Got 20 Minutes? Of Course You Do!

Written By admin • 3 min read

After working as a fitness professional for the past 7 years, there is one obstacle I have found that almost everyone has in common…time. Time is something we all have but never quite enough of. Time is so sacred that most of us have nearly every minute of our day planned from the time we wake up ‘til the time we go to bed and even our time sleeping isn’t enough. We all do our best to make the most of our time but it seems that we can never accomplish all that we’ve set out to do each day.

I know my list of “to do’s” always falls short by one or two check marks each day. Whether it’s going to the grocery store, washing the car, picking up dry cleaning, or spending some quality time with your kids, there is never enough time.

The point I am trying to make is that we make time for what we want to make time for. It seems like my average client works upwards of 10 to 12 hours a day!! With that kind of schedule, who has time to exercise?!!! The truth is, you do. At Premier Fitness Camp fitness retreat in Utah, we recommend that people exercise at least one hour a day on average. Here’s the key: we have never said you had to exercise for one hour consecutively. The key is, to fit it in whenever, wherever. If your one hour a day is broken into three, 20 minute segments, great…by the end of the day you can rest peacefully known you’ve accomplished what you set out to do and not only will you continue to lose weight or maintain (if that is your goal), but you will feel better knowing you’ve done something good for your body and mind.

There are so many ways you can fit in those 20 minute segments of exercise. For example, wake up and do a 20 minute video at home before work, or get off one stop too soon on the subway so you have to walk a bit further. Then, at lunch tell yourself that you are going to do a few exercises in your office, ie: 25 squats, 25 push-ups, 25 lunges and 25 crunches…voi`la, you’ve got yourself a great mid-day workout. If you don’t have the kind of office where you can do that, then take the stairs instead of the elevator or walk to lunch instead of ordering in. The point I am trying to make is, it all adds up! Every step counts, every calorie burned adds up, and every day will make a difference in your overall success!

I hate to see people feel defeated by their schedules and their chaotic lives. What you need to remember is that once you make it a habit to start moving, the benefits you will receive will far out-way the excuses. Everything you do during the day will become easier – you will have more energy, you will be more positive, and probably even be more proactive at work. There is nothing worse than setting your mind to something and then feeling sad and depressed because once again, you didn’t accomplish it. Failure is powerful and it gets the best of us, but what you have to remember is that not doing something one day isn’t failure.

Wake up, start a new day, set aside 20 minutes to move your body, and you will be shocked at how the endorphins you release will brighten your mood, energize your soul , and give you the boost to get through the day!

Good luck, I know you can all do it and I know how good you will feel once you do!

~Megan Olsen, Trainer at Premier Fitness Camp – B.S. Exercise and Sports Science, NASM-CPT