Why you need exercise as much as you need to sleep or eat
It’s easy to forget why you need exercise as much as you need to sleep or eat. Let’s rebalance your health pyramid so that each is given equal priority.
How did you sleep last night? What’s for dinner? These are important habits we assess every day, sometimes even asking our friends the same questions. And it’s universally agreed that sleeping around eight hours and eating three wholesome meals a day is ideal.
But when was the last time anyone other than your doctor asked whether you’re getting enough exercise? It could sound forward, insulting even. But it shouldn’t be. It should be just as natural to slip fitness into conversation as sleeping and eating - because it’s just as vital.
Let’s be honest - life can get in the way and often one of the first things that gets left on the sidelines is our physical activity. When it comes to working out or convenience, the latter wins most of the time.
How to make fitness a priority, not an afterthought
Don’t you just hate it when you go to the gym and it drags you out of a gloomy mood and you have to accept that exercise is good and not a conspiratorial lie designed by Adidas? You know working out works wonders - and you know you should be doing more of it.
Eating well and sleeping well are brilliant for the body and mind, but countless studies prove how exercise is equally as important. It’s time to make exercise a priority in your life in a way that feels balanced and enjoyable. Once you start to bring fitness into your everyday, the habit becomes as natural as brushing your teeth.
1 - Set workout appointments
Just like you would with a work event, hospital appointment or dinner with friends, scheduling exercise into your diary means you’re less likely to find an excuse to skip on it. If something else comes up, treat it as you would any other appointment. It’s just as important as a trip to the doctor - both look after your health.
2 - Sneak in physical activity throughout the day
We’re supposed to get at least 30 minutes of exercise every day. There are loads of sneaky ways we can squeeze it in without taking hours out for fitness classes, though. You can cycle to work instead of driving, take the stairs instead of the lift, go for a walk on your lunch break, or get up a tiny bit earlier and do squats, jumping jacks, push-ups or running on the spot for 10 minutes.
3 - Get motivated with a personal trainer
We cannot stress the benefits of having professional guidance to pump you up and make you accountable for your health and fitness. Our friendly personal trainers can help you live a longer, happier, healthier life, creating personalised plans to help you make working out an easy and comfortable part of your day-to-day routine.
4 - Always remember why fitness is important in the first place
There will be times you forget why you need exercise as much as you need to sleep or eat. Checking in on the importance of fitness is crucial to our wellbeing and health. Next time you’re tempted to skip the gym, think about why you need exercise. Could you do with more energy to make your days easier and breezier? Do you want to ditch those pills and all their side-effects, which might be a possibility if you take better care of yourself? Is your sleep rubbish because you’re relying on 24-hour caffeine fixes to get you through the day? Maybe you want to be a positive example for your kids? Knowing your whys and returning to them can help make moving an integral part of your life.