We have a friend in town visiting and exercising came up as a topic of conversation. He wants to start to implement an exercise routine into his life- but he’s confused.

• What time is the best time to workout?
  
• Should I eat before or after?
  
• What about when I shower?
  
• All this changing in and out of clothes, showering and eating takes way to much time!

• Do I workout then eat?
  
• Eat then workout?
  
• If I don’t have a whole hour, do I bother?
  

The list goes on and on…My advice to him…

1. Look: it takes 3 seconds to throw shorts and a t-shirt on. 20 – 30 minutes to exercise. 10 minutes to rinse and your good to go!
2. You don’t have to go to gym to workout. There is plenty you can do in your own home from jumping rope, to going for a walk/jog to strength training exercises.
3. You do not need to work out for an hour! It is not all or nothing. Start with 20 minutes. When you have the time or want to- add another 10.

Map out your day.

• Get a piece of paper and right down the things in your day you know are going to happen!
• Lets call them your markers… Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner. Bed.
• What do you do before breakfast? At lunch? Before dinner? After dinner?
• You do not need to find an hour or two hours- all you need is 20 or 30 minutes. Have a small snack like a piece of fruit or a glass of milk.
• Work out before breakfast and then have a bowl of cereal, some oatmeal or toast with peanut butter after.
• At lunch? Have a small snack like an apple or a banana before you workout, and have your sandwich after.
• Before dinner? Again, small snack that is easily digestible like a piece of fruit or a glass of milk then dinner after. If your having dinner before you workout, wait 2 hours before you start jumping around or dinner will come back for a visit.

Map out your day the night before so you can see exactly how you are going to fit your workout in. Once you’ve done this for a couple of weeks- I promise you will feel so good about yourself that exercising will begin to become an habit, and working out will be second nature.Let me know what works or doesn’t work for you, Tossing some ideas around may help others in similar situations.

• Of course, if you have any questions, comments or suggestions…just ask! I may not have all the answers, but I’ll sure try