When you follow fitness memes and blogs and graphics for long enough, you come across this rather annoying saying pretty often: "A one-hour workout is only 4% of your day. No excuses."
Yes. One hour of a 24 hour day is 4%. Let's break that down a bit. A good night's sleep should be about 8 hours. A work day is typically 7-8 hours. 16 hours right there, for sleep and work. Assuming you have no children or dependents (because pets can count as time-demanding dependents, as can aging parents), and no spouse/partner/roommate to work around, that basically leaves 8 hours a day for life. Life has to include eating, meal prep, shopping, cleaning, paying bills, travel to and from, and - hopefully - some time for fun and friends.
In other words, that 4% has to be a priority. It's do-able, but it's unfair to make it sound like it's easy-peasy. To spend an hour working out takes at least an hour and a half, or longer, when you account for changing and showering. More, if you are doing it outside of the home. There are some days when I go to the gym twice, doing a morning cardio class and then strength/weights later on. I aim to do something every day - something active that gets my heart rate up for at least 30 minutes. Going for a walk at lunch doesn't count, as good as it is for my health, overall. Committing to 30-60 active minutes a day, on average 6 days a week, is not something I take lightly, or which is realistic for everybody. I make it work because I feel that I have to.
There will always be reasons why working out is hard to fit into your day. It's a pretty fine line between an excuse and a reason. The hardest thing for me to admit to myself was that my reasons really were excuses. It's okay to make them, it's okay to own them. It's okay to say "I'm making something else a priority." Just be honest that it's your choice. I wasn't honest with myself for far too long.
We all have our own jar of rocks. Working out, exercise, fitness - that is now one of my big rocks. It's right there with work and friendships. My big three priorities. I build those into my schedule, I plan for them, and I protect those times. Once a class or personal training session is in my calendar, I don't double-book myself. I don't bail. Same goes for coffee with friends, or kids' birthday parties, or social engagements. Big rocks.
Other things get sacrificed. My apartment? It's a disaster zone. Dust bunnies are having a field day. I don't watch TV as much as I used to, and as much as I love movies and pop-culture, I only get to the theatre about twice a year. I let my hair grow too long, too scraggly, before I finally go and get it cut. The things which used to be priorities, aren't anymore. Because they're no longer as important to me as getting healthier and stronger.
A one hour workout is 4% of your day.
Anything you do for an hour is 4% of your day.
You choose.
You get to decide what your big rocks are.
You.
Yes. One hour of a 24 hour day is 4%. Let's break that down a bit. A good night's sleep should be about 8 hours. A work day is typically 7-8 hours. 16 hours right there, for sleep and work. Assuming you have no children or dependents (because pets can count as time-demanding dependents, as can aging parents), and no spouse/partner/roommate to work around, that basically leaves 8 hours a day for life. Life has to include eating, meal prep, shopping, cleaning, paying bills, travel to and from, and - hopefully - some time for fun and friends.
In other words, that 4% has to be a priority. It's do-able, but it's unfair to make it sound like it's easy-peasy. To spend an hour working out takes at least an hour and a half, or longer, when you account for changing and showering. More, if you are doing it outside of the home. There are some days when I go to the gym twice, doing a morning cardio class and then strength/weights later on. I aim to do something every day - something active that gets my heart rate up for at least 30 minutes. Going for a walk at lunch doesn't count, as good as it is for my health, overall. Committing to 30-60 active minutes a day, on average 6 days a week, is not something I take lightly, or which is realistic for everybody. I make it work because I feel that I have to.
There will always be reasons why working out is hard to fit into your day. It's a pretty fine line between an excuse and a reason. The hardest thing for me to admit to myself was that my reasons really were excuses. It's okay to make them, it's okay to own them. It's okay to say "I'm making something else a priority." Just be honest that it's your choice. I wasn't honest with myself for far too long.
We all have our own jar of rocks. Working out, exercise, fitness - that is now one of my big rocks. It's right there with work and friendships. My big three priorities. I build those into my schedule, I plan for them, and I protect those times. Once a class or personal training session is in my calendar, I don't double-book myself. I don't bail. Same goes for coffee with friends, or kids' birthday parties, or social engagements. Big rocks.
Other things get sacrificed. My apartment? It's a disaster zone. Dust bunnies are having a field day. I don't watch TV as much as I used to, and as much as I love movies and pop-culture, I only get to the theatre about twice a year. I let my hair grow too long, too scraggly, before I finally go and get it cut. The things which used to be priorities, aren't anymore. Because they're no longer as important to me as getting healthier and stronger.
A one hour workout is 4% of your day.
Anything you do for an hour is 4% of your day.
You choose.
You get to decide what your big rocks are.
You.
A professor stood before his class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty glass mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with large rocks. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
The professor then picked up a jar of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open spaces between the rocks. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar and of course the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous yes.
The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and then proceeded to pour the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the grains of sand. The students laughed.
"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The rocks are the important things -- your family, your partner, your health, your children, your friends, your favorite passions -- things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.
"The pebbles are the other things that matter, like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else -- the small stuff.
"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the big rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out dancing. Play another 18.”
"There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal. Take care of the big rocks first -- the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers."
The professor then picked up a jar of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open spaces between the rocks. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar and of course the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous yes.
The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and then proceeded to pour the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the grains of sand. The students laughed.
"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The rocks are the important things -- your family, your partner, your health, your children, your friends, your favorite passions -- things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.
"The pebbles are the other things that matter, like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else -- the small stuff.
"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the big rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out dancing. Play another 18.”
"There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal. Take care of the big rocks first -- the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers."
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