A Little Something is Better Than All of Nothing.

I just wanted to address an issue I see happening around the gym.  It seems that this is one of the times of the year that it really starts to become prevalent.  I am talking about people taking time off from their workouts.  Every so often I will be walking around the gym or thinking about work and say to myself "hey, I haven't seen so and so lately".  Then inevitably after sometime, said person will show up.  When I ask where they have been the answer is some sort of  explanation about how busy they have been.  Maybe it's work related (often), or family obligations such as other member's of their families schedules have changed.  But it is usually some unapologetic justification for why they just took that time off.

I thought about titling this post "don't let life get in the way" or something like that.  My point being that when life's ripples come along and disrupt schedules, one of the first causalities is usually the gym.  I think this is really defeating.  The body adapts to continued and evenly applied challenges.  If we are inconsistent with how we apply those challenges (cardiovascular training, stretching, weight training, nutrition etc.) then we get inconsistent results.

I used to teach school and I will totally admit that there were times where I would take like a week or two off.  I remember how horribly out of shape I would feel and how much it felt like coming back to the gym was totally starting over.  Of course our bodies are more forgiving than that and it didn't take more than a week or so to get back into the swing of things.  BUT when I would add the week or so here and there that I took off throughout a school year and also the summer - I would realize that I had missed more than a month.  (I often see people at the gym missing months at a time - so how much of their year is actually lost?)

Our bodies were designed to be used.  Depending on who you ask, our ancestors spent a bulk of their day scavenging and hunting - using their bodies for survival.  We don't do that.  So it is up to us to challenge ourselves daily to keep our bodies fine tuned.  I suggest that everyone do a little something rather than nothing.  I would much rather see someone come to the gym and even do 10 to 20 minutes of cardio and one weight training exercise than just totally missing out.  They gym/exercise is about establishing a rhythm in your life.  You do it because it is part of your existence.  It stimulates your body just like food stimulates you to digest or air stimulates you to breathe.  I really like to think of it like that.

Of course there are times when life really does get in the way and you are forced to take more than a couple of days off.  And I think that you can justify that maybe once a year.  (Unless you are a hardcore weight trainer - then you can use some off time as more of a strategy)  Other than that, missing weeks at the gym is just another barrier that can lead to frustration with your goals.  So no matter how busy things get or what sort of "drama" you have going on at a particular time - make time to get your self into the gym for at least a little bit.  It will release good feeling chemicals, be more physically sound and for most - serve as a little therapy during those challenging times.  Also - taking time off before, during, and after vacations is also a common mishap I see.  Just because your time off is for pleasure related activities does not mean that it is any more justified. :)

Thanks

Andy