One of the tools a professional salesperson uses to minimize the shock of a high price is to break the price down into smaller increments, as an example, “the cost of this widget is only $3000” might be better stated as “Your total investment in this widget is only $100 per day, for the next 30 days”.
With the title of this article I am using this same principle in reverse. I have stated a ridiculous goal, that the reader most likely knows cannot be achieved… or can it?
Let’s break this concept down. One of that most difficult things about getting started on a fitness and exercise program, is the mental thought of long drawn out sessions in the gym or your own exercise room. The first couple of sessions actually are not to bad, and in fact may even be enjoyable, it’s the ones after that where the de-motivation starts to set in.
Well what if you only had to look forward to say 15 minutes a day, 4 days a week, for say 24 weeks? Do you see what we have done 4 days a week times 15 minutes, times 24 weeks = 24 hours. Now are we really going to achieve total fitness with this commitment? Probably not, however if you are doing nothing now and start with an easy goal to meet, and actually stick with it because it is easy, you may very well be amazed at the result.
So what are we going to do for only 15 minutes a day? If you have been doing nothing, are elderly or have any adverse health conditions, you should always check with your doctor before beginning any exercise regimen. Any of the following routines could get you started on the road to a habit; experts say you only have to repeat an action 21 times for it to become a habit.
1)15 minutes of stretching exercises – a good stretching routine gets your body warmed up, and make you less susceptible to injury.
2)15 minutes of walking on your treadmill, or better yet, in nice weather walk outside.
3)15 minutes of light weight lifting – studies show that older adults who engage in light to moderate weight lifting, are more mobile, more alert and live longer.
4)15 minutes of roller blading – a really good aerobic exercise.
5)15 minutes of moderate bicycling
6)15 minutes of calisthenics – you remember those exercises you used to hate in school. And as ad added advantage there is no equipment required.
Another roadblock to starting an exercise program is finding the time.
My cure for this is to exercise while watching to evening news, there usually is not that much that is really important, so you won’t miss much, and it usually lasts longer than 15 minutes, you may actually stretch your routine to 30-45 minutes without knowing it.
Give it a try, it just might work!
To Your Health
Jim Newell
Please visit [http://www.ToYourHealth101.com/] for current and timely health & wellness information, links to other health & wellness sites, and to subscribe to our monthly newsletter.
Jimmie Newell is the webmaster for [http://www.ToYourHealth101.com/], a health & wellness website, featuring editorials, tips, information and links addressing many of the health issues of today.
