"We do not stop exercising because we grow old - we grow old because we stop exercising."
Dr. Kenneth Cooper, Cooper Institute.
I'm often asked how I find the time to train so much, and I hear comments from people about how they wish they could exercise, but they don't have the time. I would like to share my thoughts.
My life is a race from one task to the next. I have a full time job, I do personal training part time, I have a volunteer job, two kids in the house, family and friends, three difficult and active dogs, a small farm, and this passed year I have been in school part time. That sounds like enough to keep a person busy 24 hours a day, huh? But I'm also a competitive endurance athlete. When I add up the hours I spend not only training, but the extras that go along with it, like all the extra laundry, cleaning my bike, etc I spend 20-40 hours a week on my athletic career, depending on the phase of training I'm in. I still manage to make this work.
So how do I do it? Priorities. I would love to keep my house spotlessly clean and well organized, but I have to settle for doing the best I can. I don't watch TV or movies. I don't use the internet for fun and entertainment. I never just sit. When I tell people this they sometimes respond that they need time to sit and relax to relieve stress. I do have plenty of stress that I need to relieve. Long, vigorous training sessions melt away any and all stress that I feel, far better than sitting and relaxing in front of the TV, in my experience. I sleep well and wake up feeling stress free (at least most of the time). I believe this is in large part because of my vigorous training schedule.
My lifestyle is certainly not for everyone. However, if you feel you don't have time to exercise, take a close look at your lifestyle and see what you can change to make it happen. It will be a change you won't regret. If I can do what I do, I KNOW you can make your fitness goals happen.
Dr. Kenneth Cooper, Cooper Institute.
I'm often asked how I find the time to train so much, and I hear comments from people about how they wish they could exercise, but they don't have the time. I would like to share my thoughts.
My life is a race from one task to the next. I have a full time job, I do personal training part time, I have a volunteer job, two kids in the house, family and friends, three difficult and active dogs, a small farm, and this passed year I have been in school part time. That sounds like enough to keep a person busy 24 hours a day, huh? But I'm also a competitive endurance athlete. When I add up the hours I spend not only training, but the extras that go along with it, like all the extra laundry, cleaning my bike, etc I spend 20-40 hours a week on my athletic career, depending on the phase of training I'm in. I still manage to make this work.
So how do I do it? Priorities. I would love to keep my house spotlessly clean and well organized, but I have to settle for doing the best I can. I don't watch TV or movies. I don't use the internet for fun and entertainment. I never just sit. When I tell people this they sometimes respond that they need time to sit and relax to relieve stress. I do have plenty of stress that I need to relieve. Long, vigorous training sessions melt away any and all stress that I feel, far better than sitting and relaxing in front of the TV, in my experience. I sleep well and wake up feeling stress free (at least most of the time). I believe this is in large part because of my vigorous training schedule.
My lifestyle is certainly not for everyone. However, if you feel you don't have time to exercise, take a close look at your lifestyle and see what you can change to make it happen. It will be a change you won't regret. If I can do what I do, I KNOW you can make your fitness goals happen.