So, how do you make time to exercise. What do you sacrifice to get to your CrossFit class each day?
I like to compare CrossFit/exercise/fitness classes of any sort to a couple of different things. Let's start with your children's sport schedule. You go to your child's school and sign them up for...football, baseball, dance, cheerleading, etc. You are given a schedule by their coach. Practice for blah blah blah will be on Mon, Tues, and Wed from 6:30-8:30 pm. You then try to figure out a plan of how and when you will get your child there. It's your child for heaven's sake and if they want to play this sport you will do everything in your power to make sure that they get to play it. We want them to succeed right? We want them to be the best they can be? So, you call friends that are driving and you set up a carpool. You cancel your Wednesday night cake decorating class so that you can get them there. You leave work early. I'm not going to lie I have even googled to see if there is a child's taxi service to get Brooke from point A to point B. BUT, the fact of the matter is this, I will do everything I possibly can to get my child to their practice, game, play, musical performance, art smart, etc......
....and the first thing I would cut out in order to make this happen is MY TIME!!!
Now, the second thing I like to compare CrossFit classes to is an appointment. Like one you would make with Brett for your eyes, or one you would make with Daron for you teeth, or one you would make with Angela for your adjustment. Now, Brett, Daron, and Angela would not say to you...just come on into my office whenever it is convenient for you and we'll get your eyes checked out, or we'll clean your teeth, or I'll do an adjustment. CrossFit is as much as a health appointment as any of the above. So, put it on your calendar like an appointment. And when another issue comes to rise, you have to say I can not do that, I have an appointment at that time. Treat it like the health appointment that it is.
Make it a part of your routine, make is a part of your schedule. Get up an hour early or go to bed an hour later...eat healthy, work healthy....BE HEALTHY!! It's a choice.
Jillian is looking for some advice on how to make this work in her life. The best piece of advice that I can give her is to keep plugging away. Pick two days and make it an appointment. When you have nicely settled into that routine, add another "appointment" into your week. I love that she is reaching out....because none of us can do this alone!! We got your back Jillian.
One day at a time.....
A number of months ago I met with the dietician in my
doctor’s office. My doctor was concerned
about my blood sugar levels. I wasn’t
exactly convinced it was necessary, but I wanted to remain open for any input
that might be helpful. After all, I had
been reading about Paleo nutrition for more than a year. I knew that the key to
good health was good nutrition, and I knew what to do, I just had to do it!
The morning of the appointment with the dietician arrived and
I dutifully headed to the office. Right
on time the dietician entered carrying her basket full of food samples so that
she could educate me on proper nutrition.
What ensued, however, was a delightful surprise! Instead of just
lecturing me from the food pyramid, she set the basket aside and got to know me
a little. I told her about my thoughts on paleo nutrition and shared with her
my food plan for good health. She did not tell me anything about food, or
recommend any books for further reading. She told me that she really thought I
knew what I needed to know to make good changes. Then, she got right down to it. She asked me why I don’t take care of myself,
and love myself as much as I do my children.
I had shared with her that I try to feed my children well, and
thankfully none of them struggle with weight issues at all. Her recommendation was to spend 15 minutes
daily reflecting upon how I need to take care of myself with the same love and
respect that I give to my family. So, I
really have done a lot of that for the past few months. Asking myself the hard
questions about my worth and what that has to do with what I put in my mouth (a
lot). I’ve made lots of progress.
You are probably wondering what this has to do with CrossFit
right about now. Well, this week has
been hard for me to figure out just exactly when I am supposed to go exercise!
Isn’t that just one of the many common excuses that one hears, that I myself
have used a ton? I don’t have time to exercise. In
spending time this week thinking about this, it dawned on me that I need to ask
myself the same questions about physical health that I did about nutritional
health. How can I show love and respect
for myself in this realm of taking care of my physical body? How important is
it anyway? I have so much on my plate,
and it’s not just frivolous stuff either. I am a single mother of four, I am a
fulltime nursing student, and I work part time. That’s just the really big
stuff. There really isn’t much I can eliminate.
Now, I know that life happens, and sometimes you just have to do what
you have to do; like the day this week that it was either CrossFit, or study
for a chemistry quiz (I would have preferred CrossFit). I just can’t skip study time for chemistry.
But, the question is then, how can I figure this out with personal integrity? How can I make a schedule that will honor all
the facets of what my commitments are? How do I really make sure that I put my
health first? I believe that honesty is
at the root of this, at least for me. Being honest with myself about what kind
of choices I am making. That involves
dropping the excuses and making some really hard decisions at times.
Answering these questions honestly, and acting with integrity
towards myself is at the core of reaching my goals. Again, I go back to the idea that in order to
care for and educate people as a nurse, and later a midwife, I must be healthy!
Both in body and in spirit I must be healthy.
This evolution will take place one step at a time. One short jog, one
burpee, one sit-up and one deadlift at a time.
And one decision at a time.
By the way, at the end of the summer when I went back in to
see my doctor she was surprised and happy to find that my blood sugar levels
are completely normal! When I shared
with her how I had done it by eating paleo, specifically the WHOLE30, she said
that was great and that she wished I could talk to all of her patients. I bet you can guess what my next thought was:
if she only knew how much I wished I could!
These issues of personal health integrity and honesty, of making the
time to eat well and exercise, are issues that we all deal with. Please share
with me any tips or advice that you have found that has helped you along the
way in making time to exercise or CrossFit. I would love to hear them!
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