Fitness Strategies

Lesson 1: Why, How and When?

Fitting it In

Now's the time to address some of those reasons people give for not getting fitter.

I don’t have time.

I'm not going to brush this one off. It does take time to get fitter. Two years after I began my push for fitness, I spend about seven hours each week. You don't need to spend that long. I just enjoy it! Seriously, though, you will need at least three hours a week to get much benefit from walking exercise. Five is better.

If you can afford even ten minutes a day, though, you can still benefit from some of the other exercises in this course.

I made time. I work at home, and these days I usually set off at about eleven a.m. By the time it's one p.m. I'm home, showered and have had lunch and am back at work. If I take my lunch with me, I can fit the whole day's exercise into a lunch hour.

You can fit your fitness routine in instead of housework. Instead of window shopping. Instead of watching an hour of television. Instead of reading for an hour. Instead of having coffee at a cafe. You can get up an hour earlier. You can use up those weekends.

Need five minutes? You've got it. While the kettle boils. Waiting for the microwave to ping. While the bath runs. While the washing spins. While waiting for a telephone call. While the ads are on TV.

One thing you will find is that spending an hour (or half an hour) a day on yourself will make you more efficient. You will have more energy to do the other things. You will look and feel better.

I can’t afford the gym membership.

You don't need to. Forget the gym (unless you'd like to go, of course!). If you can afford a pair of good shoes, you can do this course. If you can't afford a pair of good shoes, just get the best ones you can.

I’m a bit on the flabby side and don’t feel comfortable in Lycra.

Nobody should wear Lycra for these exercises. The 80s are so over! If you dress in comfy shorts (not skin tight) and a nice cotton tee-shirt, you will look fine.

I recall my school days. Purple legs on frosty mornings. Stringy hair. Bruised shins. Never again.

No, never again. But this isn't like school. This time, you're in control. You will be looking after yourself, and you won't be getting bruised. As for frosty mornings, I should think not. We don't exercise if it's cold enough to make our lungs hurt.

I know, from experience, that I’ll fall off the fitness wagon and feel bad.

This is possible, but I believe you're less likely to fall off if you do something you enjoy. Make it part of your day. You don't stop eating or showering or dressing because you can't be bothered, do you?

Who needs to run marathons at my age?

Only marathon runners. I don't run marathons myself, but I can tell you it's very satisfying to be able to run to catch the post office if necessary. Nothing hurts the way it used to, either. I'll address this more in the section on aches and pains.

Running makes me puff and my bouncy bits are uncomfortable.

You won't be running unless you want to. The running bit of this course is more like a kind of jog, and I'm going to teach you how to find the best pace for you. It might be walking. As for the bouncy bits, proper underwear should help with that.

I’m too old to get any benefits.

No you're not. People in their 90s can build new muscle.

I’m not overweight, so why should I exercise?

Thinness has little to do with fitness. I wasn't overweight when I started my fitness programme, but I was certainly unfit. And thin people look and feel better if their legs and arms are toned.

Now I hope you're persuaded that you will be able to fit this into your daily life. If you're still in doubt, just remember the other things you may have needed to fit in over the years. School. Romance. Study. Pets. Children. Guests. TV. Hair appointments. Driving lessons. Shaving.

  1  2  3  4  5