Time to Make Time

One of the excuses I hear the most for not exercising is, "I don't have time." Trust me, I can relate. But here's something to consider. If you don't properly prioritize your well-being, you could end up sitting in a hospital bed wired to machines with all the time in the world. Or you could end up dead.

I'm not trying to scare you, I'm simply being realistic. Here are some basic facts from the CDC: in 2008, about 1 in 4 American deaths were caused by heart disease. Every year almost 785,000 Americans have a heart attack. More than half of those people have a second attack. Inactivity has been proven to be the most significant reason for a heart attack, followed by obesity and high blood pressure. See all the statistics here: http://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm

Here's another scary statistic, also from the CDC: 18.8 million people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with diabetes. Type 1 diabetes accounts for about 5% of the cases. There is no known way to prevent it. Type 2 diabetes accounts for the remainder, and one of the main causes has been established to be, again, obesity and inactivity. Many people discover when they lose a significant amount of weight and make healthier food choices, weight, they no longer have this type of diabetes.

So tell me again, do you think you can find time to exercise? I think you can.

Start walking more, even if you have to do it on your lunch break. Lift weights in front of the TV instead of chowing down on snacks. Drink water or unsweetened tea instead of soda (even diet soda will make you want to consume more food). Lighten your mochas. Keep an apple at your desk for when you crave something sweet. Jog in place while you talk on the phone. There is time, you just have to find it. Make your health a priority. Right now. Today. Turn off your computer and start moving.