HOW TO INCLUDE EXERCISE
YOU THINK, “THAT’S ALMOST 3 HOURS – THREE HOURS I COULD DEVOTE TO
NURTURING MY CLIENTS AND EXPANDING MY SALES TERRITORY.” THE BAD NEWS
IS, BEING PENNY WISE AND POUND FOOLISH DOES NOT WORK IN ANY
CIRCUMSTANCE, ESPECIALLY WHERE FITNESS AND HEALTH ARE CONCERNED.
ARE THOSE THREE HOURS WORTH SKIPPING DURING A GIVEN WEEK WHEN YOU
KNOW THAT YEARS OF OPTIMUM HEALTH CAN BE YOURS IF YOU HAD A POSITIVE
ATTITUDE ACCOMPANIED BY REASONABLE DOSES OF DISCIPLINE?
A Simple Exercise Program
INSTEAD OF IGNORING EXERCISE ALTOGETHER, HERE’S A SUGGESTION FOR
INTEGRATING IT INTO YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE. THINK OF EXERCISE LIKE YOU THINK
OF A MAJOR TASK IN THE OFFICE. BREAK IT UP INTO TINIER COMPONENTS.
INSTEAD OF SPENDING TWO HOURS IN THE GYM OR ON THE TENNIS COURT LIKE
YOUR FRIENDS DO, ASK YOUR TRAINER TO DIVIDE YOUR WORKOUT PROGRAM.
Suggestion A
30 MINUTES FOUR TIMES A WEEK, I.E.: 20 MINUTES CARDIO, 10 MINUTES
WEIGHTS (1 MUSCLE GROUP, E.G. LEGS)
Suggestion B
30 MINUTES THREE TIMES A WEEK
MON: 20 MINUTES CARDIO + 10 MINUTES STRETCHING;
TUES: 20 MINUTES OF WEIGHTS (2 MUSCLE GROUPS, E.G. BACK AND ABDOMINALS)
+ 10 MINUTES OF CARDIO.
WED: 20 MINUTES CARDIO + 10 MINUTES OF
WEIGHTS (TWO MUSCLE GROUPS, E.G. TRICEPS OR CHEST, BICEPS OR SHOULDERS)
Suggestion C
20 MINUTES 5 DAYS A WEEK.
WEEK 1: ALL CARDIO
WEEK 2: WEIGHTS
WEEK 3: CARDIO ON MON/WED/FRI
WEEK 4: WEIGHTS ON TUES/THURS
REPEAT THE ENTIRE CYCLE WHEN YOU GET TO MONTH 2
Frequency and Intensity
IDEALLY, YOU SHOULD GRADUALLY INCREASE THE FREQUENCY OR INTENSITY, OR
BOTH. BUT IF YOU’RE BUSY, AND DEFINITELY CAN’T SPARE MORE THAN 30
MINUTES A DAY, THEN INCREASE YOUR INTENSITY. THIS MEANS IF YOUR CARDIO
INVOLVES THE TREADMILL, TAKE THE NOTCH UP 1 LEVEL (IF YOU STARTED WITH
LEVEL 3, GO ON TO LEVEL 4 ON MONTH 2).
FOR YOUR WEIGHT TRAINING, IF YOU STARTED WITH 5-POUND WEIGHTS,
GRADUATE TO 7.5 POUNDS IN MONTH 2. AND THEN ON THOSE DAYS WHEN
YOUR DAY IS NOT FILLED WITH MEETINGS, TRY TO STAY AN EXTRA 5-10 MINUTES.
BE REALISTIC WITH YOUR GOALS, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU’RE JUST STARTING.
INCREASING FREQUENCY AND INTENSITY TOO SOON CAN OVERWHELM YOU,
MAKING YOU WANT TO GIVE UP.
Variety is the Spice of Life
ANOTHER WAY TO INTEGRATE EXERCISE INTO A BUSY SCHEDULE IS TO VARY THE
FITNESS ROUTINE. VARIETY PROMOTES INTEREST IN MAINTAINING YOUR
WORKOUT SCHEDULE. WITHOUT VARIETY, BOREDOM SETS IN, CAUSING YOU TO
DROP OUT.
Walk before you Run…
IF YOU’RE AN ABSOLUTE BEGINNER, A FULL-BLOWN WORKOUT THAT
INCORPORATES CARDIO, WEIGHTS, AND FLEXIBILITY MAY SCARE OR DISCOURAGE
YOU. THE IDEA IS TO START WITH SMALL STEPS.
DO ONE EXERCISE SEGMENT AT A TIME. BESIDES, VERY FEW PEOPLE CAN
ACCOMPLISH A TWO-HOUR WORKOUT MORE THAN ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK.
ANOTHER WAY OF DOING IT WOULD BE TO INTEGRATE YOUR FAVORITE SPORT SWIMMING, CYCLING, OR WALKING) DURING THE WEEK AND AN ACTIVITY LIKE
YOGA.
Time Management
IF YOUR SCHEDULE GETS YOU UP AND RUNNING BEGINNING AT 6 IN THE MORNING
UNTIL 6 IN THE EVENING, THIS DAY REPRESENTS 12 HOURS. THERE ARE 24 HOURS
IN A DAY AND WE’RE NOT RECOMMENDING YOU GET UP AT 2 IN THE MORNING TO
DO YOUR EXERCISE.
BUT YOU COULD GET UP HALF AN HOUR EARLY AND USE THE EXTRA TIME FOR SOME
TYPE OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. IF YOU DO THIS THREE TIMES A WEEK, THAT MEANS
YOU GET 90 MINUTES OF EXERCISE EACH WEEK.
ONE EASY WAY TO DO THIS IS TO DO YOGA IN THE MORNING (IT REQUIRES ONLY A
MAT AND COMFORTABLE, LOOSE CLOTHING), TURN ON THE JANE FONDA
CD/DVD, OR BUY A TREADMILL (THE FOLDABLE ONES) THAT YOU CAN JUMP INTO
AS SOON AS YOU WAKE UP.
ANOTHER TIME MANAGEMENT TIP: NOT ONLY DO BUSY MANAGERS HAVE BACK-TO-BACK MEETINGS, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE LUNCHEON AND DINNER MEETINGS TO MEET
WITH CLIENTS. ASSESS EACH CLIENT. DO ALL OF THEM REALLY NEED TO BE WINED
AND DINED? IS AN HOUR-LONG MEETING ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY? CAN’T A DEAL
BE NEGOTIATED ON THE PHONE?
SEE HOW MANY MEETINGS YOU CAN CANCEL OR SHORTEN. THEN FIT YOUR FITNESS
PROGRAM INTO THOSE SLOTS THAT HAVE BEEN FREED UP. HOW ABOUT THIS:
INSTEAD OF GOING TO LUNCH WITH CLIENTS EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK, WHY DON’T
YOU SCHEDULE LUNCH MEETINGS FOR SAY MONDAY AND TUESDAY? THIS WAY
YOU CAN INCORPORATE A FITNESS ROUTINE FOR WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, AND
FRIDAY FROM 12:00 TO 1:00 PM.
A BRISK WALK INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THE OFFICE BUILDING, A QUICK SWIM IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD HOTEL POOL, A PILATES COURSE IN THE RECREATIONAL CENTRE,
LIFTING DUMBBELLS WHILE ON THE PHONE? ANY OF THESE EXERCISES IS BETTER
THAN NO EXERCISE. YOUR GUIDING PRINCIPLE SHOULD BE TO MOVE, MOVE, MOVE
AS FREQUENTLY AS YOU CAN MANAGE IT.
Cubicle Fitness
JUST AS ERGONOMIC EXPERTS RECOMMEND THAT OFFICE WORKERS TAKE THEIR
EYES OFF THEIR COMPUTER SCREEN EVERY HOUR OR SO, FITNESS EXPERTS ARE
ADVOCATING GETTING UP FROM YOUR CHAIR AND TAKING A BRISK WALK UP AND
DOWN THE STAIRS.
WHEN YOU FEEL THE NEED TO TAKE A BREAK, OFFER TO PICK UP SUPPLIES FOR YOUR
COLLEAGUES, TAKE THE MAIL DOWNSTAIRS INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR THE TROLLEY,
OR THINK OF SOMETHING YOU COULD PUT IN YOUR CAR INSTEAD OF WAITING UNTIL
5 PM. THAT WAY, YOU FORCE YOURSELF TO GET UP FROM YOUR SEAT AND WALK
FOR A FEW MINUTES.
IF YOU LOOK INTO THE PRIVATE OFFICES OF SOME PEOPLE, YOU’LL SEE DUMBBELLS,
MATS, AND ELASTIC BANDS – THESE ARE CLUES THAT THEY ARE DOING SOME
EXERCISE WHILE ON THE JOB – A GOOD AND HEALTHY PRACTICE TO ADOPT BY BUSY
INDIVIDUALS WITH HECTIC SCHEDULES.
Family Exercises
ON THE WEEKENDS WHEN YOU JOIN THE FAMILY IN THEIR ACTIVITIES, TRY TO
INTEGRATE EXERCISE INTO THESE ACTIVITIES: IF THE CHILDREN ARE INTO CYCLING,
JOIN THEM FOR BIKE RIDES. ARE THEY OFF TO THEIR SWIMMING LESSONS OR
SKATING LESSONS? SEE IF YOU CAN SIGN UP IN THE ADULTS SECTION, OR TAKE A
WALK OUTSIDE THE RECREATIONAL CENTER WHILE WAITING FOR THEM.
Chores Burn Calories
WHO SAYS YOU CAN’T BURN CALORIES WHILE DOING HOUSEWORK OR
GARDENING? TAKE A BREATHER FROM YOUR HECTIC SCHEDULE AND DEVOTE SOME
DOWN TIME TO TENDING TO YOUR LAWN, TRIMMING YOUR ROSE BUSHES,
SCRUBBING THE KITCHEN AND BATHROOM FLOORS, ETC.
Walk, don’t Drive!
PARK YOUR CAR FAR AWAY SO YOU CAN WALK TO THE FRONT DOOR OF THE OFFICE,
TO THE ENTRANCE OF THE MALL, TO THE DOCTOR’S OFFICE, AND TO THE POST
OFFICE.
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