It’s Friday! Whaoo! This week was awesome while at the Clinic, but as I mentioned earlier, not to good on the health front. No exercise + Messed up eating patterns = An unhappy Ashley.
I totally get it now. I used to get so frusturated when people told me that “they didn’t have time to exercise.” My answer was no, you don’t want to have time to exercise. And while I still believe that 95% true, I now understand that while we may be able to make the time (if we honestly want to), exhaustion plays a larger role in failing to exercise… for me anyways. Running on five hours or less of sleep sucks all motivation I may have had to workout into the wind. Next week my schedule is a little different, so I will definitely be taking full advantage of my morning workouts again. On that note, I want to give you a guest post, written by my incredibly driven, over-achieving, never tired, full of energy, highly motivated husband to give you his take on exercise. Maybe he can spark a little fire in you, like he has me for the past six years. His passion for exercise is similar to mine for nutrition, just to give you a heads up 
While I was drinking mimosas on our wedding day, he was doing this…
Here goes…
Fitness and exercise are two things people usually have a love/hate relationship with. People want to be fit without having to exercise. Some people love running or lifting weights, while others despise it. Some people hate it but still do it anyway. I want to tell you that you can enjoy your fitness regimen and reap the benefits of it as well.
Here’s the key: you have to tailor your workouts/cardio with activities that you enjoy doing and also that work best for you. For me, I love intense, heart pumping workouts. Because of this, I try to keep my rest low when working out while the keeping the intensity high. I enjoy lifting as much weight as possible and pushing my body its utmost limits, therefore, that’s what I do. Some people may hate running or hate lifting heavy weights. My advice to these people is DON’T DO IT! You don’t have to in order to stay in shape. It’s your workout: your in charge of it; if you don’t like doing extensive amounts of cardio, find something alternative, it’s as simple as that. For example, tabata training (4 minute fat blasting cardio that has shown equivalents to jogging for up to 45 minutes) would be a better choice or… If you enjoy running and hate lifting weights then run more and lift less.
The point I am trying to make is really just to be active. Find something that you enjoy doing and go do it. You will feel better each and every day; meeting your exercise/activity goals will give you a sense of accomplishment.
And now to those of you who often find yourselves saying, “I just don’t have time to workout or run.” Yes you do: your health should take priority in your life, if not, the time you saved by not exercising will be taken away come the end of your life. Make it a goal/priority to do something active every single day: whether it be jogging/walking with your dogs, yoga, a fitness class, weight lifting or a vigorous workout, just find a way to be active.
Would you fill up your car with gas if it was low? Yes. Would you go to the grocery store if you didn’t have food? Yes. In that same respect, shouldn’t we work the muscles in our bodies (remember your heart is a muscle) in order to keep them properly running as well? Yes.
Find a way to be active even if its just something as simple as taking the stairs instead of the elevator or parking in the “cheap seats” at the grocery store and walking a little further. Some days you are able to do more than others, but as long as you’re always doing something your body will thank you. You owe it to yourself and your well being to be active and take care of yourself. I’ll leave you with 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 to think about as well.
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
Time for me to get busy, right!? Anyways, I hope that helps bring you the motivation you need to get back on track like it does me. Have a wonderful, wonderful weekend!
Good health,
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