Fred Smith, CEO of Federal Express, once said, "A problem is something you can solve. Otherwise, it's a fact of life." When you have some ache or pain, one of the first questions you have to answer is, "Is this a problem I can solve?" If the solution requires you to alter some aspect of your life and you feel you cannot, then your problem is no longer a problem. It's a fact of life. You will have to live with it and adapt. But, many people simply do not know that there are solutions for such things as tendonitis, rotator cuff injury, hamstring tear, lower back pain, knee pain, plantar fasciitis or cartilage damage. And, instead of pursuing a solution, they simply settle for a much less active life. They assume that their life can be no other way.
Not only is this a mistake, it can be a deadly mistake. When you consistently lower your activity level, you lower the quality of your life and the length of it. Less active people die at an earlier age than those who are more active. I'll bet if you trace back in their histories what caused the cessation of activity, you will find some musculoskeletal injury that they never truly recovered from. This is when the decline begins.
To reverse the decline, something must die (and, of course I am speaking figuratively). What I mean is that something in your life has to go, be removed or set aside. You will not change your life unless you change what you do each day. So, in your very busy, demanding life, how will you add more to it? How can you do more when you are already over taxed?
You may have read my article on the value of pedometers. Using a pedometer is an easy way for you to determine your activity level. A client of ours suggested the Omron HJ112 so I bought it. I give it a two thumbs up. It's very easy to use and you can carry it in your pocket instead of having to clip it to a belt or slacks. Once you find out your total steps in a day, your real task begins.
Assume, after wearing your new pedometer for a few days, you discover that you take 2000 steps per day. If you are like most people, you will immediately wonder how you will ever fit in the time to reach 10,000 steps in a day. It's at this point where something must die.
Think about how you must re-order your life to add 8000 steps. Do you get up thirty minutes earlier in the morning? If so, then you will likely need to get to sleep thirty minutes earlier at night.This can cause all sorts of other conflicts especially if you have children. See my point?
The most frequent excuses I hear from people about why they cannot even add something as simple as walking to their daily routine are "I just don't have time to exercise" or "My schedule is too unpredictable". Everything is difficult - at first. Your current set of habits are like a giant magnet pulling you back from making any new changes. My advice is to start small. Choose 2500 steps not 10,000. Talk with your family about why this is important and better yet, get them to go with you. Take a break after four weeks. Give yourself a reward - something that's meaningful to you then choose a new goal and start again. Before long, you will have a whole new set of habits that lead you to a longer, healthier life.
The evidence against an inactive life is overwhelming. Let me say this another way - inactivity can kill you. So, get off your butt and get going. Time's a wastin'.
Make today count.
Doug Kelsey
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