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Diet & Nutrition

2007-08-01 15:08:00

Don’t have enough time? Nonsense!

I know I should exercise and eat right but I just don’t have time. I rush home from work, rush around, and then run back out to kids’ activities, my activities, or meetings. I don’t exercise consistently and I usually grab fast food.How can I change this pattern?

Answer: Time management is probably the biggest challenge in our era. David Parker said “Time is our scarcest commodity, unless it is managed, nothing else can be.” Every person has 24 hours in every day, and most people pack them full. We really cannot manage time, we can only manage ourselves in the time we have. Planning ahead, scheduling exercise time, and coming up with alternatives to fast food are the simple time management steps that will help break the pattern. Most people don’t like to do these things and therefore, put off doing them. However, the only difference between people who are successful and people who are not, is that successful people are willing to do what’s necessary to accomplish the goal. You don’t have to like it; you just have to be willing. Planning ahead saves you time and energy. It only takes a few minutes to plan to make every minute count. Yet, many people run around in a frenzy, draining every ounce of energy, resulting in even less productive time. Spend 10-20 minutes at the beginning of the week consulting the week’s calendar and planning which evenings will need a quick fix meal and which days will need an alternate exercise plan. Make a list of the items you’ll need for your chosen meals, then make one trip to the grocery store. Put your plan in writing so you don’t need to spend time trying to remember what you were planning. Scheduling exercise time saves you time and energy. Studies show that people who exercise are more productive than people who don’t. Their minds are clearer and their bodies work more efficiently. Sluggishness drains the brain and the body. It doesn’t matter what time of day you schedule your exercise, just put it on the schedule and stick to it. Put it on your calendar like an appointment, and then treat it like a priority. I prefer morning so nothing else “comes up”, however, you should schedule it whenever you will do it. Making you a priority doesn’t come naturally to many people. When you take care of yourself, you are better able to take care of others. Coming up with alternatives to fast food saves you time and energy. People who eat high fat, greasy foods tend to tire more easily than those that choose healthier alternatives. Tired body equals tired mind. Poor energy equals poor productivity. Quick portable foods like sandwiches (healthy ones of course), fresh fruits, and veggies make excellent alternatives on those hurried evenings. Crock pot or one dish items that can be fixed ahead and will be ready when you get home, work well. Pre- preparing a few things makes reheating a snap. In summer, quick smoothies with fresh fruit work well and in winter try a yummy soup. If you do choose fast food, spend a little time surfing the net for your favorite restaurants. Most chains have their nutrition information online making it easy to pick the healthiest choices possible. Breaking old patterns isn’t always easy, and takes time and effort. Spending time planning, scheduling exercise, and inventing alternatives to fast foods, helps create a new pattern. You’ll find yourself with more time to accomplish your daily tasks, and even have energy left to enjoy yourself.