough Time
We all try this one at some time or another. It’s the classic, “I just don’t have time” syndrome. The truth is:
You will never have enough time until you decide to make it.
“But, I just have too much to do!”
Here’s a little secret for you: Urgency creates necessity, and pressure creates an increase in production and efficiency.
Think about the last time someone called you and was going to just “pop over” for a visit. The house is a mess, and you know the door is going to ring in 30 minutes. I know this has happened to you, because it happens to all of us. How much more quickly do you clean the house and get into action when there is a sense of urgency or pressure to produce?
Well, what if you could have that level of efficiency a lot more often?
As far as I can see it, the very best thing you can do for yourself when you think you have too much to do and too little time, is slap another hour onto your daily timetable for exercise and another half hour for sleep and you will see how quickly you become more efficient at what you do.
Are you really maximizing your production level and efficiency? How much time do you spend feeling lost, unproductive, or staring into space thinking about all the things you’ve got to get done, instead of just doing them?
Be in control of time instead of allowing it to control you. Maximize it, stretch it, use it to push, excite and inspire you instead of wrestling against it. You can do this. Time has officially been struck from the excuse list. Onward!
3. Thinking about It
In some ways this ties into the previous point, because it creates a loss of time that could be spent doing. Just add up the number of minutes, hours, and even days that have been spent thinking about how you really “ought” to get in shape, or how you should probably get a gym membership. Imagine if you’d spent that time strapping on your shoes and getting those buns out the door.
Don’t let the mental chatter stop you from taking ACTION. The next time you catch yourself thinking, “I should really…”
STOP RIGHT THERE.
Get down on the floor and do some curl ups.
Pick up some weights and pump iron.
Squat 20 times.
It doesn"t matter if you walk, wiggle, jump, bounce or roll! But if you want to thrive; if you want to achieve the level of health I know you’re looking for, than you have got to make fitness a part of your LIFE, and keep it that way! If it only starts with 7 minutes a day, that’s okay, but if you’re missing out on fitness, you’re only half-living.
Your body was built to move and if it’s not, it’s going to be struggling in some way or another. Don’t fall into the trap of inertia. Be the best you can be and get that body in shape
There’s a world of people who need a gentle prod to get off the couch and onto the jogging trail, and YOU can make a difference.
Start now. Start with you, and make a difference out there.