It's a question I've been asking myself over the last couple of weeks. If you can't fit in your normal workout/exercise routine, is it better to skip it altogether? or do as much as you can fit in?
The easy option is to say “it’s not worth getting all sweaty for only 20 minutes”, or “it’s not worth getting my running shoes out for such a short time, I’ll do extra tomorrow”.
Well tomorrow never comes and then you haven’t done any exercise again, or there’s a reason why you can’t do that little bit extra you promised yourself you would do.
Because of various pain in the butt reasons I spent last week sitting around too much, and certainly not exercising enough. On the first two of my usual gym days I made excuses, “ I won’t have time to do a full workout”, “it’ll be a rush”, “I’ll do it tomorrow instead”. Hmmmmmmm, tomorrow never comes remember?
By Thursday night I felt like a slug, I felt puffy from sitting around overloading on refined carbohydrates, my temper was definitely shorter than normal, and to put it bluntly I hated myself for having fallen into the ‘tomorrow’ trap, I looked in the full length mirror and saw a slug staring right back at me.
So Friday there were no excuses allowed. I could only afford to spend 45 minutes in the gym so I concentrated on what gives me the most workout for the shortest time, running. After 40 minutes I got off the treadmill, showered and shot off to my appointment (after breakfast of course). The day flew by, I felt alert, happy, and as if I’d accomplished something, I was also less of a danger to my fellow man.
It’s not about the quantity (where have you all heard that before?), it’s about just doing something, rather than nothing at all. And it’s about quality, if you don’t have the full time you need available then think what would be the most beneficial in the time you do have, then get on and do it.
So, the answer to my question ‘How much is enough?’
Anything…it’s better than nothing.
