Invest the Time and Money – You DO Have Both!
Here’s the thing about excuses: They’re nonsense.
(There’s another popular term I will not use here.)
You say you do not have time or money to care for yourself? How about, “I’m too old” for good measure?
Those are the most common barriers to fitness that I hear. They are all NONSENSE.
Facts are: You have the time and money – and you are NEVER TOO OLD to benefit from exercise. In fact, by this point in life, you probably have the extra super-power of motivation that younger people simply lack: If you don’t move your body, you will lose the ability to use it. Period.
No. 1: I Do not Have Time
To paraphrase a famous saying, People who do not have time to stay strong will lose more time when they get weak.
Let’s say people get an average of 25,915 days, or about 71 years, to live. Of that, they spend just 0.69 percent (or 180 days) exercising. That’s according to a survey of more than 9,000 people worldwide.
The survey also reports that people stare at a screen 41 percent of the time or 10,625 days.
The World Health Organization and the US government suggest people get at least 2½ hours every week of moderate-intensity exercise. A Harvard study says that just 15 minutes a day can add three years to your life. And the Journal of the American Medical Association said that not exercising puts you at greater risk than smoking and diabetes.
Still, say you don’t have time?
It’s Too Expensive
Last time I checked, walking around the neighborhood was free. So is working in the garden. So is tossing a frisbee with your grandkids. So is jogging and countless other forms of good exercise.
If you want to join a studio, gym, or other fitness center, there are many options for every budget.
Exercise reduces healthcare costs, including medications, and the time lost to illness and injury. Investing in yourself with fitness pays huge dividends, including financially.
Compare it to...
1. Tall café latte at Starbucks: $2.95, plus tax. Multiplied by how many you have a month.
2. Cable or Satellite TV. Subscribers paid an average of $107 per month in 2017.
3. Hair coloring and highlights: About $80-$150.
4. Smoking and drinking: The average Boomer who still smokes spends about $150 a month on the habit, not counting health care costs, the Labor Department says. Boomers average another $45 a month on alcohol.
Now, I’m not saying you should spend more or less on this or that item – even fitness. The quality of your exercise program is not directly related to the amount of money you spend on it.
That’s why I offer different options (1-on-1, Partner, Group, and even Virtual Training) to help fit the financial needs of every individual.
Think of it as an investment in time and money. The best investment you can make.
At any age.
Unfortunately, many people don’t take their health seriously until something happens, sometimes by then, it’s too late.